nly as 'x' and 'z' don't count I ought to have two more
letters in my half than you in yours."

"I should call that mixing halves, if you don't call it mixing
accounts," said Pete, who was so hurt by this unexpected closeness that
he instantly went off to get his cart. Meeting Shel on the way, he
retailed his wrongs and met with such hearty sympathy that he formed a
copartnership with him on the spot. Shel advised him to wait till
to-morrow before taking action and give Clarence time to think over the
matter and see if it would not be better for his pecuniary interests to
remain a silent partner.

"You know," urged he, "that he has got a good deal of type, and though
he works too quickly to admit him as active partner, he might do very
well as a retired one, and thus keep the peace. Then it is always a good
plan to have three partners; one of them, or all together--they somehow
act as judge. I must be off now." And the boys separated.

That afternoon it rained, and Pete had to stay at home. Early the next
day he drew his cart up the hill to Clarence's house with very forgiving
feelings, but found he had left word with the hired man that he had gone
off and wasn't going to have any more to do with him. Of course, honor
and justice then compelled him to take what belonged to him, especially
as the man told him that Clarence had expected him with his cart.

So Pete sadly entered the shed, looked at the forms, thought everything
was mixed up, and did what he always did when longing to speak right
out, but afraid to do so; he took hold of his lower lip with thumb and
forefinger and twirled it back and forth turning it over and under.
Clarence's little sister appeared whilst he was thus engaged, and seeing
the sadness of his eyes and the perplexity of his mouth and fingers, she
ventured to say, "It is too bad, and Clarence said it was, and that he
did not mean to upset the type, but that you got him so provoked he
could not help it, and that you could come and pick it out if you
choose, 'cause it was yours; but he--" and she stopped frightened.

"That's just what I shall do. You tell him it is a mighty mean trick;
that I have left him fifteen letters--you remember fifteen, not
thirteen," said Pete.

He had a hard time sorting the type; part of it was smashed, part of it
very dirty. His cart at last laden, he sorrowfully bore home his press
and its appendages, only to spend still more time in cleaning and
"getting it to