me day. What are we going to do then, father? I was thinking
about it just now. How are we going to get anything to eat if we have no
money?"

"I shall have to go back to teaching mathematics for a living, I
suppose."

"And give up the Motor?" Newton had never yet heard him suggest such a
thing.

"Yes," Overholt answered in a low tone; and that was all he said.

"Oh, that's ridiculous. You'd just die, that's all!"

Newton stared at the engine that was a failure. It looked as if it ought
to work, he thought, with its neat cylinders, its polished levers, its
beautifully designed gear. It stood under a big case made of thick glass
plates set in an iron frame with a solid top; a chain ran through two
cast-iron wheels overhead to a counterpoise in the corner, by which
device it was easily raised and lowered. The Motor was a very expensive
affair, and had to be carefully protected from dust and all injury,
though it was worth nothing at present except for old brass and iron,
unless the new part could be made.

"Come, my boy, let's think of something more cheerful!" Overholt said,
making an effort to rouse himself and concentrated his attention on the
paper model. "Christmas is coming in three weeks, you know, and it will
come just the same in the little City. I'm sure the people will decorate
their houses and the church. Of course we cannot see the insides of the
houses, but in Boston they put wreaths in the windows. And we'll have a
snowstorm, just as we used to have, and we can clear it away afterwards!
Wasn't there a holly tree somewhere near the College? You haven't put
that in yet. You have no idea how cheerful it will look! To-morrow we'll
find a very small sprig with berries on it, and plant it just in the
right place. I'm sure you remember where it stood."

"Real leaves would be too big," observed the boy. "They wouldn't look
right. Of course, one could cut the branches out of tin and paint 'em
green with red spots, and stick them into a twig for the trunk. But it's
rather hard to do."

"Let's try," said Overholt. "I've got some fine chisels and some very
thin brass, but I don't think I could draw the branches as well as you
could."

"Oh, I can draw them something like, if you'll only cut 'em out," the
boy answered cheerfully. "Come on, father! Who says we can't make bricks
without straw? I'll bet anything we can!"

So they worked together steadily, and for an hour or two the inventor
was so busy in cutti