"Well, then, Aunt M'ri," began David, a ring of tremulous eagerness in his voice, "I can read and write and spell, but I don't know much about arithmetic and geography. I was ashamed to start in at the baby class. I thought I'd try and study out of Jud's books this summer." "That's a good idea, David. We'll begin now. You'll find an elementary geography in the sitting room on the shelf, and you may study the first lesson. This afternoon, when my work is done, I'll hear you recite it." David took the book and went out into the old orchard. When M'ri went to call him to dinner he was sprawled out in the latticed shadow of an apple tree, completely absorbed in the book. "You have spent two hours on your first lesson, David. You ought to have it well learned." He looked at her in surprise. "I read the whole book through, Aunt M'ri." "Oh, David," she expostulated, "that's the way Barnabas takes his medicine. Instead of the prescribed dose after each meal he takes three doses right after breakfast--so as to get it off his mind and into his system, he says. We'll just have one short lesson in geography and one in arithmetic each day. You mustn't do things in leaps. It's the steady dog trot that lasts, and counts on the long journey." When David was on his way to bring Janey from school that afternoon he was again overtaken by Joe Forbes. "Dave, I am going to Chicago in a few days, and I shall stop there long enough to buy a few presents to send back to some of my friends. Here's my list. Let me see, Uncle Larimy, a new-fangled fishing outfit; Barnabas, a pipe; Miss M'ri--guess, Dave." "You're the guesser, you know," reminded David. "It's a new kind of ice-cream freezer, of course." "She's going to freeze ice to-night," recalled David anticipatingly. "Freeze ice! What a paradoxical process! But what I want you to suggest is something for Miss Rhody--something very nice." "What she wants most is something you can't get her," thought David, looking up with a tantalizing little smile. Then her second wish occurred to him. "I know something she wants dreadfully; something she never expects to have." "That is just what I want to get for her." "It'll cost a lot." Joe disposed of that consideration by a munificent wave of the hand. "What is it?" "A black silk dress," informed the boy delightedly. "She shall have it. How many yards does it take, I wonder?" "We can ask Janey's teacher when we get to school," suggested the boy. "So we can. I contrived to find out that Janey's heart is set on a string of beads--blue beads. I suppose, to be decent, I shall have to include Jud. What will it be?" "He wants a gun. He's a good shot, too." They loitered on the way, discussing Joe's gifts, until they met Janey and Little Teacher coming toward them hand in hand. David quickly secured the pail and books before Joe could appropriate them. He wasn't going to be cut out a second time in one day.