"How hard he has worked -- to make this farm!"

"Well, he has made it."

"Yes, but he has paid a dozen years of _his_ life for it. And
mamma! --"

"It was a pretty tough subject to begin with," said the elder,
looking about him again. "But it's a nice farm now; -- it's the
handsomest farm in the county; -- it ought to pay considerable
now, after this."

"It hasn't brought us in much so far," observed Winthrop,
"except just to keep along; -- and a pretty tight fit at that."

"The house ought to be up here," said Rufus, considering the
little distant brown speck; -- "it would be worth twice as
much."

"What would?"

"Why! -- the farm!"

"The house wouldn't," said Winthrop, -- "not to my notions."

"It's confoundedly out of the way, down there, a mile off from
the work."

"Only a quarter of that, and a little better," said Winthrop
calmly.

"A little worse! -- There's a great loss of time. There would
be twice as much work done if the house was up here."

"_I_ couldn't stand it," said Winthrop. "How came it the house
was put down there?"

"Papa bought the point first and built the house, before ever
he pushed his acquirements so far as this. He would be wise,
now, to let that, and build another up here somewhere."

"It wouldn't pay," said the younger brother; "and for one, I'm
not sorry."

"If the farm was clear," said the elder, "I'd stand the chance
of it's paying; it's that keeps us down."

"What?"

"That debt."

"What debt?"

"Why, the interest on the mortgage."

"I don't know what you are talking of."

"Why," said Rufus a little impatiently, "don't you know that
when papa bought the property he couldn't pay off the whole
price right down, and so he was obliged to leave the rest
owing, and give security."

"What security?"

"Why, a mortgage on the farm, as I told you."

"What do you mean by a mortgage?"

"Why, he gave a right over the farm -- a right to sell the farm
at a certain time, if the debt was not paid and the interest
upon it."

"What is the debt?"

"Several thousands, I believe."

"And how much does he have to pay upon that every year?"

"I don't know exactly -- one or two, two or three hundred
dollars; and that keeps us down, you see, till the mortgage is
paid off."

"I didn't know that."

They sat silent a little time. Then Winthrop said,

"You and I must pay that money off, Will."

"Ay -- but still there's a question which is the best way to do
it," said