"You talk straight off the reel, Wildwood," he said. "I believe you're
honest. Go on with your little arrangement, and let's see how it pans
out. I shan't make any move until after ten o'clock to-morrow morning."

"Thank you, Mr. Dale," said Andy. "I won't disappoint you."

Andy started to move away from the spot.

"Hold on," interrupted Dale. "Tell me how it happened."

Andy gave an unbiased account of the morning's occurrences.

"Ha! hum!" commented the farmer. "No end of scrapes because you're a
lively lad and can't help it. See here, Wildwood, do you know what I
would do if I were in your place?"

"No, what's that, Mr. Dale?" asked Andy.

"I'd join the show--yes, I would!" declared the farmer energetically. "I
tell you I believe circus is born in you, and you can't help it. You
don't have much of a life at home. You're not built for humdrum village
life. Get out; grow into something you fancy. No need being a scamp
because you're a rover. My brother was built your sort. They pinned him
down trying to make a doctor of him, and he ran away. He turned up with
a little fortune ten years later, a big-hearted, happy fellow. No one
particularly knew it, but he'd been with a traveling minstrel show for
those ten years. Now he's settled down, and I'd like to see a finer man
than Zeb Dale."