Rufus did not answer the laugh. He looked off to the hills
again, and his lips seemed to close in upon his thoughts.

"Papa has spent more than that," said the younger brother
gravely. "How hard he has worked -- to make this farm!"

"Well, he has made it."

"Yes, but he has paid a dozen years of _his_ life for it. And
mamma! --"

"It was a pretty tough subject to begin with," said the elder,
looking about him again. "But it's a nice farm now; -- it's the
handsomest farm in the county; -- it ought to pay considerable
now, after this."

"It hasn't brought us in much so far," observed Winthrop,
"except just to keep along; -- and a pretty tight fit at that."

"The house ought to be up here," said Rufus, considering the
little distant brown speck; -- "it would be worth twice as
much."

"What would?"

"Why! -- the farm!"

"The house wouldn't," said Winthrop, -- "not to my notions."

"It's confoundedly out of the way, down there, a mile off from