Truth to tell, however, one ride from Winthrop would at any
time content them better than two rides from Will. Winthrop
never allowed that he was tired, and never seemed so; but his
mother and Karen were resolved that tired he must be.

"He had pretty strength to begin with," Karen said; "that was
a good thing; and he seemed to keep it up too; he was shootin'
over everything."

If Winthrop kept his old plans of self-aggrandizement, it was
at the bottom of his heart; he looked and acted nothing but
the farmer, all those months. There was a little visit from
Rufus too, at mid-winter, which must have wakened the spirit
of other things, if it had been at all laid to sleep. But if
it waked it kept still. It did not so much as shew itself.
Unless indirectly.

"What have you been doing all to-day, Governor?" said his
little sister, meeting him with joyful arms as he came in one
dark February evening.

"What have _you_ been about all day?" said her brother, taking
her up to his shoulder. "Cold isn't it? Have you got some
supper for me?"

"No, _I_ hav'n't, --" said the little girl. "Mamma! -- Governor
wants his supper!"

"Hush, hush. Governor's not in a hurry."