“Less’n five one minute, and over fourteen the next!” said the man in disgust.  “Grows kinder fast, don’t he?”

“Well, he ain’t goin’ ter school!” the woman insisted, and the officer went his way.

Gyp, however, did not believe that he would long remain away from the shanty.

He determined to take no chances, and it seemed to him that the safest thing for him to do, was to keep well away from home.

At twilight he surprised his family by appearing with a huge bundle of fagots that he had gathered in the woods.  He gave them yet another surprise by packing the wood upon the old wood pile behind the house, and running off again for more.

He returned with a larger bundle than the first.

“Kind ’o busy, ain’t yer?” questioned his mother, but Gyp made no reply.  She watched him, as he hastily piled the wood.

It certainly was unusual to see the boy work like that!

When asked to do a task, it was Gyp’s habit to do it as slowly as possible, and to do as little as he dared.

Now, without waiting to be asked, he was working as if he had not a moment to spare!

Yet more amazing, on the next day, before any of his family was stirring, he was again at work, and soon a huge heap of fagots rose in the little back yard.

“What ails ye, Gyp?” his mother asked, “Be ye sick?”

Gyp never answered unless he chose, and this was surely one of the times when he did not choose.

“Ornary critter!” said the woman, as she picked up her broom, and went in, closing the door behind her.

“Now, I’ll go!” said Gyp, and he ran off across the fields.

He could take care of himself, and he always managed, when away from home, to steal enough so that he was well fed.  He knew that, if wood were needed, his mother would hunt for him, but with the big pile of firewood behind the shanty, she would not search for him.  She would be glad that for a time she need not feed him!

Gyp had been shrewd when he had made that woodpile!

He found, when he had crossed the fields, that he was on a country road, and near a large farmhouse, whose big barn-door stood invitingly open.

In front of the house stood a baker’s cart, and Gyp looked about to see if the driver were in sight.

“He’s in that house!” whispered Gyp, in great excitement.

In haste, lest the man return, and catch him, he pulled out a draw, snatched some buns, and a pie, and darted with them into the barn, and up on the hay in the loft, where he hugely enjoyed his treat.

He heard the man run out to the cart, push the draw to, and then drive off.

“I’ve had a fine treat, an’ he ain’t missed what I took, so that’s all right,” he said, with a laugh, “an’ I guess I’ll see who’s got some fruit in his garden.  That’s what I want now!”

He went down the ladder like a monkey, ran from the barn, and a little farther up the road, found a fine blackberry patch, just over the wall.