-five dollars a month."

"Well, you airn it, you jist bet; but I was goin' to say that I orter
speak of the roan mare, don't you think?"

"Have you more than one horse that is of a roan color?"

"No, sir."

"Then when you speak of the roan, they must know that you can only mean
the roan mare."

The old gentleman fairly beamed with pleasure, and reaching solemnly down
in his pockets, he fished out another silver quarter, which he handed to
Ben, saying:

"I like you; take it to please me."

"I thank you; I have been paid," replied Ben, pushing the coin back from
him.

"Confound it! Take this, then; won't you?"

As he spoke he banged down a large, red apple on the counter, and looked
almost savagely at Ben, as if daring him to refuse it.

The boy did not decline, but picking it up, said:

"Thank you; I am very fond of apples. I will take this home and share it
with my mother."

"The next time I come to town I'll bring you a peck," and with this
hearty response the farmer stumped out of the door.

I had been much amused over this scene, especially when Ben showed me the
astonishing message the farmer had prepared to send his daughter.

Ben laughed, too, after the old gentleman was beyond hearing.

"It's a pleasure to do a slight favor like that. I think I feel better
over it than Mr. Jones does himself."

"I think not," said I; "for it so happens that instead of that gentleman
being Farmer Jones, he is Mr. Musgrave, the district superintendent, who
took a fancy to find out whether his operators are as kind and obliging
as they should be, I am quite sure you lost nothing that time by your
courtesy and accommodating spirit."

CHAPTER XII

A CALL

I have spoken of Ben Mayberry's fondness for athletic sports, and the
great benefit he gained from the exercise thus obtained. When business
permitted, I visited the ball grounds, where his skill made him the
favorite of the enthusiastic crowd which always assembled there. He
played shortstop, and his activity in picking up hot grounders and his
wonderful accuracy in throwing to first base were the chief attractions
which brought many to the place. He was equally successful at the bat,
and, when only fourteen years old, repeatedly lifted the ball over the
left-field fence--a feat which was only accomplished very rarely by the
heaviest batsmen of the visiting nines.

There were many, including myself, who particularly admired Ben's
throwing. How any