"I've got ter quit it," he said, solemnly, "an' I will. Say, Nan," he
added, wistfully, "if I quit now, ye wont ever let him know I used ter
be--what you said, will ye?"
"No, Tode, never," answered Nan, quickly and earnestly. "And Tode, if
you'll stick to it, and not steal or lie or swear, I shan't mind your
helping me get things for Little Brother."
The boy's face brightened, and he drew himself up proudly. "It's a
bargain, then," he said.
Nan looked at him thoughtfully. "I don't believe you know how hard it
will be, Tode. I find it's awful hard to break myself of bad habits,
and I don't s'pose you've ever tried to before, have you?"
Tode considered the question. "Guess not," he said, slowly, after a
pause.
"Then I'm afraid you'll find you can't stop doing those bad things all
at once. But you'll keep on trying, Tode. You won't give up 'cause
it's hard work," Nan pleaded, anxiously.
"Nope," answered the boy, briefly, with a glance at the soft little
fingers that were clasped about one of his.
When Nan went home he went with her to the door, loth to lose sight of
the only creature in the world for whom he cared. As the door closed
behind the two, he walked on thinking over what Nan had said. Much of
it seemed to him "girls' stuff an' nonsense." "As if a fella couldn't
stop swipin' things if he wanted to!" he said to himself.
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