Part 20 (1/2)
Will you saw, or split?”
Wad laughed, and said he would split,--perhaps because the sawing htful condition!” Rufe said, stopping to breathe after sawing a few sticks
”So is this axe; look at the edge! It's too dull even to split with,”
said Wad ”A sreat inconvenience”
”If father would only file and set this saw, I'd help you grind the axe,” said Rufe
The paternal Betterson was just then returning from a little walk about his estate As he approached, hat in hand, wiping his noble forehead, under the shade of the oaks, Rufe addressed hiot to have wood in the house; now _she_'s coet it by little driblets, and have her waiting for it and worrying about it I'll saw it, if you'll only set the saw; you kno, and I don't; we'll do the hard work if you'll furnish a little of your skill”
Rufe kne to appeal to the paternal vanity The idea of furnishi+ng, not labor, but skill, flatteredme the file And set out the shave-horse I'll show you how the thing is done”
When Link, who in thethe prairie chickens behind the house, ca under an oak-tree, astride the ”shave-horse,” filing away at the saw held in its clurindstone close by, while Rufe held on the axe, he ran into the house laughing
”Mother! just look out there! Father and Rufe and Wad all at work at once! Guess the world's co to an end,” sighed poor Mrs
Betterson, who sat nursing her babe with a bottle ”It's all owing to _her_ A new brooood influence; but I can't hope it will last”
”O e, ”don't say that I aood! You'll do all you can for her, won't you, Link?”
”I bet!” was Link's laconic response ”If _they_ only will, too, for there ain'tchores while father and Rufe and Wad are just loafing round”
He hastened to Vinnie with his chickens
”Just look out there once! All at it! Ain't it fun?”
It was fun to Vinnie, indeed
CHAPTER XIX
LINK'S WOOD-PILE
The dinner, though late that day, was unusually suht to it keen appetites fro received ood-will prevailed Even little Chokie, soiling face and fingers with a ”dru, lisped out his commendation of the repast
”I wish Aunt Vinnie would be here forever, and div us dood victuals”