"It ain't a lie, auntie; it's the truth. I wanted to keep you from grieving--that was all that made me come."

     "I'd give the whole world to believe that--it would cover up a power of sins, Tom. I'd 'most be glad you'd run off and acted so bad. But it ain't reasonable; because, why didn't you tell me, child?"

     "Why, you see, when you got to talking about the funeral, I just got all full of the idea of our coming and hiding in the church, and I couldn't somehow bear to spoil it. So I just put the bark back in my pocket and kept mum."

     "What bark?"

     "The bark I had wrote on to tell you we'd gone pirating. I wish, now, you'd waked up when I kissed you--I do, honest."

     The hard lines in his aunt's face relaxed and a sudden tenderness dawned in her eyes.

     "Did you kiss me, Tom?"

     "Why, yes, I did."

     "Are you sure you did, Tom?"

     "Why, yes, I did, auntie--certain sure."

     "What did you kiss me for, Tom?"