you're in one of your tantrums. Just see if you can't get some of your
natural meanness out of you while looking at the beauties of nature along
the route."

The boy hunched up his shoulders contemptuously without saying a word in
reply, while the farmer selected a seat across the aisle and directly in
front of Frank. He occupied himself looking over a weekly farm paper. After
a while Frank crossed over to the seat occupied by the boy who had
accompanied the farmer.

"Going far?" inquired Frank in a friendly tone.

The lad did not move to make room for him in the seat. He turned a sullen
face on Frank. There was dark suspicion and open animosity in his eyes.

"Far enough," he muttered.

"It's pleasant weather, isn't it?" propounded Frank, bound to be
companionable.

"Say," said the boy, staring pugnaciously at our hero, "trying to pick on
me, are you?"

"Why," answered the astonished Frank, "I never dreamed of such a thing."

"Yes, you did! Lemme alone!"

"All right," returned Frank pleasantly. "Only here's an orange and a funny
book I want you to enjoy," and he placed the articles in question beside
the boy and stepped back to his own seat.