"I dare say you didn't. It must have been a foolish one that hitched the horse so near the bank, to begin with. Come, let's lead him to a safe place, and you come in and rest. You look kind of white and beat out." "I do feel out of breath," admitted Eben. "You see I tried to pull the wagon up, in the first place, and it was too heavy for me. Whose is it, anyway?" "It belongs to Mr. Wilbur. He has been up here to see Mr. Antis about getting his boy Tom a place in the mill." Eben's face fell. "Then I am just in time to be too late," said he. "That is just what I was coming after." "Oh, but this isn't such a place as you would want," returned Jeduthun. "It is the same that Jerry Blythe had. You wouldn't want to do such work." "I want to do any work that I can earn my living by," said Eben. "I can't live on mother and Flora, and I won't, and I must go at anything I can find to do. It won't answer to be too particular in such a case, you know." "Do tell!" said Jeduthun. "Why, I thought you was left pretty well off, and that you was going to Hobartown to college?" "There is no use in talking about that now," replied Eben. "Do you think Mr. Antis has promised this place to Tom Wilbur, Jeduthun?" "I'm afraid he has, and I am dreadful sorry for it, for one. I don't believe he'll amount to shucks, and it would have been very nice to have you round, Eben." "Thank you, Jeduthun. I am sure it would have been nice for me. But why don't you think Tom will amount to anything?" Jeduthun did not exactly know, only he had a notion that Tom Wilbur hadn't "any snap" to him. "I wouldn't be afraid to bet something, if I ever did bet, that the old man left Tom to fasten up that horse. But come, we won't give it up yet. Come in and see the boss. Maybe he can find something else for you to do, and if he does, you wouldn't want to work for a better man." Mr. Antis was very sorry as well as Jeduthun, for he knew and liked Eben. "You are just the kind of boy I want," said he, "so I should think from what I have heard of you—but a promise is a promise, you know, Eben." "Yes, sir, I know it," said Eben. "Of course, if you have promised Tom the place, that is all about it." "I have promised to give him a trial," said Mr. Antis. "I can't tell how he will answer my purpose beforehand." "You don't know of anything else for me to do, Mr. Antis?" asked Eben. "I am very anxious to get to work as soon as I can." Mr. Antis rose and walked about the office considering. "Well, no, Eben—nothing, at least, that you would want to do." "Wanting hasn't much to do with it, Mr. Antis," replied Eben. "If a thing has got to be done, it doesn't matter much, to my notion, whether one wants to do it or not." Mr. Antis smiled. "That is a very rational way of looking at the subject, Eben. But do you feel as if you must go to work directly? Wouldn't it be better to wait a little till the right thing comes along?"