machine he held in his hand, and the four dollars, tempted
him sorely. It had its effect, too, on the turbulent and envious Joshua,
who seemed to understand himself very well in a bargain. Neither of the
men had supposed the watches to be of gold, for though the metal that is
in a watch does not amount to a great deal, it is usually of more value
than all that was asked for the "article" now under examination. In
point of fact, my uncle had this very watch "invoiced to him" at twice
the price he now put it at.

"And what do you ask for this?" demanded Joshua, taking up another watch
of very similar looks and of equal value to the one that Miller still
retained open in his hand. "Won't you let this go for three dollars?"

"No; der brice of dat is effery cent of forty dollars," answered uncle
Ro, stubbornly.

The two men now looked at the pedlar in surprise. Miller took the watch
from his hired man, examined it attentively, compared it with the other,
and then demanded its price anew.

"_You_ might haf eider of dem vatches for four dollars," returned my
uncle, as I thought, incautiously.

This occasioned a new surprise, though Brigham fortunately referred the
difference to a mistake.

"Oh!" he said, "I understood you to say _forty_ dollars. Four dollars is
a different matter."

"Josh," interrupted the more observant and cooler-headed Miller, "it is
high time, now, you and Peter go and look a'ter them sheep. The conch
will soon be blowing for dinner. If you want a trade, you can have one
when you get back."

Notwithstanding the plainness of his appearance and language, Tom Miller
was captain of his own company. He gave this order quietly, and in his
usual familiar way, but it was obviously to be obeyed without a
remonstrance. In a minute the two hired men were off in company, leaving
no one behind in the barn but Miller, his sons, and us two. I could see
there was a motive for all this, but did not understand it.

"Now _he's_ gone," continued Tom quietly, but laying an emphasis that
sufficiently explained his meaning, "perhaps you'll let me know the true
price of this watch. I've a mind for it, and may be we can agree."

"Four dollars," answered my uncle, distinctly. "I haf said you might haf
it for dat money, and vhat I haf said once might always be."

"I will take it, then. I almost wish you had asked eight, though four
dollars saved is suthin' for a poor man. It's so plaguy cheap I'm a
little afraid on 't;