doctor begin.

"Yes, I guess I know about as much about them critters as anybody,"
said the garrulous old man, who had a proper appreciation of his
dignity and attainments as a cow doctor. "I've had as good success
as anyone I know on. If I can't cure her, you may call her a gone
case. Have you got any hot water in the house?"

"I'll go in and see."

"I'll go, father," said Harry.

"Well, come right back. We have no time to lose."

Harry appreciated the need of haste as well as his father, and
speedily reappeared with a pail of hot water.

"That's right, Harry," said his father. "Now you'd better go into
the house and do your chores, so as not to be late for school."

Harry would have liked to remain and watch the steps which were
being taken for the recovery of the cow; but he knew he had barely
time to do the "chores" referred to before school, and he was far
from wishing to be late there. He had an ardent thirst for learning,
and, young as he was, ranked first in the district school which he
attended. I am not about to present my young hero as a marvel of
learning, for he was not so. He had improved what opportunities he
had enjoyed, but these were very limited. Since he was nine years
of age, his schooling had been for the most part limited to eleven
weeks in the year. There was a summer as well as a winter school;