"How are you, neighbor?" he said, looking about him with his
parrotlike glance. "I thought I'd just run in a minute to see you
as I was goin' by."

"Sit down, Squire Green. Take the rocking-chair."

"Thank you, neighbor. How's the cow a-doin'?"

"Middling well. She don't give as much milk as the one I lost."

"She'll do better bymeby. She's a good bargain to you, neighbor."

"I don't know," said Hiram Walton, dubiously. "She ought to be a
good cow for the price you asked."

"And she is a good cow," said the squire, emphatically; "and you're
lucky to get her so cheap, buyin' on time. What are you doin' there,
Harry? School through, ain't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"I hear you're a good scholar. Got the prize, didn't you?"

"Yes," said Mr. Walton; "Harry was always good at his books."

"I guess he knows enough now. You'd ought to set him to work."

"He is ready enough to work," said Mr. Walton. "He never was lazy."