was cheap, knew very little; and
when Sam got into trouble with his "sums," and asked the school-master
about them, he answered, "Wal, now, Sam, I hain't cyphered no furder'n
'reduction,' and I can't tell you. But they's a preacher over in
Johnsonville a-preachin' and a-teachin' school. He is a reg'lar college
feller, and I reckon he knows single and double rule of three, and all
the rest."

Sam coaxed the Squire to let him have old "Blaze-face," the blind mare,
to ride to Johnsonville, three miles off, the next morning, if he would
promise to be back "on time to begin shuckin' corn bright and airly." And
before six o'clock he hitched old Blaze in front of "Preacher Brown's"
door. When he knocked, Mr. Brown was making a fire in the stove, and he
was not a little surprised to see a boy by the door in patched blue-jeans
pantaloons that were too short, and a well-worn "round-about" that was
too tight. He looked at the boy's old arithmetic and slate in surprise.

"If you please, sir," said Sam, "I'm Squire Higgins' bound boy. I want to
learn somethin', but I can't go to school; and if I could, 'twouldn't
amount to much, because the master don't know as much as I do, even. I
got stalled on a sum in cube root, an' I come down here to get you to
help me out, for I'm bound to know how to do everything there is in the
old book; and I've got to be back to begin work in an hour."

The minister shook him by the hand, and sat down cheerfully, and soon put
daylight through the "sum." Then Sam got up, and feeling down in the
bottom of his pocket, he took out a quarter of a dollar. "Would that pay
you, sir? It's all I've got, and all I will get in a year, I guess. I
hope it's enough."

"Keep it! keep it!" said Mr. Brown, brushing away the tears; "God bless
you, my boy, we don't charge for such work as that. I'd like to lend you
this History of England to read. And come over any evening, and I'll help
you, my brave fellow."

One evening in every week the bound boy rode old Blaze over to the
minister's house, and rode back after eleven o'clock, for he and the
parson came to be great friends. The next year Mr. Brown threatened the
old Squire with the law for his violation of his part of the terms of the
indenture, and forced him to release Sam, who was eighteen now, from any
further service. He dug his way through college, and is now Professor of
Mathematics in ---- University. The old Squire, when he hears of
Professor Tomkins' succ