Enough had occurred, however, to show that Jake was thoroughly scared by the little fellow's violence, and he could not have been more thoroughly whipped than he was already. When order had been restored, Sam said quietly:-- "The breaking of the compass is a serious mishap, and the want of it will give us trouble all the way; but luckily it is not fatal to our expedition, if you boys will help me work out the problem without the aid of the needle." "Help you! You see if we wont!" cried the enthusiastic boys in chorus. "Thank you," replied Sam, lifting his cap, "I thought I could depend upon you." "But can you really find the way without the compass, Sam?" asked Tom. "Certainly, else I shouldn't be fit to be in the woods." "How can you do it?" "I'll show you presently." "What'll you do with Jake?" asked Sid Russell. "I'll take him with us," replied Sam. "Is that all?" "That is enough, I think. He is the worst punished boy or man in America this minute, and he'll be punished every minute while he stays with us." "Well but ain't nothin' more to be done to him? Can't I just duck him a little or something of that sort?" "No, certainly not. We all know him now, as a coward and a miserable sneak. What's the good of demonstrating it further? It would be dirtying your own hands." "That's kind o' so, captain, but I'd sort o' like to duck him a little anyhow. The creek's so handy down there." "No," said Sam. "I want no further reference made to this matter. Jake Elliott will go on with us, and as I have said already, he's punished enough. Besides it may prove to be a lesson to him. He may do better hereafter, and if he does, if he shows a genuine disposition to atone for his misconduct by good behavior in the future, I want nobody to tell of what has occurred here, after we get back to our friends. I ask that now of you boys as a favor, and I shall think nobody my friend who will not join me in this effort to make a man out of our companion. I am ready to forgive him freely, and the quarrel has been mine from the first. You can certainly afford to hold your tongues at my request, if Jake tries to do better hereafter. I want your promise to that effect." The boys required some urging before they would promise, but their admiration for Sam's magnanimity was too great for them to persist in refusing anything that he asked of them. They promised at last, not only not to refer to the matter during their campaign, but to keep it a secret afterward, provided Jake should be guilty of no further misconduct. "Thank you, boys," said Sam, "and now, Jake," he continued, "you have a chance to redeem your reputation. You cannot undo what you have done, but you can act like a man hereafter, without having this business thrown up to you." Sam held out his hand, but Jake pretended not to see it. CHAPTER XI. BACKWOODS GEOMETRY.