Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/115



HERE was not a great deal said, that night, about Hugh’s first experiment as a woodsman, for Oscar seemed to be the sort of person  who knew when it was kinder not to ask questions. One look at his white, anxious face when he came home long after dark, one glimpse of his smile of  delight and relief when he found that Hugh had  returned safely after all, these caused the boy  enough remorse without the wasting of any  words. That he had lost Oscar’s rifle was to Hugh the bitterest and most irretrievable mishap of the whole day. He might tell himself over and over that he would replace it when he went  back to Rudolm, but how soon would that be and  how desperately might not the weapon be needed  before that time?

When they set out again next day, Oscar gave 103