Yet it was hard to leave it there just entered; and the ride home was rather a thoughtful one.  Little his father knew what he had been about. He thought his son had been “getting a little schooling;” he had no notion he had begun to fit himself for College!

Just as they reached the river, at a little hamlet under the hill at the foot of the north bay, where the road branched off to skirt the face of the tableland towards the home promontory, the wagon was stopped by Mr. Underhill.  He came forward and unceremoniously rested both arms upon the tire of the fore wheel.

“Mornin’.  Where’ you been?”

“A little way back.  ’Been to Asphodel, to fetch my son Winthrop home.”

“Asphodel? —­ that’s a good way back, ain’t it?”

“Well, a dozen miles or so,” said Mr. Landholm laughing.

“Has he been to the ’cademy too?”

“Yes —­ for a little while back, he has.”

“What are you going to make of your sons, neighbour Landholm?”

“Ah! —­ I don’t know,” said Mr. Landholm, touching his whip gently first on one side and then on the other side of his off horse; —­ “I can’t make much of ’em —­ they’ve got to make themselves.”

Neighbour Underhill gave a sharp glance at Winthrop and then came back again.

“What do you reckon’s the use of all this edication, farmer?”

“O —­ I guess it has its uses,” said Mr. Landholm, smiling a little bit.

“Well, do you s’pose these boys are goin’ to be smarter men than you and I be?”

“I hope so.”

“You do!  Well, drive on! —­” said he, taking his arms from the top of the wheel.  But then replacing them before the wagon had time to move —­

“Where’s Will?”

“Will? he’s at Little River —­doing well, as I hear.”

“Doing what? getting himself ready for College yet?”

“Yes —­ he isn’t ready yet.”

“I say, neighbour, —­ it takes a power of time to get these fellows ready to begin, don’t it?”

“Yes,” said Mr. Landholm with a sigh.

“After they’re gone you calculate to do all the work yourself, I s’pose?”

“O I’ve only lost one yet,” said Mr. Landholm shaking the reins; “and he’ll help take care of me by and by, I expect. —­ Come!”

Again the other’s hands slipped off the wheel, and again were put back.

“We’re goin’ to do without larnin’ here,” said he.  “Lost our schoolmaster.”

“That fellow Dolts gone?”

“Last week.”

“What’s the matter?”

“The place and him didn’t fit somewheres, I s’pose; at least I don’t know what ’twas if ’twa’n’t that.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Play marbles, I guess, —­ till some one comes along.”

“Well, my hands ’ll be too cold to play marbles, if I sit here much longer,” said Mr. Landholm laughing.  “Good day to ye!”

And the wheel unclogged, they drove on.