indeed!" said Faith, whose colour rose from pure pleasure, as her
thought went back to L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. "I don't think there
is any time pleasanter for it. But they're all pleasant--I've dropped
my whip, Mr. Linden!"--

"I will get it for you," he said checking his horse, "if you will
promise not to run away! I am afraid of your 'enterprising' spirit,
Miss Faith."

But her look at him was a little touched and deprecating. They turned
their horses together and went back a few steps. There was no trouble
in finding the whip, for just where it had been dropped, a boy stood
holding it on high for Faith's acceptance The boy was Phil Davids.

"Thank you, Phil!" said Faith, surprised and grateful.

"I see it go out of your hand," said Phil.

"Yes," said. Mr. Linden--whose smile and word of thanks had accompanied
Faith's,--"Phil has singularly quick eyes. They have done me good
service before."

As they turned again, Farmer Davids stood at their horses' heads. They
were just at the farmer's door, and he so entreated them to come 'in
and rest,' that there was no refusing his hospitality. It was large,
and various--Pumpkin pies and cider, and much pouring forth of
gratitude and admiration for Mr. Linden's success with Phil.

"What have you done to that fellow?" his father remarked admiringly to
Mr. Linden. "You never see such an alteration in a boy. He
used--oncet--to talk hard words agin you, sir;--you won't mind hearing
it now; but he's come all about, and lately there's nothing to Phil's
mind can equal up to Mr. Linden. He don't _say_ much about it, sir, but
it's evident. And he's been at me and his mother this fortnight or two,
to give him something to make a present to you--the boys do, he says;
and he wants the best thing on the farm should go, and so do I, sir, if
we knowed oncet what would be most favourable. It would be a kindness,
sir, as I should be grateful for,--if you'd say what would do you most
service or be most pleasure--of anything that is on the farm;--fruit or
vegetables or dairy. We're plain folks, sir; I say what I mean. Take
some pie, Mr. Linden!--some cider, sir?"

Answering these various questions and demands as best he might, Mr.
Linden contrived to convince Mr. Davids that Phil himself was the thing
"on the farm" that he cared most about; and his goodwill, better than
any special manifestation thereof; giving at the same time full and
grateful thanks for the other things that had c