The father had accepted the explanation of the toothache, the mother doubted it. The boy could not deceive her. She was too clever in mother sense.
After the tea table had been taken away, Mr. Devering called Big Chief to him and began to ask him questions about the ailing tooth.
Mrs. Devering however drew the boy to her. "I think, Daddy," she said, "that it is more headache than toothache. I am going to put him to bed and bathe his head."
Big Chief followed her with this same head hanging low.
I stepped along by the veranda until I came to his room. His bed was near the window. It would not be put out till later.
She made him lie down and seeing he was disinclined to talk, she sat by him till it was time for the other children to come in to supper.
After supper the children were very quiet, and before they went to bed, every boy Jack and every girl Jill came to say good-night to their big brother.
Little Big Wig, who had evidently heard the older ones pitying the sick one, said as he reached up to kiss him, "We're thorry, boy, we'll not sthrike you again."
"What's that?" asked Mrs. Devering sharply. "Have you children been beating your brother?"
"Oh! rubbish," said Big Chief, "it's only the kid's fun. Good-night, young one," and I heard the sound of a hearty boyish kiss. Alas! poor lad, it was another farewell.