“Let father have the boy and team,” said Mrs. Brackett. “You can spare them.”
“It would be worth as much as two dollars,” said Brackett.
“I will pay you two dollars,” said Simon Dodge promptly.
Here a new and brilliant idea struck Mr. Brackett, and he said, briskly:
“I’ll tell you what, father; I’ll drive you over myself, instead of Henry, and I won’t charge you a cent more, even if my time is more valuable than his.”
He reflected that it would be easier driving round the country than staying at home and doing the boy’s work.
“Thank you for your kind offer,” said the old man, quietly, “but I can’t accept it.”
“You mean you’d rather have the boy drive you?” asked Mr. Brackett, in amazement.
“I would,” answered his father-in-law, candidly.
“Really that doesn’t seem friendly,” said Mr. Brackett.