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comes bummin' round ye； like this； jest turn him over TO ME； and
I'll lift him outer his boots！〃
Jake kept his word； and his distance thereafter。 Indeed； it was
after this first and last conversation with him that the influence
of his powerful protection was so strong that all active criticisms
of Johnny ceased； and only a respectful surveillance of his
movements lingered in the settlement。 I do not know that this was
altogether distasteful to the child； it would have been strange；
indeed； if he had not felt at times exalted by this mysterious
influence that he seemed to have acquired over his fellow
creatures。 If he were merely hunting blackberries in the brush； he
was always sure； sooner or later； to find a ready hand offered to
help and accompany him； if he trapped a squirrel or tracked down a
wild bees' hoard； he generally found a smiling face watching him。
Prospectors sometimes stopped him with： 〃Well； Johnny； as a chipper
and far…minded boy； now WHAR would YOU advise us to dig？〃 I grieve
to say that Johnny was not above giving his advice；and that it
was invariably of not the smallest use to the recipient。
And so the days passed。 Mr。 Medliker's absence was protracted； and
the hour of retribution and punishment still seemed far away。 The
blackberries ripened and dried upon the hillside； and the squirrels
had gathered their hoards； the bees no longer came and went through
the thicket； but Johnny was still in daily mysterious possession of
his grains of gold！ And then one dayafter the fate of all heroic
humanityhis secret was imperilled by the blandishments and
machinations of the all…powerful sex。
Florry Fraser was a little playmate of Johnny's。 Why； with his
doubts of his elder sister's intelligence and integrity； he should
have selected a child two years younger； and of singular
simplicity； was； like his other secret； his own。 What SHE saw in
him to attract her was equally strange； possibly it may have been
his brown…gooseberry eyes or his warts； but she was quite content
to trot after him； like a young squaw； carrying his 〃bow…arrow；〃 or
his 〃trap；〃 supremely satisfied to share his woodland knowledge or
his scanter confidences。 For nobody who knew Johnny suspected that
she was privy to his great secret。 Howbeit； wherever his ragged
straw hat； thatched with his tawny hair； was detected in the brush；
the little nankeen sunbonnet of Florry was sure to be discerned not
far behind。 For two weeks they had not seen each other。 A fell
disease； nurtured in ignorance； dirt； and carelessness； was
striking right and left through the valleys of the foothills； and
Florry； whose sister had just recovered from an attack； had been
sequestered with her。 But one morning； as Johnny was bringing his
wood from the stack behind the house； he saw； to his intense
delight； a picket of the road fence slipped aside by a small red
hand； and a moment after Florry squeezed herself through the narrow
opening。 Her round cheeks were slightly flushed； and there was a
scrap of red flannel around her plump throat that heightened the
whiteness of her skin。
〃My！〃 said Johnny； with half…real； half…affected admiration； 〃how
splendiferous！〃
〃Sore froat；〃 said Florry； in a whisper； trying to insert her two
chubby fingers between the bandage and her chin。 〃I mussent go
outer the garden patch！ I mussent play in the woods； for I'll be
seed！ I mussent stay long； for they'll ketch me outer bed！〃
〃Outer bed？〃 repeated Johnny； with intense admiration； as he
perceived for the first time that Florry was in a flannel nightgown；
with bare legs and feet。
〃Ess。〃
Whereupon these two delightful imps chuckled and wagged their heads
with a sincere enjoyment that this mere world could not give！
Johnny slipped off his shoes and stockings and hurriedly put them
on the infant Florry； securing them from falling off with a thick
cord。 This added to their enjoyment。
〃We can play cubby house in the stone heap；〃 whispered Florry。
〃Hol' on till I tote in this wood；〃 said Johnny。 〃You hide till I
come back。〃
Johnny swiftly delivered his load with an alacrity he had never
shown before。 Then they played 〃cubby house〃not fifty feet from
the cabin； with a hushed but guilty satisfaction。 But presently it
palled。 Their domain was too circumscribed for variety。 〃Robinson
Crusoe up the tree〃 was impossible； as being visible from the house
windows。 Johnny was at his wits' end。 Florry was fretful and
fastidious。 Then a great thought struck him and left him cold。
〃If I show you a show； you won't tell？〃 he said suddenly。
〃No。〃
〃Wish yer…ma…die？〃
〃Ess。〃
〃Got any penny？〃
〃No。〃
〃Got any slate pencil？〃
〃No。〃
〃Ain't got any pins nor nuthin'？ You kin go in for a pin。〃
But Florry had none of childhood's fluctuating currency with her；
having； so to speak； no pockets。
〃Well；〃 said Johnny； brightening up； 〃ye kin go in for luv。〃
The child clipped him with her small arms and smiled； and； Johnny
leading the way； they crept on all fours through the thick ferns
until they paused before a deep fissure in the soil half overgrown
with bramble。 In its depths they could hear the monotonous trickle
of water。 It was really the source of the spring that afterwards
reappeared fifty yards nearer the road； and trickled into an
unfailing pool known as the Burnt Spring； from the brown color of
the surrounding bracken。 It was the water supply of the ranch； and
the reason for Mr。 Medliker's original selection of that site。
Johnny lingered for an instant； looked carefully around； and then
lowered himself into the fissure。 A moment later he reached up his
arms to Florry； lowered her also； and both disappeared from view。
Yet from time to time their voices came faintly from belowwith
the gurgle of wateras of festive gnomes at play。
At the end of ten minutes they reappeared； a little muddy； a little
bedraggled； but flushed and happy。 There were two pink spots on
Florry's cheeks； and she clasped something tightly in her little
red fist。
〃There；〃 said Johnny； when they were seated in the straw again；
〃now mind you don't tell。〃
But here suddenly Florry's lips began to quiver； and she gave vent
to a small howl of anguish。
〃You ain't bit by a trant'ler nor nuthin'？' said Johnny anxiously。
〃Hush up！〃
〃Noo！ But〃
〃But what？〃 said Johnny。
〃Mar said I MUST tell！ Mar said I was to fin' out where you get
the truly gold！ Mar said I was to get you to take me；〃 howled
Florry； in an agony of remorse。
Johnny gasped。 〃You Injin！〃 he began。
〃But I won'tJohnny！〃 said Florry； clutching his leg frantically。
〃I won't and I sha'n't！ I ain't no Injin！〃
Then； between her sobs； she told him how her mother and Mr。 Staples
had said that she was to ask Johnny the next time they met to take
her where they found the 〃truly gold；〃 and she was to remember