“I mean,” Pitch began, then he paused. “Maybe I should leave all this here. Wouldn’t it be better not to take chances on having anyone learn about Blue Valley? It’s rather wonderful having a world all our own, Steve. I … I guess I’ve changed in the past few days. What I mean to say is I’d rather leave everything here just as we found it … and then come back to it,” he added, his gaze dropping. “No one will ever know about Blue Valley that way and we can come back to it every summer—when you’re able to be here, I mean. We won’t arouse anyone’s curiosity. We’ll just be camping, Steve. No one will ever know what we’ve found.”

Steve had listened in silence, knowing what it meant for Pitch to give up his treasures for something he valued even more. When Pitch had finished, Steve found that he couldn’t meet his friend’s eyes, and he asked himself, Would you give up Flame to keep this world for yourself—for yourself and Pitch? And he thought selfishly, No, I couldn’t do that. For much as I love this valley, I love Flame even more. And if I want him to be safe, I must take him away from here—away from the Piebald.

“What do you think, Steve?” Pitch was asking again. “Should I leave everything here? Do you think it best, too?”

“No, Pitch,” Steve replied slowly, “I think you’d better take it with you.” He paused. “I’m going to take Flame away from here, you know. And when Tom sees him—” Steve left the sentence unfinished. When he looked up, Pitch’s eyes were upon him. And he realized from what he saw in them that Pitch doubted he would be able to take Flame away, doubted his parents would ever send him the money to get Flame home. But he doesn’t know them, Steve thought. He doesn’t really know them.

The boy stood up and walked over to his pack, while Pitch stayed behind, still fondling the heavy iron spur.

After a while Steve heard Pitch say, “I’m going to leave them behind, Steve. I’ve decided for myself. I’ve made up my mind.” And when the boy turned to him, he saw that Pitch’s eyes were bright and that his face had lost the tautness of the past few days. Steve suddenly felt very old and very tired.

Pitch began packing his equipment, paying no further attention to his newly acquired possessions until he had finished. Then he said, “I want to hide them, Steve. I’ll only be a few minutes.”

Steve nodded, and Pitch picked up his treasures one by one. When he started for the cave behind them, Steve looked anxiously at the eastern sky. The gray had given way to the golden light of the sun.