"Ho, _you_ couldn't cart her all that way! she's most as heavy as a
bag of meal," jeered the taller lad, amused at the proposition.

"I'm stronger than most fellers of my size. Try, if I aint," and Ben
squared off in such scientific style that Joslyn responded with sudden
amiability:

"All right, let's see you do it."

Bab huddled into her new equipage without the least fear, and Ben
trundled her off at a good pace, while the boy retired to the shelter
of the barn to watch their progress, glad to be rid of an irksome
errand.

At first, all went well, for the way was down hill, and the wheel
squeaked briskly round and round; Bab smiled gratefully upon her
bearer, and Ben "went in on his muscle with a will," as he expressed
it. But presently the road grew sandy, began to ascend, and the load
seemed to grow heavier with every step.

"I'll get out now. It's real nice, but I guess I _am_ too heavy," said
Bab, as the face before her got redder and redder, and the breath
began to come in puffs.

"Sit still. He said I couldn't. I'm not going to give in with him
looking on," panted Ben, and pushed gallantly up the rise, over the
grassy lawn to the side gate of the Batchelors' door-yard, with his
head down, teeth set, and every muscle of his slender body braced to
the task.