anged with every layer； and it wasn't no easy trick figuring where everything went。 He lay there with his eyes closed； looking into his own flesh for the first time。 At first he tried following the pain； but that didn't get nowhere； just led him to where everything was mashed and cut and messed up so he couldn't tell up from down。 After a long while he tried a different tack。 He listened to his heart beating。 At first the pain kept tearing him away； but after a while he closed in on that sound。 If there was noise in the world outside he didn't know about it； because the pain shut all that out。 And the rhythm of the heartbeat； that shut out the pain； or mostly； anyway。
He followed the tracks of his blood； the big strong stream； the little streams。 Sometimes he got lost。 Sometimes a stab from his leg just broke in and demanded to be heard。 But by and by he found his way to healthy skin and bone in the other leg。 The blood wasn't half so strong there； but it led him where he wanted to go。 He found all the layers； like the skin of an onion。 He learned their order； saw how the muscle was tied together； how the tiny veins linked up； how the skin stretched taut and bonded tight。
Only then did he find his way to the bad leg。 The patch of skin Mama sewed on was pretty much dead； just turning to rot。 Alvin Junior knew what it needed； though； if any part of it was to live。 He found the mashed…off ends of the arteries around the wound； and began to urge them to grow； just the way he made cracks travel through stone。 The stone was easy； pared to this to make a crack； it just had to let go； that's all。 The living flesh was slower to do what he wanted； and pretty soon he gave up on all but the strongest artery。
He began to see how it was using bits and pieces of this and that to build with。 A lot was happening that was far too small and fast and plicated for Alvin to get hold of with his mind。 But he could get his body to free up what the artery needed in order to grow。 He could send it where it was needed； and after a while the artery linked up with the rotted tissue。 It took some doing； but he finally found the end of a shriveled artery and linked them up； and sent the blood flowing into the sewn…on patch。
Too soon； too fast。 He felt the heat on his leg from blood pouring out of the dead flesh at a dozen points； it couldn't hold in all the blood he sent。 Slow； slow； slow。 He followed the blood； now seeping instead of pumping； and again linked up blood vessels； arteries to veins； trying to match it； as best he could； to the other leg。
Finally it was done； or well enough。 The normal flow of blood could be contained。 Many parts of the patch of skin came back to life as the blood returned。 Other parts stayed dead。 Alvin kept going around and around with the blood； stripping away the dead parts； breaking them up into bits and pieces too small for him to recognize。 But the living parts recognized them well enough； took them up； put them to work。 Wherever Alvin explored； he made the flesh grow。
Until he was so weary in his mind from thinking so small and working so hard that he fell asleep in spite of himself。
〃I don't want to wake him。〃
〃No way to change the bandage without touching it； Faith。〃
〃All right； then oh； be careful； Alvin！ No； let me！〃
〃I've done this before〃
〃On cows； Alvin； not on little boys！〃
Alvin Junior felt pressure on his leg。 Something pulling at the skin there。 The pain wasn't as bad as yesterday。 But he was still too tired even to open his eyes。 Even to make a sound to let them know he was awake； he could hear them。
〃Good laws； Faith； he must have bled something awful in the night。〃
〃Mama； Mary says I have to〃
〃Hush up and get on out of here； Cally！ Can't you see your ma's worried about〃
〃No need to yell at the boy； Alvin。 He's only seven。〃
〃Seven's old enough to keep his mouth shut and leave grown…ups alone when we've got things to look at that。〃
〃I can hardly believe it。〃
〃I thought to see pus ing out like cream from a cow's tit。〃
〃Clean as can be。〃
〃And skin growing back； will you look at that？ Your sewing must've took。〃
〃I hardly dared to hope that skin would live。〃
〃Can't even see no bone under there。〃
〃The Lord is blessing us。 I prayed all night； Alvin； and look what God has done。〃
〃Well； you should've prayed harder； then； and got it healed up tight。 I need this boy for chores。〃
〃Don't you get blasphemous with me； Alvin Miller。〃
〃It just gripes me hollow； the way God always sneaks in to take the credit。 Maybe Alvin's just a good healer； you ever think of that？〃
〃Look； your nastiness is waking the boy。〃
〃See if he wants a drink of water。〃
〃He's getting one whether he wants it or not。〃
Alvin wanted it badly。 His body was dry； not just his mouth； it needed to make back what it lost in blood。 So he swallowed as much as he could； from a tin cup held to his mouth。 A lot of it spilled around his face and neck but he didn't hardly notice that。 It was the water that trickled into his belly that mattered。 He lay back and tried to find out from the inside how his wound was doing。 But it was too hard to get back there； too hard to concentrate。 He dropped off before he was halfway there。
He woke again； and thought it must be night again； or maybe the curtains were drawn。 He couldn't find out cause it was too hard to open his eyes； and the pain was back； fierce again； and something maybe even worse： the wound was a…tickling till he could hardly keep himself from reaching down to scratch。 After a while； though； he was able to find the wound and once again help the layers to grow。 By the time he slept； there was a thin； plete layer of skin over the whole wound。 Underneath； the body was still working to renew the ravaged muscles and knit the broken bones。 But there'd be no more loss of blood； no more open wound to get infected。
〃Look at this； Taleswapper。 You ever seen the like of this？〃
〃Skin like a newborn baby。〃
〃Maybe I'm crazy； but except for the splint I can't see no reason to leave this leg bound up no more。〃
〃Not a sign of a wound。 No； you're right； there's no need for a bandage now。〃
〃Maybe my wife is right； Taleswapper。 Maybe God just rared back and passed a miracle on my boy。〃
〃Can't prove anything。 When the boy wakes up； maybe he'll know something about it。〃
〃Not a chance of that。 He hasn't even opened his eyes this whole time。〃
〃One thing's certain； Mr。 Miller。 The boy isn't about to die。 That's more than I could have guessed yesterday。〃
〃I was set to build him a box to hold him underground； that I was。 I didn't see no chance him living。 Will you look at how healthy he is？ I want to know what's protecting him； or who。〃
〃Whatever is protecting him； Mr。 Miller； the boy is stronger。 That's something to think about。 His protector split that stone； but Al Junior put it back together and not a thing his protector could do about it。〃
〃Reckon he even knew what he was doing？〃
〃He must have some notion of his powers。 He knew what he could do with the stone。〃
〃I never heard of a knack like this； to tell you straight。 I told Faith what he did with that stone； dressing it on the backside without ever laying on a tool； and she starts reading from the Book of Daniel and crying about fulfilment of the prophecy。 Wanted to rush in here and warn the boy about clay feet。 Don't that beat all？ Religion makes them crazy。 Not a woman I ever met wasn't crazy with religion。〃
The door opened。
〃Get out of here！ Are you so dumb I have to tell you twenty times； Cally？ Where's his mother； can't she keep one seven…year…old boy away from〃
〃Be easy on the lad； Miller。 He's gone now； anyway。〃
〃I don't know what's wrong with him。 As soon as Al Junior is down； I see Cally's face wherever I look。 Like an undertaker hoping for a fee。〃
〃Maybe it's strange to him。 To have Alvin hurt。〃
〃As many times as Alvin's been an inch from death〃
〃But never injured。〃
A long silence。
〃Taleswapper。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Miller？〃
〃You've been a good friend to us here； sometimes in spite of ourselfs。 But I reckon you're