the wagon, and soon began to air out the musty house and to rearrange
the furniture that had long been idly awaiting their return. After a
while John found that his aunt had not forgotten that he would be very
hungry, and soon he was sampling some large bread-and-meat sandwiches;
his father, too, came for his share. Thus quickly passed the first
evening in their old home. But before John retired to his own bed, he
saw that his little turkeys received some attention; and in the morning
he let them have their freedom.

As the days sped by and lengthened into weeks and months, John would
have indeed been lonely had it not been for his little pets, the
turkeys. They received his earliest attention in the morning, and it
was their little beaks that touched his cheek the last thing before he
retired at night; and to himself alone was their roosting-place known.

How different everything seemed to John in his new home! The change from
knowing nothing but perfect freedom in God's great open out-of-doors to
being left alone to hustle off to school in the early morning hours,
where he must sit like a statue and prepare humdrum lessons, was to John
a wonderful change. John, however, was determined to make the very best
of his lot and to do all that he could to please his teacher.

Allowing this purpose to govern his life, John's conduct was such that
he became in a very short time the favorite pupil in the school; and his
kindly, generous, and ambitious nature won him many friends. He was soon
noted for his witty remarks, made in a manner so droll and unpretentious
that often merry bursts of laughter were heard from his teacher as well
as his playmates.

But regardless of these pleasant conditions, John was far from happy.