But I just looked over at Skinny and I said: "I don't want to look at your axe! Shut up you little--" I was going to call him a little thief, but I'm mighty glad I didn't.

"Can't you see I'm looking at something else ?" I said, kind of mad.

"You'd be better off if you never thought about the axe; you're a--" Just then I heard somebody yell, "Look out, Westy, the boards are gone! You'll have to climb!" After that, everything seemed to be all jumbled up.

I saw Skinny standing near his sapling just staring at me and he looked as if I had just hit him and he didn't understand at all.

He didn't even notice all the other fellows who were running.