hree-quarters of the circumference of which was a hedge of white wool. Aided by Neale O'Neil (who still insisted on earning a part of his own support in spite of the fact tha

e garden to weed and to hoe. Uncle Rufus suffered from what he called a "misery" in h

girl, "how I's goin' to get that bed of winter beets weeded-I dunno, noways. My m

eeding right no

but I knows dat all o' them that's big enough to work is reg'larly employed by de farmers out dat a-way. Picking crops fo

re ought to be kids enough around these corners to hire, without sending to

over de hedge without spyin' dat Sammy Pinkney and a dozen of

get Sammy?" i

some use, that is

nded Uncle Rufus. "'Nless he's in misch

es declared. "But I cannot guar

see is just a mat of weeds." They had walked down to the garden while the dis

cCall bore the greater burden of housekeeping affairs, Ruth Kenway did not shirk ce

nt with him than even Dot was. Ruth and Tess looked upon most boys as merely "necessary evils.

shying as usual at the idea of work.

," suggested Agnes, not much impressed by th

t of the Corner House premises, for Buster and Billy Bumps, the

ts and which the weeds. It is a fact, however, that there are few garden plants gro

contains a number of seeds), looked much like a certain weed of the lambs'-q

they did not appear to disturb Sammy at his task. In fact, the boy had it all his own way. Neither Unc

inter consumption. When Neale O'Neil chanced to go into the garden toward supper

ately seeing what Sammy had been about. "Say! you didn't d

o mood to endure scolding in any case. "Ain't I done it all r

ammy was quite in earnest, "I don't believe you've left

ped Sammy. "I gue

" chortled Neale, unable to keep his gravity. "What

saved just what Aggie told me to, and threw a

ll. See! These are beets. Those are weeds. Oh, great grief!

my. "I did just what Aggie told

d for wasting all M

care, I e

as the work went, Sammy certainly had spe

up aren't wilted. We can save some of them. Beets grow very well when they are transplanted-especia

w-

ut what we can save. I'll help you and the

and over-wrought boy. "I'll never w

nto Willow Street, leaving Neale fairly shaking with laughte

which he knew he must suffer because of his mistake about the beet bed, seemed something that he really could not bear. Besides, he had worked all

mmy was met by his mother in a st

ime ever since dinner, Sammy Pinkne

ime. But his sore muscles cried out

vealing his shame. To be ridiculed was th

o do, Maw? Work all the ti

in the summer to keep from forgetting what

u want me t

e weeding in our gard

orrified by the suggestion after wha

carrots need cleaning out. And I don't

boy; but this was too much. "Beets!" cried Sammy again. "I wouldn

r reiterated command that he return and explain his disgraceful s

upper, either. And we'll see what your father h

care much what his father did to him. But to face the ridicule of the neighborhood-above all

ed Sammy, his old obsession enveloping his harassed thoughts.

. But the determination to get away from all these older peo