But Nick here is known, and people point their fingers at him with scorn, and talk openly about his playing another of his pranks." "That was just what I had in mind when I spoke, Thad.

Nick has the harder row of the two to hoe.

And if he wins out he'll deserve a lot of praise, I tell you.

But see who's coming along here in a rig, will you ?" "Why, it's good old Deacon Winslow, the blacksmith weather prophet; and, Hugh, isn't he beckoning to us right now ?" "Just what he is; let's cross over and see what he wants with us," Hugh immediately went on to say; for, as has been intimated before in these pages, he had come to feel a great interest in the brawny smith, and wanted to cultivate a closer acquaintance with him; there was something so genial, so wholesome about the owner of the crossroads smithy.
"Jump in and go along with me, lads," sang out Mr.Winslow, as they came up.

"I'm bound around to the home of Mrs.Disney on a little errand; and, since you two are interested, I thought you might like to help me explain to the poor woman that I want to go on her boy's bail.