ndence placed upon him, he
certainly failed to show it. On the contrary he did his part
enthusiastically, faithfully, generously, and without a thought of
praise or reward. Although he was young to direct others, when he did
give orders to the men he was tactful and retiring enough to issue his
commands in the form of wishes and immediately they were heeded without
protest. He never shirked the hard work he asked others to perform but
was always ready to roll up the sleeves of his blue jeans and pitch
with vigor into any task, no matter how menial it was. Had he been
arrogant and made an overbearing use of his authority, the men would
quickly have rated him as a conceited little popinjay, the pet of the
boss, and made his life miserable; but as he remained quite unspoiled
by the preference shown him and exhibited toward every one he
encountered a kindly sympathy and consideration, the workmen soon
accepted him as a matter of course and even began to turn to him
whenever a dilemma confronted them.

Perhaps Ted was too genuinely interested in what he was doing to think
much about himself or realize that the place he held was an unusual
one. At home he and his father had threshed out many a problem together
and each given to it the best his brain had to offer, without thought
of the difference in their ages. Sometimes Ted's way proved the better,
sometimes Mr. Turner's. Whichever plan promised to bring the more
successful results was followed without regard for the years of him who
had sponsored it. They were working together and for the same goal and
what did it matter which of them had proposed the scheme they finally
followed? To get the work completed and lay low the obstacles in their
path were the only issues of importance.

So it was now. Things at Aldercliffe and Pine Lea must be done and done
well, and only what furthered that end counted. Nevertheless, Ted would
not have been a human boy had he not been pleased when some idea of his
was adopted and found to be of use; this triumph, however, was less
because the programme followed was his own than because it put forward
the enterprise in hand. There was a satisfaction in finding the key to
a balking problem and see it cease to be a problem. It was fun, for
example, to think about the potatoes and then say to Mr. Wharton:

"Do you know, Mr. Wharton, I believe if we tried a different spray on
that crop that isn't doing well it might help matters."

And when the