“There’ll be no other time as good,” Tom insisted. “Look here, Parker! I’ve never hit it off with you, with your crowd. We’ve jarred each other. You didn’t like me; I didn’t like you. But now I’ve seen your bunch in trouble, and I’ve seen how you stick together through thick and thin. And your fellows have been fair to me.... I’ve never had a crowd like that. I didn’t believe there could be such a crowd.... No; don’t try to pull away! You’ve got to hear me! I started back with you, because that seemed to be the sensible thing to do. I expected the fellows would roast me, snub me, rub it in that I’d been a fool to bolt. I meant to stand it and say nothing; but back in Plainville I’d get even, fast enough.... Well, if I kept quiet, I saw things. It just forced itself on me, after a while, that maybe I hadn’t got along with you because I didn’t know how to get along with anybody.... I heard what you said about your mistakes and the crowd’s mistakes, and I understood. Bother all that, though! I know I’ve made enough mistakes of my own.... Hold on! There’s one thing more, and it’s the biggest thing of all--to me. Every one of your fellows wanted to come with you on this trip, but you chose me. It was the biggest thing you could have done for me. It squared the account--and more.... And that’s all I’ve got to tell you, except that the slate’s clean, so far as I am concerned; and that I won’t worry you or your crowd. I’m going back to Plainville, and I’m going to take my medicine. And I reckon you won’t hear me whine.” Sam, genuinely embarrassed yet honestly pleased and relieved, tried to escape the restraining hand. “You--you bet I won’t, Tom!” he said awkwardly but kindly. “No danger of that! You’ve proved the stuff that’s in you--the gang knows it as well as I do. And--and after this day--I don’t believe you’ll find things in Plainville so hard, after all.” Then he freed himself, and started down the hill. The men in the road caught sight of the figures on the ridge, and raised a welcoming hail. CHAPTER XXX IN FULL SETTLEMENT Plainville was on the last day of the nine traditionally allotted to discussion of affairs of high interest or importance. The town had been stirred by the story of the adventures of Sam and his friends, and the boys, a good deal to their surprise, had found themselves treated like heroes. Plainville had had a taste of the big storm--huge drifts still rose in many places--and was ready to give full credit for plucky endurance of the hardships, both of the club’s wanderings to the old Calleck house and of the forced march of Sam and Orkney to the settlements; while the dash of a rescue party to the stone house and its return with the other members of the club, and Lon and the stricken Peter Groche, formed another chapter which caught the public fancy.