Tom came no more for a week, until self-assured that the Squire had not heard of his behaviour, as he met him on the road with his usual hearty greeting.

Ann Penhallow saw that the boy was less happy than usual and suspected some mild difficulty with Leila, but in her wise way said nothing and began to use him for some of her many errands of helpfulness in the village and on the farms, where always he made friends.

Seeing at last that the boy was too silent and to her eye unhappy, she talked of it to Mark Rivers.

The next day, after school, he said to John, "I want to see that old cabin in the woods.

Long as I have lived here I have never been that far.