o over this careful
like."

He could make out a few of the words, and that was all. But not for
anything would he admit that he could not read it.

"You told me you wanted to sell," said Carter. "I said I would buy. I am
keeping my part of the bargain. I even brought the money with me."

Tom's face grew red. He looked down at the paper in his hand. He glanced
at Abe seated on the fence. A struggle was taking place between pride
and common sense. Common sense won.

"Abe, come here," he called.

Abe went on reading.

Tom raised his voice. "Abe! When I tell you to come, I mean for you to
come."

The boy looked up from his book with a start. "Yes, Pa. Did you want
me?"

"Hustle over here and look at this paper. Carter is in a mighty big
hurry for me to sign something I ain't had a chance to read."

"You have had plenty of time to read it," said Carter. "But if you don't
want to sell, I can call the whole deal off."

Abe reached out a long arm and took the paper. He read it slowly. "Pa,"
he asked, "don't you aim to sell Mr. Carter just the south field?"

"You know I'm selling him just the south field," said Tom.

"Then don't sign this."

Carter picked up the money bag clanking with coins. He tossed it into
the air and caught it neatly. Tom looked at it. He wanted that money! He
looked at Abe.

"Why shouldn't I sign?" he asked.

"If you do, you'll be selling Mr. Carter most of your farm."

John Carter was furious. "Don't try to tell me a country jake like you
can read! That paper says the south field, as plain as the nose on your
face."

"It says that and a sight more, Mr. Carter," Abe drawled. "It says the
north field, too. It says the east and the west fields. There wouldn't
be much farm left for Pa, except the part our cabin is setting on."

A dispute between men in Pigeon Creek usually ended in a fight. Tom
Lincoln doubled up his fists. "Put them up, Carter."

The two men rolled over and over in a confused tangle of arms and legs.
Now Tom Lincoln was on top. Now it was John Carter. "Go it, Pa," Abe
shouted from the fence. "Don't let that old skinflint get you down."
After a few minutes. Carter lay on his back gasping for breath.

"Nuf!" he cried, and Tom let him scramble to his feet.

Carter began brushing himself off. "It ain't fitting to fight a
neighbor," he whined, "just because of a mistake."

"Mistake nothing!" Tom snorted. "Somebody lied, and it wasn't Abe."

"I'll have a new paper mad