pockets; and when he came up to the fence in response to their call,
they saw that he had been crying again.

"David," exclaimed Don, putting his hand into his pocket, "we've got
news for you that will make you wear a different looking face when
you hear it. After you went home, we rode down to see father, and he
told us--Eh!" cried Don, turning quickly toward his brother, who just
then gave his arm a sly pinch.

"Let me tell it," said Bert. "We'd like to see you at our house this
evening about five o'clock; can you come?"

"I reckon I can," answered David. "Was that the good news you wanted
to tell me?"

"No--I believe--yes, it was," said Don, who received another fearful
pinch on the arm and saw his brother looking at him in a very
significant way. "You come up, anyhow."

"We've got some work for you to do up there," said Bert. "It will not
pay you much at first, but perhaps you can make something out of it
by-and-by. It will keep you busy for two or three weeks, perhaps
longer. Will you come?"

David replied that he would, and turned away with an expression of
surprise and disappointment on his face. The eager, almost excited
manner in which Don greeted him, led him to hope that he had
something very pleasant and encouraging to tell, and somehow he
couldn't help thinking that his visitors had not said just what they
intended to say when they first came up to the fence.