CHAPTER THREE
THE DISCOVERER
Many devilish thoughts plagued the eleven year old Jimmie’s mind as he hurriedly made his way across the fields to his home. What was going to happen to him? What would his parents do to him? Jimmie was afraid and he had just cause to be so.
The very thing which he had done led the boy to believe that they hanged people or else shot them for such actions. He did not stop to think that he had not killed anyone, yet his child’s mind told him differently. He had brought disgrace down upon the good name of his family, and forever upon himself. And above all else, he did not want to be hanged. It really seemed to the boy that the end of the world was near for him and that there was nothing that could save him.
He was hardly a hundred yards from home when he almost burst out crying, but he refrained from doing so for he felt that he was too much of a man.
Then Jimmie thought of escape.
Only his sister Cora was in the house. And she did not see Jimmie until he had packed all that he felt he needed for his trip “away from the good old home.”
Among the possessions which he had gathered up were his hunting knife, a butcher knife, fishing tackle and a very small parcel of food. The quantity of food which young Jimmie had packed up was hardly enough for more than two meals at the most. Also it did not occur to him to take more than the clothing upon his back. In his mind he kept telling himself that he never would return. But at this time there was but one thought that stuck in his mind. That thought was to put as much distance as possible between the schoolhouse and himself. Just as he started for the back door, he was confronted by his sister.
“Where are you going, Jimmie?”
“I’m going out for a little hiking trip. Be back before long,” he replied with his head hanging low. “Goodbye.”