t, and
trembling.

"Mother, come and see me take a fence on Pryor's Rocket!" he cried.

Mother had him in her arms.

"You little whiffet!" she said. "You little tow-haired whiffet!"

Both of them were laughing and crying at the same time, and so was I.

"I saw you take one fence and the creek, Weiscope!" she said, holding
him tight, and stroking his hair. "That will do for to-day. Ride the
horse home slowly, rub it down if they will allow you, and be sure to
remember your manners when you leave. To trust such a child as you
with so valuable a horse, and for Mr. Pryor to personally ride with you
and help you, I think that was a big thing for a man like him to do."

"But, mother, he's been showing me for weeks, or I couldn't have done
it to-day. It was our secret to surprise you. When I get my horse,
I'll be able to ride a little, as well as Mr. Laddie."

"Leon, don't," said mother, gripping him tighter.

"You must bear in mind, word about that money may come any day."

"Aw, it won't either," said Leon, pulling away. "And say, mother, that
dumb-bell was like country boys make in England. He helped me hunt the
wood and showed me, and I couldn't ride and manage it, so he had it all
day, and you should have heard him make it rip. Say, mother, take my
word, he was some pumpkins in England. I bet he ordered the Queen
around, when he was there!"

"No doubt!" laughed mother, kissing him and pushing him from the door.

Some people are never satisfied. After that splendid riding and the
perfect day, father, Leon, and Laddie came home blaming every one, and
finding fault, and trying to explain how it happened, that the people
from the east side claimed two foxes, and there was only one left for
the west side, when they had seen and knew they had driven three for
miles. They said they lost them in our Big Woods.

I didn't care one speck. I would as lief wear a calico dress, and let
the little foxes have their mammies to feed them; and I was willing to
bet all my money that we would have as much ham, and as many greens
next summer as we ever had. And if the foxes took Hoods' Dorkings
again, let them build a coop with safe foundations. The way was to use
stone and heap up dirt around it in the fall, to be perfectly sure, and
make it warmer.

We took care of our chickens because we had to have them. All the year
we needed them, but most especially for Easter. Mother said that was
ordained chicken time.