Vicki and I again stared at each other in silent wonder, and while we were staring he pulled the sled sideways across the road and sat down. 'Come, come,' said I, striving after a brisk severity. 'I am tired,' he said, leaning his chin on his hand and studying first my face and then Vicki's with a detached, impartial scrutiny. 'We too are tired,' said I, 'and see, yet we carry the heavy parcels for you. The sled, empty, is quite light.' 'Then why do you not pull it yourself?' he asked again. 'Anyhow,' said Vicki, 'while he sits there we needn't hold these great things.' And she put the volumes on the sled, and I let the meat drop on it, which it did with a horrible, soft, heavy thud. The boy sat motionless. 'Let him get his wind,' said Vicki, turning away to look over the edge of the road at the view. 'I'm afraid he's a bad little boy,' said I, following her and gazing too at the sparkling hills across the valley. 'A bad little boy, encased in an outer semblance of innocence.' 'He only wants his wind,' said Vicki. 'He shows no symptoms of not having got it,' said I; for the boy was very calm, and his mouth was shut sweetly in a placid curve. We waited, looking at the view, humanely patient as became two highly civilized persons. The boy got up after a few minutes and shook himself. 'I am rested,' he announced with a sudden return to the politeness that had charmed us in Jena. 'It certainly was rather a long pull up,' said I kindly, softened by his manner. 'Yes,' said he, 'but I will not keep the ladies waiting longer.' And he did not, for he whisked the sled round, sat himself upon it, and before we had in the least understood what was happening he and it and the books for Papa and the beef for Joey were darting down the hill, skimming along the track with the delicious swiftness none knew and appreciated better than we did. At the bend of the road he gave a joyful whoop and waved his cap. Then he disappeared. Vicki and I stared at each other once more in silent wonder. 'What an abandoned little boy,' she gasped at last--he must have been almost in Jena by the time we were able to speak. 'The poor beef,' said I very ruefully, for it was a big piece and had cost vast sums. 'Yes, and the books,' said Vicki. 'Yes, and the _Assessor's_ sled,' said I. There was nothing for it but to hurry down after him and seek out the authorities and set them in pursuit; and so we hurried as much as can be hurried over such a road, tired, silent, and hungry, and both secretly nettled to the point of madness at having been so easily circumvented by one small boy. 'Little boys are more pestilential than almost anything I know,' said Vicki, after a period of speechless crunching over the snow. 'Far more than anything I know,' said I. 'I'm thankful I did not marry,' said she. 'So am I,' said I. 'The world's much too full of them as it is,' said she. 'Much,' said I.