"I've been sitting on the top rail at the further side of the pasture, and just watching you, Randy Weston," said Belinda, laughing. "I was on the way up to your house when I met your little sister Prue, and she said that you were out here, so I turned this way, and just as I reached the bars I spied you a looking off at nothing and a thinking for dear life." "I _was_ thinking," admitted Randy, "and I was just wondering if I could do two years of school work in one, when you called me." "Well what an idea!" gasped Belinda, "you don't catch me doing more than one year's work if I can help it, and I wouldn't do _that_ if pa didn't set such a store by education. "Why, Randy," she resumed a moment later, "what makes you in such a drive 'bout your lessons, anyway?" "I'm sixteen this summer," Randy replied, "and I've no idea of waiting forever to fit myself for something better than a district school." Belinda looked aghast, and her round face seemed longer than one could have believed possible. "Randy Weston!" she ejaculated, "if you're planning to work like that the whole duration time you won't have a single minute for fun, and how we'll miss you!" "Oh, don't imagine that I shall lose all the winter's pleasures, Belinda," Randy answered slipping her arm about her friend's waist. "I can study in the long evenings and I think that I shall be able to join you all in the 'good times' which you plan and yet be able to do the extra work at school." "Well, I wish you joy," said Belinda, "but I, for one, get all the school work I want in a year as it is, and as to extra work, I guess I'll get it fast enough this winter, although it won't be lessons I'll be attending to in my spare time. "Ma got a letter last night when she rode over to the Centre, and Aunt Drusilla writes that she's coming to make us a three months' visit, and she's going to bring little Hi with her. And yesterday morning pa said that Grandma Babson was a coming to make her home with us, so you might guess, Randy, that Jemima and I'll have to step lively and help ma a bit." "You will indeed have to help," Randy answered, "but won't it be fun to see little Hi again? "Do you remember, Belinda, when he was here last summer, he tried to harness the hens and wondered why they didn't like it?"