ering the weary
tramps he had taken on his own tired feet.

"Mr. Laurie sent him out to Mrs. Bhaer, so she shouldn't carry Teddy
on her back when we go to walk. We're all fond of Toby, and he's a
first-rate donkey, sir. Those pigeons belong to the whole lot of us, we
each have our pet one, and go shares in all the little ones as they come
along. Squabs are great fun; there ain't any now, but you can go up and
take a look at the old fellows, while I see if Cockletop and Granny have
laid any eggs."

Nat climbed up a ladder, put his head through a trap door and took a
long look at the pretty doves billing and cooing in their spacious loft.
Some on their nests, some bustling in and out, and some sitting at
their doors, while many went flying from the sunny housetop to the
straw-strewn farmyard, where six sleek cows were placidly ruminating.

"Everybody has got something but me. I wish I had a dove, or a hen, or
even a turtle, all my own," thought Nat, feeling very poor as he saw the
interesting treasures of the other boys. "How do you get these things?"
he asked, when he joined Tommy in the barn.

"We find 'em or buy 'em, or folks give 'em to us. My father sends me
mine; but as soon as I get egg money enough, I'm going to buy a pair of
ducks. There's a nice little pond for 'em behind the barn, and people
pay well for duck-eggs, and the little duckies are pretty, and it's fun
to see 'em swim," said Tommy, with the air of a millionaire.

Nat sighed, for he had neither father nor money, nothing in the wide
world but an old empty pocketbook, and the skill that lay in his ten
finger tips. Tommy seemed to understand the question and the sigh which
followed his answer, for after a moment of deep thought, he suddenly
broke out,

"Look here, I'll tell you what I'll do. If you will hunt eggs for me, I
hate it, I'll give you one egg out of every dozen. You keep account, and
when you've had twelve, Mother Bhaer will give you twenty-five cents for
'em, and then you can buy what you like, don't you see?"

"I'll do it! What a kind feller you are, Tommy!" cried Nat, quite
dazzled by this brilliant offer.

"Pooh! that is not anything. You begin now and rummage the barn, and
I'll wait here for you. Granny is cackling, so you're sure to find one
somewhere," and Tommy threw himself down on the hay with a luxurious
sense of having made a good bargain, and done a friendly thing.

Nat joyfully began his search, and went rustling from lo