sat behind him on the blankets.

'I love you very much,' said Hope, embracing me, after we were seated.
Her affection embarrassed me, I remember. It seemed unmanly to be petted
like a doll.

'I hate to be kissed,' I said, pulling away from her, at which Uncle Eb
laughed heartily.

The day came when I would have given half my life for the words I held
so cheaply then.

'You'd better be good t' me,' she answered, 'for when mother dies I'm
goin' t' take care o' you. Uncle Eb and Gran'ma Bisnette an' you an'
everybody I love is goin' t' come an' live with me in a big, big house.
An' I'm goin' t' put you t' bed nights an' hear ye say yer prayers an
everything.'

'Who'll do the spankin?' Uncle Eb asked.

'My husban',' she answered, with a sigh at the thought of all the
trouble that lay before her.

'An' I'll make him rub your back, too, Uncle Eb,' she added. 'Wall, I
rather guess he'll object to that,' said he.

'Then you can give 'ins five cents, an' I guess he'll be glad t' do it,'
she answered promptly.

'Poor man! He won't know whether he's runnin' a poorhouse er a hospital,
will he?' said Uncle Eb. 'Look here, children,' he added, taking out his
old leather wallet, as he held the reins between his knees. 'Here's tew
shillin' apiece for ye, an' I want ye t' spend it jest eggsackly as ye
please.' The last words were spoken slowly and with emphasis.

We took the two silver pieces that he handed to us and looked them all
over and compared them.

'I know what I'll do,' said she, suddenly. 'I'm goin' t' buy my mother a
new dress, or mebbe a beautiful ring,' she added thoughtfully.

For my own part I did not know what I should buy. I wanted a real gun
most of all and my inclination oscillated between that and a red rocking
horse. My mind was very busy while I sat in silence. Presently I rose
and went to Uncle Eb and whispered in his ear.

'Do you think I could get a real rifle with two shilin'?' I enquired
anxiously.

'No,' he answered in a low tone that seemed to respect my confidence.
'Bime by, when you're older, I'll buy ye a rifle--a real rip snorter,
too, with a shiny barrel 'n a silver lock. When ye get down t, the
village ye'll see lots o' things y'd rather hev, prob'ly. If I was you,
children,' he added, in a louder tone, 'I wouldn't buy a thing but nuts
'n' raisins.'

'Nuts 'n' raisins!' Hope exclaimed, scornfully.

'Nuts 'n' raisins,' he repeated. 'They're cheap 'n' satisfyin'. If ye
eat enough u