"But I'm guilty, Ed," said Peter. "I guess I am, anyway."
"Can't help it!" said the sheriff firmly. "I don't know nothing about that. If you want to come to jail, you've got to be served with papers in the regular way. The city don't O. K. my bills hit-or-miss no more. I guess you'll have to get out. I can't run the risk of keeping you on your own say-so."
"If you say so, Ed," said Peter. "If anything comes up, you'll know I've tried to get into jail, anyway. What should you say I ought to do?"
"What you _ought_ to do," said the sheriff, "is to go home and wait until somebody comes and arrests you in proper shape."
"I'll do so, if you say so, Ed," said Peter. "I'm living in George Rapp's house-boat, down at Big Tree Lake, and if you want me, I'll be there. I'll wait 'til you come."
He shook Booge's hand and the sheriff unlocked the gate of the stone-yard, and Peter passed out into the cold world.
PETER avoided the main street, for he was aware he was a curious sight in his blanket serape, and it was too comfortable to throw away, and, in addition, would be his only bed clothing when he reached his boat. He hurried along Oak Street as less frequented than the main street, for he had almost the entire length of the town to pass through. As it was growing late he was anxious to strike the bluff road in time to catch a ride with some homeward-bound farmer. His bag of provisions was still at the farmer's on the hillside; the shanty-boat awaited him, and he must take up his life where it had been interrupted. For the present he was powerless to aid either Susie or Buddy.
Peter had a long walk before him if he did not catch a ride, and he started briskly, but in front of the Baptist Church he paused. A bulletin board stood before the door calling attention to a sale to be held in the Sunday-school room, and the heading of the announcement caught his eye. "All For The Children," it said. It seemed that there were poor children in the town--children with insufficient clothes, children with no shoes, children without underwear, and a sale was to be held for them; candy, cakes, fancy work, toys and all the usual Christmas-time church sale articles were enumerated. Peter read the bulletin, and passed on.