Soon Billy Jack took down the tin lantern, pierced with holes into
curious patterns, through which the candle-light rayed forth, and went
out to bed the horses. In spite of protests from all the family, Hughie
set forth with him, carrying the lantern and feeling very much the
farmer, while Billy Jack took two pails of boiled oats and barley, with
a mixture of flax-seed, which was supposed to give to the Finch's team
their famous and superior gloss. When they returned from the stable they
found in the kitchen Thomas, who was rubbing a composition of tallow and
bees-wax into his boots to make them water-proof, and the mother, who
was going about setting the table for the breakfast.

"Too bad you have to go to bed, mother," said Billy Jack, struggling
with his boot-jack. "You might just go on getting the breakfast, and
what a fine start that would give you for the day."

"You hurry, William John, to bed with that poor lad. What would his
mother say? He must be fairly exhausted."

"I'm not a bit tired," said Hughie, brightly, his face radiant with the
delight of his new experiences.

"You will need all your sleep, my boy," said the mother, kindly, "for
we rise early here. But," she added, "you will lie till the boys are
through with their work, and Thomas will waken you for your breakfast."

"Indeed, no! I'm going to get up," announced Hughie.

"But, Hughie," said Billy Jack, seriously, "if you and Thomas are going
to carry out that man to-morrow, you will need a mighty lot of sleep