“I don’t know,” said Phonny.
“We shall see,” said Beechnut.
Just then, Phonny heard the sound of wheels behind him. He turned round and saw a wagon coming along the road.
“Here comes a wagon,” said he. “I am going to whip up, so that they shall not go by us.”
“No,” said Beechnut, “turn out to one side of the road, and walk the horse, and let them go by.”
“Why?” asked Phonny.
“I’ll tell you presently,” said Beechnut, “after the wagon has got before us.”
Phonny turned out of the road and let the wagon drive by, and then Beechnut told him that the reason why he was not willing to have him whip up and keep ahead was, that he wanted to use the strength of the horse that day, in hauling wood, and not to waste it in galloping along the road, racing with a wagon.
At length the party reached a place where there was a pair of bars by the roadside, and a way leading in, to a sort of pasture. Phonny knew that this was where Beechnut was going, and so he turned in. The road was rough, and Malleville had to hold on very carefully to the side of the cart as they went along. Presently the road went into a wood, and after going on some way in this wood, Beechnut directed Phonny to stop, and they all got out.
“Now, Phonny,” said Beechnut, “you can have your choice either to work or play.”