I remembered something Mr.
Ellsworth said to Tom Slade about not caring more for his gun than he did for his country.

But, gee, when I thought about what Skinny said about the two things he liked most, the axe and the law about honor, good night, I couldn't understand him at all.
Illustration #3 "Every time Skinny hit, he hit in a different place" Pretty soon I began worrying about Westy, because something is always delaying that fellow, and I even hoped that he wouldn't stumble over any more good turns, until this day's work was over.

If Westy fell out of a ten-story building, he'd do a good turn on the way down--that's the way he is.
Well, pretty soon I heard him coming through the woods on the dead run.
We all stopped working and laughed, because he was coming along like a marathon runner.

All except Skinny-he went right on chopping away and the sapling looked as if a cow had been chewing it.
I don't know, but something or other made me feel kind of mad at him all of a sudden, and I didn't laugh at him.
Then he called over to me and he said, "Look how I'm chopping it down with my axe! See ?" "Who's axe ?" I said, because I just couldn't help it.
"Look! See ?" he shouted, all excited; "ain't I a good chopper--ain't I ?" Maybe you won't understand how it was, because, gee, I can't tell things so you'll see them just right.

Anyway, I'm not excusing myself, that's one thing.