by this horse!"

"I can't," answered Link from the wood-pile, "I've got to get some wood,
to make a fire, to heat some water, to dip the chickens, to loosen their
feathers, and then to cook 'em for dinner."

"Never mind the wood and the chickens and feathers! Come along!"

"I guess I _will_ mind, and I guess I _won't_ come along, for you, or
anybody, for _she_ asked me to."

"She? Who?"

"Aunt Vinnie; and, I tell you, she's real slick." And Link slashed away
at the wood with an axe; for that was the Betterson style,--to saw and
split the sticks only as the immediate necessities of the house
required.

Rufe might have hitched the horse, but he was not a fellow to give
himself any trouble that could well be avoided; and just then he saw Wad
coming out of the yard with two pails.

Wad, being cordially invited to stay and hold the horse, also declined,
except on condition that Rufe should himself go at once to the spring
for water.

"Seems to me you're in a terrible pucker for water!" said Rufe. "Two
pails? what's the row, Wad?" For it was the time-honored custom of the
boys to put off going for water as long as human patience could endure
without it, and never, except in great emergencies, to take two pails.

"_She_ asked me to, and of course I'd go for _her_," said Wad. "She has
gone into that old kitchen, and, I tell you, she'll make things buzz!"

Meanwhile Jack had gone straight to the said kitchen,--much to Mrs.
Betterson's dismay,--and found Vinnie in a neat brown dress, with apron
on and sleeves pinned up. He thought he had never seen her look so
bright and beautiful.

"At work so soon!" he exclaimed.

"The sooner the better," she replied. "Don't look around you; my sister
is sick, you know."

"I won't hinder you a minute," Jack said. "I just ran in to tell you the
good news about my horse,--though I suppose you've heard that from the
boys,--and to say good by,--and one word more!" lowering his voice. "If
anything happens,--if it isn't pleasant for you to be here, you
know,--there is a home at Mrs. Lanman's; it will be always waiting for
you."

"I thank you and Mrs. Lanman very much!" said Vinnie, with a trembling
lip. "But I mean to _make_ things pleasant here," a smile breaking
through the momentary trouble of her face.

Jack declined an urgent invitation to stay and see what sort of a dinner
she could get.

"By the way," he whispered, as she followed him to the door, "who
carried in that tr