sap an'
worm-holes. How would twenty-five dollars for the pile look to you?'

"'Why,' said Pete, with a funny look at me an' Jim, 'you only paid
eleven for the tent an' planks together.'

"That hain't got a thing to do with yore deal an' mine,' Alf said, an'
he turned an' axed Jim some'n about shippin' some chickens to Augusta
that Jim didn't seem to know how to answer.

"'I think it is purty steep,' Pete said. 'I've got time to build now,
an' it 'ud take a month to git an order sawed out at the mill, so I'll
have to take it'; an' as he was countin' out the cash he laffed an'
said: 'I've got an apology to make to you, Alf. Back at the sale I
remarked that you was a born idiot, but I don't believe it now. You are
a big fish amongst minnows.'

"An' when Pete had left Alf winked at us an' said, 'You fellers lie low
an' watch, an' if I don't double my money on every item I bought to-day
I'll buy new hats fer you both.'"

CHAPTER XIII

The purchase of the circus furnished amusement for the village for many
a day afterward. During the month that followed the event every citizen
who had any appreciation for the droll things of life looked in at the
store and had some dry remark to make in regard to the deal. Fred Dill,
the clerk of the court and wag of the place, had a new suggestion to
make each day as he went to his work. There were certain village freaks
he declared who would be drawing-cards on the road and who would work
simply for their board and clothes.

But Henley was wisely keeping his own counsel. His underlying wisdom
began to show itself one day early in June when there was a widely
advertised sale of horses in the square. Farmers came for miles around
to sell, swap, or buy, and buyers for city persons were on hand with
plenty of ready money. The strangers in town saw nothing remarkable in
the fact, but the knowing ones stood open-mouthed when Henley's negro
assistants led six well-groomed horses into the square. The Chester band
played in the balcony of the court-house, and Henley's exhibit kept gay
and sprightly step to the music, as if glad to be once more in their
accustomed element. The mane of each animal was decorated with a blue
ribbon bow, to which was fastened a card holding the price asked. In no
case was it low, and yet when the day was over Henley had completely
sold out, and in the presence of many admiring witnesses whom he could
hardly shake off he had banked a prodigious roll of cu