"Ninety-one--ninety-one," said the stranger, to himself. "That is a temptation! I can turn a penny on that. But the wild-turkeys; I must have a crack at a wild-turkey or a deer. I think, friend," he added, speaking louder, "that I will have some sport in these parts for a few days first. Then, maybe, I'll buy up a few thousand bushels of wheat, if the prices haven't gone up." "I shouldn't wonder if prices advanced a little," said the farmer. "Wouldn't you?" And the stranger looked into the farmer's face with a very innocent expression. "It can't go much lower; if there should be any change, it will doubtless be an improvement." "How much wheat have you?" asked the sportsman. "I've about a thousand bushels left." "A thousand bushels. Ninety cents; nine hundred dollars;--I'll tell you what, friend, since talking to you has put me into the notion of trying my hand at a speculation on wheat, I'll just make you an offer, which you may accept or not, just as you please. I'll give you ninety cents cash for all you've got, one half payable now, and the other half on delivery of the wheat at the canal, provided you get extra force and deliver it immediately." Ashburn stood thoughtful for a moment or two, and then replied-- "Very well, sir, it's a bargain." "Which, to save time, we will close immediately. I will go with you to your house, and pay you five hundred dollars on the whole bill for a thousand bushels." The farmer had no objection to this, of course, and invited the stranger to go to his house with him, where the five hundred dollars were soon counted out. For this amount of money he wrote a receipt and handed it to the stranger, who, after reading it, said-- "I would prefer your making out a bill for a thousand bushels, and writing on it, 'Received on account, five hundred dollars.'" "It may overrun that quantity," said Ashburn. "No matter, a new bill can be made out for that. I'll take all you have." The farmer saw no objection to the form proposed by the stranger, and therefore tore up the receipt he had written, and made a bill out in the form desired. "Will you commence delivering to-day?" inquired the sportsman, who all at once began to manifest a marked degree of interest in the business. "Yes," replied the farmer. "How many wagons have you?" "Two." "As it is down hill all the way to the canal, they can easily take a hundred bushels each." "Oh, yes." "Very well. They can make two loads apiece to-day, and, by starting early, three loads apiece on Monday, which will transfer the whole thousand bushels to the canal. I will go down immediately and see that a boat is ready to commence loading. You can go to work at once." By extra effort, the wheat was all delivered by Monday afternoon, and the balance of the purchase-money paid. As Mr. Ashburn was riding home, a neighbour who had noticed his wagons going past his house with wheat for the two days, overtook him.