and went off to the creek.

When he returned at dusk, he had a string of perch.

"Where's my fish-knife, Jennie?" he asked, as he laid the fish on the
bench in the wash-house.

"Jennie will clean the fish, Roswell," called out his mother. "Catching
fish is play; cleaning them is work."

"Pshaw!" said Roswell, impatiently.

He was rather proud of his ability to prepare fish for the pan.

At supper Mr. Hofford asked him how he was enjoying himself, and Roswell
answered that he was doing very well. After supper, when the table was
cleared, he got out a lot of traps and set to work on an electrical
machine he was trying to make, but his father promptly checked him.

"That won't do, Roswell. Work is strictly forbidden."

"But this is for myself."

"No matter. It is not play. You had better go to the village and play."

Roswell got up angrily, put away the machine and went out. In an hour he
came back, saying he had had a quarrel with Perry Gantley, and had a
headache. So he went to bed.

The next morning he rigged up a swing in the woods back of the house,
and amused himself for an hour, and then went fishing, but, as he had no
luck, he hardly spoke a word at dinner-time.

During the afternoon he read for a few minutes, and then took a walk
through the woods, returning so tired that he was glad to go to bed
right after supper.

Thursday was simply dreadful. It rained all day, and Roswell read until
his eyes ached. Then he tried to sleep, romped with Rollo awhile, and at
last went to the barn.

Mrs. Hofford followed him presently, and found him currying Prince.

"Come, Roswell, this won't do," she said, quickly. "No work."

Roswell threw down the currycomb with an impatient exclamation, and
returned to the house.

He did not make his appearance at all at supper, and Jennie reported
that he was lying in bed, asleep. She supposed Mr. Hofford smiled, but
made no remark.

Friday morning Roswell came down very early and Mr. Hofford met him
coming in with an armful of wood.

"Here! What does this mean?" he asked, sternly.

"I'm going back to work," replied Roswell, flushing up, but laughing at
the same time.

"It is not possible you are tired of play?"

"No, not tired; but--"

"But you think it is more fun when sandwiched between work?"

"Yes, sir."

"I am glad you have made the discovery for yourself," said Mr. Hofford,
with a smile. "Fun or play is never thoroughly enjoyable unless we have
earned