Dave was always mysterious when he had a communication to make.

It was partly a sort of shyness and partly a survival of frontier craft.
Dave soon resolved Keith's doubt.

"I hear you're a-goin' away and ain't comin' back no more ?" "How did you hear that--I mean, that I am not coming back again ?" asked Keith.
"Well, you're a-sayin' good-by to everybody, same's if they were all a-goin' to die.

Folks don't do that if they're a-comin' back." He leaned forward, and in the semi-darkness Keith was aware that he was scrutinizing his face.
"No, I do not expect to come back--to teach school again; but I hope to return some day to see my friends." The boy straightened up.
"Well, I wants to go with you." "You! Go with me ?" Keith exclaimed.

Then, for fear the boy might be wounded, he said: "Why, Dave, I don't even know where I am going.