ooked as handsome as a picture, and I thought I was
_almost_ in love with him. Much I knew about love, _then_. But we've all
got to learn.

After talking to father and the boys about the harvest, and the
election, and such things, he turned to me and said:

'Will you ride with me to the picnic, next week, Dimpey?'

I looked at father, and he answered:

'I think you've chosen a dangerous place for your picnic, Ned! When
young people get in a frolic, I'd rather it wouldn't be on Spring
Mountain.'

'Oh! there's no danger,' said Ned, 'I go up to High Farm two or three
times a week, and I never had any accident.'

'Yes,' said brother Joe, 'but we're not going to have the picnic at High
Farm. The road does well enough till you get past there; and _I_ think
we'd better walk the rest of the way.'

'How would we get the provisions up, I wonder?' said Ned. 'It would
break our backs to lug the baskets to the top of the mountain. I, for
one, wouldn't undertake it at _any_ price!'

Father looked vexed, and said, 'Young men's backs must be weak
now-a-days. I think it's a risky thing to drive up to the Spring, and
I'd rather Dimpey wouldn't go _this_ time.'

I felt the tears come in my eyes, and I couldn't speak. Ned turned very
red, and said nothing for a minute or two; then he spoke quite mild and
pleasant:

'Can't you persuade your father to let you go with me, Dimpey? I promise
to take the _best_ of care of you!'

I suppose father noticed that I felt bad, for he said, 'Do you want to
go very much, Dimpey?'

I stammered out, 'Yes, sir, I'd like to go with the rest, if you was
willing.'

'Well then, Ned,' said father, 'Dimpey may go, on one condition, that
you drive your brown mare, and not either of them young horses.'

'The brown mare!' said Ned. 'Why, she's the slowest old poke in the
county. It would take her till sundown to get there, and there wouldn't
be much fun in that!'

'Very well,' said father, quite determined like, 'I shan't risk my
Dimpey's neck on top of Spring Mountain after anything faster. So you
can do as you please.'

Ned started up, and went right out the front door without saying a word!
I couldn't believe my senses, that he was going off in that way--so
disrespectful to father! I heard him speaking to his horse; and Bill
remarked, 'Well, I've seen _manners_ before, but this beats all!' Father
didn't open his lips; and, in a few minutes, Ned came back, and stood in
the doorway.

'I thou