Early the next morning Wilbert was on his way to a ravine which lay back
of the big chestnut-tree. He carried a spade, and began to dig where the
grass was greenest, and slime was gathered upon the stones. At a depth
of two feet he saw the hole fill with water, which speedily became
clear, as he sat down to rest, and soon trickled down the slope.

Then he went to that repository of all odds and ends, the shed back of
the barn, and selected a number of boards left over when the fence was
built; with these and some nails he made a trough to carry the water
down the hill, placing them one end upon another in forked stakes, and
after two days of hard work was delighted to find that his trough was
easily filled with clear cool spring-water.

Upon that day he made twenty cents, and a good-natured peddler gave him
a large sponge, and taught him how to rinse out the parched mouths of
the horses.

He rode to town with the peddler, and bought a handsome bucket with his
money, feeling sure that he would soon get it all back.

Business was now fairly under way, and many were the praises bestowed by
passers-by upon his work. Some paid, and others only said "Thank you."
The crusty Judge, who had a kind heart in spite of his rough ways,
halted his team, and after learning from Wilbert that it was all his own
work, told his driver always to stop there when passing, and said he
thought he had better pay for the season in advance, and so handed the
boy a dollar.

One day Wilbert sat by his trough under the chestnut, looking very
thoughtful. He knew that summer would soon be over, and was thinking of
the coming winter days, when his occupation would be gone. He had earned
quite a nice little sum--ten dollars or more--and had formed and
rejected many plans for using it to the best advantage. He became quite
unhappy through his uncertain frame of mind. You see, even the
possession of money is a cause of sorrow sometimes. There was one thing
settled. He had determined to buy a new woollen shawl for his mother
with a part of his riches.

Wilbert took his money out of his pocket, and counted it for perhaps the
hundredth time. While thus engaged his attention was drawn to a cloud of
dust in the road, out of which a pair of black ponies dashed at full
speed. They seemed to be running away. Men were shouting to the
pale-faced boy who held the reins, and who was presently thrown
violently from his seat, and now lay still and senseless by t