The other children wandered off to their play leaving her sitting where she was, on a fallen tree, fondling the bird; but Archie soon came back and seated himself by her side. "Such a pity; isn't it?" he said, "I hate that Ranger, don't you, Vi?" "No-o I hope not, Archie," she answered doubtfully: "folks kill birds to eat them and may be 'tain't any worse for dogs," she added, with a fresh burst of tears. "Poor little birdie; and may be there are some young ones in the nest that have no mamma now to feed or care for them." "That old Ranger! and he snapped at you too. Here he comes again. I'll kill him!" cried the boy, with vehemence. "Oh no, I know what I'll do! Here Ranger! here Ranger!" and starting up he rushed away in a direction to take him farther from the schoolhouse and the rest of his party. He had spied in the distance a farmer's boy, a lad of fourteen, with whom he had some slight acquaintance. "Hallo, Jared Bates!" he shouted. "Well, what's wantin'?" and Jared stood still, drawing the lash of his carter's whip slowly between his fingers. "Hurry up now, for I've got to go back to my team. Whose dog's that?" as Ranger came running up and saluted him with a sharp, "Bow, wow, wow!" "Ours," said Archie, "and I'm mad at him 'cause he killed a bird and tried to bite Vi Travilla, when she went to take it from him." "Like enough," returned Jared, grinning. "But what about it?" "I thought may be you'd like to have him." "So I would, what'll you sell him for?" "Ten cents." "I hain't got but two." "Haven't you, Jared? truly, now?" "No, nary red, 'cept them," and diving into his pantaloons' pocket, Jared produced a handful of odds and ends--a broken knife, a plug of tobacco, some rusty nails, a bit of twine, etc.,--from which he picked out two nickels. "There, them's um, and they's all I got in the world," he said gravely, passing them over to Archie. "Well, it's very cheap," observed the latter, pocketing the cash, "but you can have him. Good-bye," and away he ran back to the spot where he had left Vi. "You're a green 'un!" laughed Jared, looking after him; then whistling to the dog to follow, he went on his way. CHAPTER SEVENTH. "But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." --2 COR. ix. 6. All the children, Gertrude excepted, were gathered on the front porch, Vi with the dead bird in her hands, when the carriage drove up with the returning travelers. There was a glad chorus of welcome, and most of the young faces were bright and happy. Elsie's troop had nothing but smiles, caresses and loving words for her, and tender, anxious inquiries about "Sister Elsie; if the tooth were out?" "if the dentist hurt her much?"