of a hurry, without another
chance given him to root for old coins; and when Ben's father came in
from the corn field that night, there was Ben ready to meet him with the
puppy.

"Got him, have you?"

Ben had to explain twice over about the old cent and the Squire.

"Oh, the pig did it. Well, Ben, I don't see what we want of another dog;
though that is a real pretty one. Too many dogs in this village,
anyhow."

The next day Ben's father went to town with a load of wheat, and Ben
went with him.

He had not owned that puppy long enough to feel like leaving him at
home, so the little lump of funny black curls and clumsiness had to go
to town with him.

Ben's father was in the store, selling his wheat, and Ben was sitting on
top of the load in the wagon, when a carriage with a lady in it was
pulled up in the street beside it.

"Is that your puppy, my boy?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Will you sell it? I want one for my little boy."

"It's a real nice puppy--"

"What will you sell him for?"

Ben did not feel at all like parting with his new pet, but he knew very
well what his father thought about it. Still, it might save him the
puppy if he asked a tremendous price for it.

"I'll take five dollars, ma'am."

"Bring him to me, then. It's just such a dog as I thought of buying."

It seemed to Ben a good deal as if he were dreaming; but he did as he
was told, and climbed back to his perch on the heaped-up bags of wheat
to wait for his father.

It was not long before he had sold the wheat and came out.

"Why, Ben, where's your puppy?"

"There he is, father."

"Why, if that ain't a five-dollar bill! You don't say so!"

Ben explained, and added, "The pig did it, father."

"Well, yes, the pig did it. It just beats me, though."

"He won't know what to do with a five-dollar bill."

"Nor you either. But soon's I can throw off this load we must drive on
up town. There's to be a horse auction."

Ben knew what that meant, for his father knew all about horses, and was
all the while buying and selling them. So it was not long before the
wagon was empty, and Ben and his father made their way to where the
horses were to be sold.

"There's a good many of 'em," said Ben's father, "but the whole lot
isn't worth much. I guess there isn't anything here I want."

Not many people were bidding for the horses, and they were indeed a
poor-looking lot; but pretty soon a gray horse was led out that limped
badly, and was as thin