y, a little distressed by the
responsibility of answering. "Do you mean to be a musician and do
nothing else?"

"I used to count on it when I was little," said Seth humbly. "I heard a
fellow play splendid in a show once, and I just used to lay awake nights
an' be good for nothin' days, wonderin' how I could learn; but I can
play now 'bout's good's he could, I s'pose, an' it don't seem to be
nothin'. Them tunes in the book you give me let in some light on me as
to what playin' was. I mean them tough ones over in the back part."

"I suppose you would have to go away and study; teachers cost a great
deal. That is, the best ones do."

"They're wuth it; I don't grudge 'em the best they get," said Seth,
honorably. "I've got to think o' marm, you see, up-country. She couldn't
get along nohow without my wages comin' in. You see I send her the most
part. I ain't to no expense myself while I live there to Miss
Leicester's. If there was only me I'd fetch it to live somehow up in
somebody's garret, and go to one o' them crack teachers after I'd saved
up consid'able. Then I'd go to work again an' practice them lessons till
I earnt some more. But I ain't never goin' to pinch marm; she worked an'
slaved an' picked huckleberries and went out nussin' and tailorin' an'
any work she could git, slick or rough, an' give me everything she could
till I got a little schoolin' together and was big enough to work. She's
kind o' slim now; I think she worked too hard. I was awful homesick when
I was first to your aunts', but Jonathan he used me real good. He come
there a boy from up to our place just the same, an' used to know marm.
Miss Leicester she lets me go up and spend Sunday consid'able often.
Marm's all alone except what use she gets of the neighbors comin' in.
But seems if I'd lived for nothin', if I can't learn to play a fiddle
better than I can now," and Seth struck hard with his whip at an
unoffending thistle.

"Then you're sure to do it," said Betty. "I believe you _must_ learn,
Seth. Where there's a will there's a way."

"Why, that's just what Sereny says," exclaimed Seth with surprise.
"Well, they say 't was the little dog that kep' runnin' that got there
Saturday night."

"Should you play in concerts, do you suppose?" asked Betty, with
reverence for such overpowering ambition in the rough lad.

"You bet, an' travel with shows an' things," responded Seth. "But if I
kep' to work on somethin' else that give mother an' me a goo