e first
morning I came in, and no one ever spoke to me about it before."

"Oh, by St. Patrick, he'd loaf on ye if he could--the old sour mouth."

This opened Fred's eyes still further, and when he saw Carl he said to
him:

"Why didn't you tell me that it wasn't my work to lug the cloth down?"

"Because Mr. Hanks told me that he was going to make you do it, and
threatened me if I told you; and I didn't want to do anything to
displease him."

"Well, it is all right; I am glad you didn't do anything to make him
treat you worse, but there may be a time ahead for a reckoning between
him and me. I know of other tricks of his, and I'll make good use of my
information when the time comes."

"I hope you won't have a fuss with him and leave the flockers. My work
is so much easier now," replied Carl anxiously.

"Oh, no; I guess I won't leave them right away," returned Fred. "I am
glad if you are getting along better than you did before I came."

"Oh, yes, I am; and my back isn't so lame now I don't lift any; but I
don't seem to get strong. It seems as if I couldn't do the heavy work
anymore if I tried."

"I am indeed sorry," said Fred sympathetically, "but I hope you don't
get so tired as you did. If you do not, and think you are strong enough,
I would like to have you come up to my house evenings and study with me.
I think you spoke as if you would like a better education. I thought
that night, after we were talking about it, that I would ask you to do
this, and I have been waiting for you to get stronger; but you have
looked so tired all the time that I kept putting off speaking about it
till now."

As the little cripple thought of the previous kind acts of Fred, and
listened to his new proposal to teach him, his eyes grew moist with
gratitude, and a crystal drop stole down his thin, pale cheek. He said
nothing for a moment or two, but that silent tear meant more to our
young friend than words could have expressed. It seemed to him that at
no time in his life had his own heart been so large and his sympathy for
others so great.

Presently Carl replied:

"Oh, I should be so glad of such a chance, but I am afraid it would
trouble you too much."

"No, that's nothing. It would do me good to review my studies, and,
moreover, I should find a pleasure in feeling that I was really doing
you a good turn."

"Then I will try it, and I hope I can hold out, for if I could only get
an education I think I could find some lig