The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-02-14

way until he reached the door where
Phln stood whiting. Gy that time
Eben was SO out of breath he could only
stand gasping.
"Try again, boy" said Phin, thump-
ing him on the back. suppose you
have something to say"
ooh, Phin!" said .Eben again, "Mr.
Sumner said he will give us one of his
little dogs if we pay him."
"How much9" asked Phin, without
excitement. "Pve got just seven cents"
&c Tisn't money, it's uts," said Eben.
"a bushel of chestnuts, for the dog"
Phin's eyes sparkled. He had long
wanted n of the roly-poly puppies
that tumbled and played about Mr..
Summers handsome Folly. But having
no means to purchase one he had tried
not to think about it. Now he shut his
knife briskly.
"Come on, boy" he said. "If a
bushel of chestnuts will do it, Pm on
hand"
However, chestnut trees were not
plenty near Phin's home, and a week
later he lay on the hillside grumbling.
"That puppy will be a grown-up dog
and gray-haired before we can get him.
It's nc use, Eben."
The little brother looked sober; but
he did not mean to give up.
GIVE have. quite a good many nuts,
now" he said.
"Not a third enough" said Phin.
"Over to Scranton's woods there are
enough"
six miles away" muttered Phin.
eff Trudie's grandma'Il Just let us
ride old Dapple bare-backed over there
and carry a bag, we could do it. And
maybe she will. We helped Trudie
pick blackberries, you know"
"Eben, you're a smart boyI" cried
Phin. "Come on"
Perhaps Trudie's grandma would not
have let old Dapple go had not Trudie
whispered mo than once "~please" in
her ear. But she did consent. So the
next day the old horse was astonished to
find four short legs astride his back and
to be trotted slowly towards Scranton's
woods.
Phin held the bride, and Eben held
Phin's jacket, and they sat on a folded
blanket. 1t wasn't quite so easy to stick
on as the boys had expected, and going
up the first steep hill Eben slipped of
over Dapple's tail and fell in a mud
puddle. But he climbed on by help of
the nearest fence, and never cried.
Oh stnuts were plenty in those woods,
and the boys were glad to hammer them
out of the prickly burrs, and fill their
bags in spite of feeling stiff from their
ride. And when, as they were about
going home, they met another small boy
and bought his nuts with a leather
and three cents Phin had in his pocket,
they felt very grand indeed.
Three miles of the homeward way
were passed, when a stray dog helping
to bring some body's cows home, sprang
barking out of the bushes at Dapple's
nose.
Up went the old horses heels, and of
went the boys, and then away trotteo
Dapple toward home, leaving his riders
fat on their backs.
"But the nuts are safe," said brave
little Eben, scrambling up, and cycling
the precious bag that had also come t.
the ground.
"Safe and heavy" said Phin, tuggine
it up. If we've got to walk and carry
this all the rest of the way, l think VT
don't buy that dog very cheap"
1t. was hard work. Both boys wert
almost crying with fatigue when they
got home; but when supper and sleel
had cured their stiff limbs, and tn,
bushel of nuts were exchanged for thu
dear little dog, you may be sure they die
not repent of their bargain.
"You might call him Pluck" sait
MI. Sumner, who had heard of. thei
toll to carr him.
Eben fondled the puppy's round hea'
and answered:
81 think we'll call him Nuts"
And 30 they did.