"Hold on! Forget that! My name's Pippin, and that's what you call me from now on. I had to _show_ you what I used to be, or you'd never have listened to me; _now_, I'm an honest man, and there's nobody I can't look in the face. Pippin's my name, and straight is my natur'. Praise the Lord! Amen! Well, sir, that is what I done. Now the question is, what next? And here comes in Mr. and Mrs. Baxter. Well, those folks are as good as they make 'em; they're as good as your Uncle and Aunt Bailey, and more is not to be said. They know all about me, and all about you. I'm leavin' 'em in a day or two, for good; and gorry, what do you think them two Bakin' Angels is ready to do? They stand ready to take you and make a baker of you. Now--rest easy! I got to get it all off my chest! Bakin' is as nice a trade, as _pretty_ an all-round trade, as a man can ask for in this world. If I hadn't other things I'd undertaken to do--well, never mind that! Here you can stay, if you're a mind to, and if you feel like you've had your bellyful of breakin' and enterin', and like that; work in daylight and sunlight and free air, and eat choice food, and hear kind, decent, pleasant language and never anything else. That's what you've ben used to all your life, you'll say; yes, but there's more to it. Here you are in a town, and folks all round you, boys of your own age, nice clean fellers like you--you needn't winch! The dirt ain't grimed into you yet; 'twill wash off, you see!--boys to chin with, and play baseball with, and football; girls too, nice, pretty, refined young ladies, comin' in to buy creamcakes, and--green grass! I certingly shall miss those young ladies!--and--go to singin' school evenin's, and church meetin', and like that, and--well, that, sir, is what we offer, against the life of a crook. You balance them two in your mind, and think it over a bit!" He made a motion with his hand, and turning his face away, was about to take counsel with himself, when the boy spoke hastily. "Mr. Pippin," he said, "I--no need to think it over! I thank you a thousand times. I'm a fool, but I didn't know it before. Now I see it clear, and I thank you--I--I can't say what I feel, but I do sure feel it. I'd stay here glad and thankful, and I'd do my best, sir, honestly I would, and try to make good; but--but--" "Well?" Pippin's eyes were very bright, he bent forward eagerly. "Well, youngster? What stands in the way?" "Aunt and Uncle!" broke forth the boy. "I've been mean--mean as dirt, and they so good to me. If they'll let me, and if Mr. Baxter can wait, say a week, I'll come back more thankful than I've words to say; but first I must go home--and--" A thwack upon his shoulders, almost as loud as that of the peel an hour before, sent him half out of bed. Looking up in terror, he saw Pippin standing over him with shining eyes and outstretched hand. "Shake!" he said simply. "I've found what I was lookin' for. Let us praise the Lord!" CHAPTER XI