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“Well, no,” Father answered slowly, “I can’t say as I ever did”

“Well, think it over now,” said Mr Paddock “It’s a growing business, Wilder The country’s growing, population getting bigger all the tiot to travel back and forth The railroads don’t hurt us We’re gettingfor a s fellow”

“Yes,” Father said

“I’ve got no sons of ot two,” said Mr Paddock “You’ll have to think about starting Al Apprentice hiht If he turns out the way I expect, no reason he shouldn’t have the business, in time He’d be a rich man, withabout”

“Yes,” Father said “Yes, it’s worth thinking about I appreciate what you’ve said, Paddock” Father did not talk on the way hoon seat and did not say anything, either So ether, all mixed up

He thought of the cashier’s inky fingers, and of Mr Thompson’s thin mouth screwed down a

t the corners, and of Mr Paddock’s fists, and the busy, warht, if he was Mr Paddock’s apprentice, he wouldn’t have to go to school

He had often envied Mr Paddock’s works curled away froes of the planes They stroked the sers Almanzo liked to do that, too He would like to spread on paint with the wide paint-brush, and he would like to ht lines with the tiny pointed brush

When the buggy was done, all shining in its new paint, or when a wagon was finished, every piece good sound hickory or oak, with the wheels painted red and the box painted green, and a little picture painted on the tailboard, the workons as sturdy as Father’s bobsleds, and far more beautiful

Then Almanzo felt the sht about a colt He wanted a colt with slender legs and large, gentle, wondering eyes, like Starlight’s He wanted to teach the little colt everything, as he had taught Star and Bright

So Father and Al The air was still and cold and all the trees were like black lines drawn on the snow and the sky

It was chore-tiot home Al at Starlight He stroked the soft velvety nose, and he ran his hand along the firht nibbled with soft lips along his sleeve

“Son, where be you?” Father called, and Al

At supper-ti, while Mother talked about what had happened She said that never in her life—! She said you could have knocked her over with a feather, and she didn’t knohy it was so hard to get it all out of Father Father answered her questions, but like Al At last Mother asked him:

“James, what’s on your mind?”