"Come on, and I'll help you up." He assisted her very painstakingly to the old board that usually served him as a seat, and he clambered to a place beside her.

"Come on, William," he called.

The painter climbed into the wagon and stood behind his father, putting his hand on the old man's shoulder to preserve his balance.
"Which is the near ox ?" asked the girl with a serious frown.
"Git-ap! Haw! That one there," said the old man.
"And this one is the off ox ?" "Yep." "Well, suppose you sat here where I do; would this one be the near ox and that one the off ox, then ?" "Nope.

Be just same." "Then the near ox isn't always the nearest one to a person, at all?
That ox there is always the near ox ?" "Yep, always.

'Cause when you drive 'em a-foot you always walk on the left side." "Well, I never knew that before." After studying them in silence for a while, she said, "Do you think they are happy ?" "I dunno," said the old man.