The animal was still restive, and even Pluto did not offer further objection to Larry’s assistance, now that he had some one else to share the responsibility with him. When the foot of the descent had been reached and the horse, under ordinary conditions a very quiet creature, seemed to have got over its fright, Larry released his hold and stepped aside to let the wagon pass. “Please accept my thanks for your help, Lawrence,” said Lucy, with a smile. She always called him by his full name. “I do not know what we should have done if it had not been for you.” “Don’t give the lunkhead more credit than he deserves,” said Pluto Alexander. Then, seeming to feel that he ought to make some acknowledgment to his rescuer, he turned back to say: “Quite clever in you, young fellow. You can come over to Gainsboro and hear my oration the Fourth.” Larry made no reply, though he did not return to the field until the wagon and its occupants had disappeared around a bend in the road. “It don’t take much of a block to make a fool,” said Job, as Larry rejoined him. “Quite clever in him to allow you th’ privilege of goin’ to hear him orate.” “What does he mean?” asked Larry. “Oh, jess that he’s going to stump th’ crowd at the Fourth celebration at Gainsboro. I sh’u’d like to know what fool got him to ’orate,’ but I s’pose his dad got him the chance, which it were easy to do, with his money.” “D’you s’pose Lucy will ever marry him?” Larry asked, before he could realize what he was saying. “I dare say; money cuts a mighty big figger with some.” Larry dropped the conversation there, but the thought of the coming Fourth of July celebration remained with him all the afternoon. “I s’pose he will take Lucy there,” he mused, “and he will cut a big swell. I wish I could take her with me,” and then, frightened by the mere thought, he hoed away at the grass and weeds with such force that Job called out to him to “go easy, afore ye get tuckered.” A few days later Larry fairly frightened himself by saying to Lucy that he wished he could go to Gainsboro the Fourth. She seemed almost as surprised as himself, saying: “It would be nice, Lawrence, but have you any clothes to wear?” Seeing his confusion, she bit her lip for saying as much, and ran away to be by herself. He sought the companionship of Job, feeling very crestfallen. Still, it would look as if good was to come of this little incident, for within a week Mr. Howlitt said to Larry: “How would you like a day off, eh, Larry? You have been a faithful boy, and to-morrow I am going to Middletown to look over the market, so that you may go, too, by driving Old Jerry over with a load of truck. I am owing you a little money, and if you want to it will be a good time for you to get a suit of clothes. I do not know how the minx knows it, but Lucy thinks you would like to go to Gainsboro on the Fourth.” Larry wondered if his blushes showed through his coat of tan, as he stammered his reply.