Produced by Delphine Lettau, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net I'VE BEEN THINKING; OR, _THE SECRET OF SUCCESS_. BY A. S. ROE, AUTHOR OF "LOOKING ROUND." WARD, LOCK AND CO. LONDON, NEW YORK, AND MELBOURNE I'VE BEEN THINKING. CHAPTER I. 'Where is the use, Jim, of our working and working to raise so many vegetables? we never can use them all. Mother said last year there was no necessity for raising more than we could eat, and now this potato patch is larger than ever.' And as he said this, the little speaker threw himself upon the soft ground, struck his hoe into the soil, and looked up at his brother to see how he would take it. Jim, as he was called, rested a moment on his hoe, eyed his brother closely, and then, with something of a smile, replied: 'Come, Ned, don't give up to lazy feelings; the things will do somebody good; and you know my father always told us, that it was better to be at work, even if we got no pay for it: and besides, I have been thinking of a plan by which we may do something with what we raise, if we have more than we can use.' 'What plan, Jim?' and Ned raised himself from his prostrate position, and sitting with both hands resting on the ground, looked very inquiringly at his brother. 'Why, suppose we should try to sell some of the things we raise?' 'Try to _sell_, Jim? ha, ha, ha!' and the little fellow threw himself upon the ground, and indulged in a hearty fit of laughter. Jim laughed a little himself, resuming his work, and hauling the dirt up faster around the potatoes he was hilling. 'Come, Ned, you had better go to work; the sun will soon be down, and we shall not get our task done.' 'Well, tell me then _where_ you are going to sell the things; that's all.' 'I shall say no more about it now, at any rate; you will only laugh at it. So come, take up your row.' Ned, perceiving that Jim was working upon both rows, was ashamed to waste any more time, and inspirited by his brother's kindness, sprang to his feet, and the two boys worked away with alacrity.