old man was in an unusual good-humor. At such times, the son felt sure
that he was put down for a large slice of the inheritance.

After turning the stick over and over in his skinny hands, and pressing
the top of it against his toothless gums, the old man again spoke.

"See here, you're old enough now to lead a steady life. You might ha'
had a farm o' your own, like Elisha, if you'd done as well. A very fair
bit o' money he married,--very fair,--but I don't say you couldn't do as
well, or, maybe, better."

"I've been thinking of that, myself," the son replied.

"Have you? Why don't you step up to her then? Ten thousand dollars
aren't to be had every day, and you needn't expect to get it without the
askin'! Where molasses is dropped, you'll always find more than one fly.
Others than you have got their eyes on the girl."

The son's eyes opened tolerably wide when the old man began to speak,
but a spark of intelligence presently flashed into them, and an
expression of cunning ran over his face.

"Don't be anxious, daddy!" said he, with assumed playfulness; "she's not
a girl to take the first that offers. She has a mind of her own,--with
her the more haste the less speed. I know what I'm about; I have my top
eye open, and when there's a good chance, you won't find me sneaking
behind the wood-house."

"Well, well!" muttered the old man, "we'll see,--we'll see! A good
family, too,--not that I care for that. My family's as good as the