“Are you sure you didn’t tell anyone? Or bring anyone/”

“No sir! I’m glad you like the food, sir.”

“Thank you, my boy. You’ve been kind to a poor man.”

“But it looks like you haven’t left any for him.”

“Him? Who do you mean?” My friend stopped in the middle of eating.

“The young man who travels with you.” “Oh, him!” he replied, smiling, “He doesn’t want any food!”

“I thought he looked pretty hungry when I saw him,” I answered.

He opened his eyes wide in great surprise. “Looked? Where?” he asked.

“Just now, over there in the churchyard. I thought it was you because he was dressed like you and I went over and woke him up and----“ I was anxious to express this as politely as I could “---it looked like he had the same reason for wanting to borrow this tool I brought.”

“Then I did hear the gun being fired last night! You know, boy, when you’re alone at night, you imagine all kinds of things ---voices calling, guns firing, soldiers marching! But tell me where this man went. When I find him I’ll smash his face and be finished with him! Let me have the tool first.

I became afraid of him again now that he was angry.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, “I have to go home now.” He paid no further attention to me and was bending over his chained leg, butting away at the iron like a crazy man. I ran as fast as I can towards home. When I stopped halfway home in the mist, I could still hear the sound of him trying to but his chain.