h ambition," she cried.

"But it's goin' to give me an almighty lot of satisfaction," declared the
young farmer. "You won't go back on me; will yer, Miss 'Phemie?"

"I'll ride with you--of course," replied 'Phemie. "But I'd just as lief
go in the buckboard."

"Now _that_," said the somewhat puzzled Lucas, "is another thing that
makes you gals diff'rent from the gals around here."

Old Mr. Colesworth came and made himself at home very quickly. He played
cribbage with Mr. Bray in the evening while the girls did up the work and
sewed; and during the early days of his stay with them he proved to be a
very pleasant old gentleman, with few crotchets, and no special demands
upon the girls for attention.

He walked a good deal, proved to be something of a geologist, and pottered
about the rocky section of the farm with a little hammer and bag for hours
together.

As Mr. Bray could walk only a little way, Mr. Colesworth did most of his
rambling about Hillcrest alone. And he grew fonder and fonder of the
place as the first week advanced.

As far as his entertainment went, he could have no complaint as to that,
for he was getting all that Lyddy had promised him--a comfortable bed,
a fire on his hearth when he wanted it, and the same plain food that the
family ate.

The girls of Hillcrest Farm had received no further answer to their
advertisement, but the news that they were keeping boarders had gone
broadcast over the ridge, of course. Silas Trent would have spread this
bit of news, if nobody else.

But on Saturday morning, soon after breakfast, Mr. Somers's old gray mare
turned up their lane, and Lyddy put on a clean apron and rolled down her
sleeves to go out and speak to the school teacher.

"That's a very good thing about that lane," 'Phemie remarked, aside. "It
is just long enough so that, if we see anybody turn in, we can primp a
little before they get to the house."

"Miss Bray," said the teacher, hopping out of his buggy and shaking hands,
"you see me here, a veritable beggar."

"A beggar?" queried Lyddy, in surprise.

"Yes, I have come to beg a favor. And a very great one, too."

"Why--I----"

He laughed and went on to explain--yet his explanation at first puzzled
her.

"Where do you suppose I slept last night, Miss Bray?" he asked.

"In your bed," she returned.

"Wrong!"

"Is it a joke--or a puzzle?"

"Why, I had to sleep in the barn. You see, thus far this term I have
boarded with Sam Larribee