David rose to his feet and then knelt again. "Forgot to say thank you. That's for if you can do me any help, if you can." He got to his feet and then knelt suddenly again. "Oh, yes, and amen, too."

People came into the entrance of the church and David left quickly by the side door. He had a strange feeling. He went next into: Thirteen. Old Indian Cemetary.

And there he saw the gardener.

He was bent over raking leaves from old burial mounds of the Indians. He did not seen the young man.

But David saw him, saw the reddish-brown hands clasping the rough, wooden handle of the rake, saw that he must be in his late forties and that he seemed to be forlorn and forgotten by the world. I'll say 'hello' to him as I go by, he decided. I feel so happy after my prayer that I've just got to say something to

someone.

The gardener evidently heard David come up behind him for he turned about suddenly with the rake still in his hands.

Gad! How fierce he looks, thought David. Maybe I should mind my own business before he takes a sudden notion to attack me or something. "HelHullo," he said.

The gardener did not speak but only nodded his head in acknowledgement. The look he gave the boy from shiny-black eyes, sent little shivers up and down David's spine. His face was just as dark as his hands, if not darker and the seams in his face shone with little rivulets of perspiration. His nose, too, was sharp and practically hooked.

David smiled just a trifle bit and decided he had better go on about his business. He started to leave.

"If you are afraid of me, why did you say hello?" The gardener spoke in a voice that was thick and heavy.

"I'm not afraid of you, I-I just said hello." He was surprised that the man could see through him.

"Have you seen all of the mission, yet?"

"I don't think so. There are about twelve or fourteen places I haven't visited yet," he answered, consulting his guide.

...

like for me. . . to show you them?" The gardener spoke

"Would you hesitatingly. "Well..." David answered, "I'm here with my parents." Still, he thought, I can't let him know that I'm excited and just a little bit afraid of him. Now will be a good chance for me to see how I react toward a stranger. "Sure, why not. You can be my guide and I won't be needing this," and he folded the map and guide pamphlet up and stuck it into his sweater pocket. He touched the small swallow feather and brought it out. "See what I caught floating down from one of the nests."

"Yes, they are to come back today."

"Well, they're kind of late, aren't they?" He noticed the sun starting to set. "They will come," was the man's reply. The gardener placed his rake up against the side of a building and they started to walk away.

"Here, let me decorate your hat," said David. And he accepted the brown, stained, old felt hat the gardener held out to him. Quickly the boy stuck the feather into the fading brim and then handed the hat back. "There, now that feather will bring you luck," he said, grinning.