ce in six months the wells has to be cleared out.
That's orders. Me an' another fellow goes down 'em, after the pump's
drawed out all it can. We bail 'em out. I clean cisterns, too. Ain't
another fellow in the village as good at a cistern as me. See, I'm slim.
I can get down a man-hole 't nobody else can. Shall I go?"

"I'll ask Hallam."

Who, upon consultation, replied:--

"I suppose it's the only thing we can do, but it does go against my
inclination to ask favors of anybody."

"Hal, that's silly. We must send Fayette to Mr. Metcalf, and will you
write the note, or shall I?"

"You, since you've seen him, personally."

"Which is the only way I could see him," laughed the girl, and ran into
the house to find a sheet of paper. Then the mill boy was given his
choice of the burros, to ride as messenger; and having selected Balaam,
departed down the slope in high glee. When he reached the mill, and Mr.
Metcalf was at liberty to see him, he began a voluble description of all
that had occurred since his chance meeting with Amy in the wood; but the
superintendent cut the story short.

"Now, see here, 'Bony.' This is the chance of your life. Understand?
They are, I should think, the very nicest folks you ever saw. Well,
treat them square. None of your monkey shines nor nonsense. Do
everything you can to help them. Of course you can have the pump, though
you can't carry it up to 'Hardscrabble' donkey-back. That fellow is as
black as his brother, or sister, is white. They're the prettiest donkeys
I ever saw. How my youngsters would like such. Well, go round to John.
There's no teaming to be done this morning, and he shall take the pump
there in the wagon. He'll help you too, no doubt, for a small payment."

"Say, 'Supe.'"

"Well?"

"I don't believe they've got any money. Don't look so they had a cent.
Ain't it queer? With all them purty things an' the way they act an'
talk. Ain't like nobody I ever saw before. Ain't never saw anybody liked
each other so much. I'm goin' to stay."

"Have they asked you?"

"No."

"Well, run along and get hold of John before he goes home for a nap, as
he might, with nothing needed here."

Then, when Fayette had left him, Mr. Metcalf took up Amy's note and
reread it.

The second perusal pleased the gentleman even more than the first. He
thought that the little letter was very characteristic of the girl he
had met, and he specially liked her statement that his former kindness
presu