ll, and as the children had had to walk nearly
all the way to Mary Erskine's, he thought it very probable that they
would be too tired to walk back again. So he had left his horse
and wagon at the corner, and had walked out to the farm to take the
children home with him, if they were ready to go.

"I am not _ready_ to go," said Malleville, after having heard
this story, but I _will_ go for the sake of the ride. I am
too tired to walk all the way. But Phonny is not here. He has gone
a-fishing."

"Where has he gone?" said Beechnut.

"Down to the brook," replied Malleville.

"I will go and find him," said Beechnut.

So saying, Beechnut left the shop, went out into the yard, and began
to walk down the path which led toward the brook. Very soon he
saw Phonny coming out from among the bushes with his pole over his
shoulder, and walking along with quite a disconsolate air. Beechnut
sat down upon a log by the side of the road, to wait for him.

"Did you catch any fishes?" said Beechnut, as Phonny approached him.

"No," said Phonny, despondingly.

"I am glad of that," said Beechnut.

"Glad!" said Phonny, looking up surprised, and somewhat displeased.
"What are you glad for?"

"For the sake of the fishes," said Beechnut.

"Hoh!" said Phonny. "And the other day, when I did catch some, you
said you were glad of that."

"Yes," said Beechnut, "then I was glad for your sake. There is always
a chance to be glad for some sake or other, happen what may."

This, though very good philosophy, did not appear to be just at that
time at all satisfactory to Phonny.

"I have had nothing but ill-luck all this afternoon," said Phonny, in
a pettish tone. "That great ugly black horse of Thomas's trod on my
foot."

"Did he?" said Beechnut; his countenance brightening up at the same
time, as if Phonny had told him some good news.

"Yes," said Phonny, "Thomas came along near where I was fishing, and I
laid down my fishing-line, and went up to the horse, and was standing
by his head, and he trod on my foot dreadfully."

"Did he?" said Beechnut, "I am very glad of that."

"Glad of that!" repeated Phonny. "I don't see whose sake you can be
glad of that for. I am sure it did not do the horse any good."

"I am glad of that for your sake," said Beechnut. "There never was a
boy that grew up to be a man, that did not have his foot trod upon at
some time or other by a horse. There is no other possible way for
them to learn that when a h