"I wanna get something to eat," explained Billy.
"Got any money to pay for it with?" asked the farmer
quickly.
"No," said Billy; "but me partner an' me are hungry, an'
we gotta eat."
The farmer extended a gnarled forefinger and pointed
toward the rear of the house. Billy looked in the direction
thus indicated and espied a woodpile. He grinned good naturedly.
Without a word he crossed to the corded wood, picked up
an ax which was stuck in a chopping block, and, shedding his
coat, went to work. The farmer resumed his chores. Half an
hour later he stopped on his way in to breakfast and eyed the
growing pile that lay beside Billy.
"You don't hev to chop all the wood in the county to get a
meal from Jed Watson," he said.
"I wanna get enough for me partner, too," explained Billy.
"Well, yew've chopped enough fer two meals, son," replied
the farmer, and turning toward the kitchen door, he called:
"Here, Maw, fix this boy up with suthin' t'eat--enough fer a
couple of meals fer two on 'em."
As Billy walked away toward his camp, his arms laden with
milk, butter, eggs, a loaf of bread and some cold meat, he
grinned rather contentedly.
"A year or so ago," he mused, "I'd a stuck 'em up fer this,
an' thought I was smart.
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