"Then it can't be a telegram containing bad news," said Uncle Fred. "They don't come in packages, unless there's a lot of 'em, and I hardly would get that many. I'll see what it is."
The boy was not a telegraph messenger after all, but a special delivery lad from the post-office, and the package he had for Uncle Fred was a book.
"Oh, it's a book I sent for to New York," said the ranchman after he had given the boy ten cents, and had opened the package.
"It's a book that tells about springs, and the rocks underneath the earth where the water comes from. I thought I'd read about springs so I'd learn something about the queer one on my ranch," Uncle Fred said to Daddy Bunker. "I heard about this book, sent to New York for it, and asked them to send it to me here by special delivery. Now I can read what I want to know about water."
"Will you read us a story out of the book?" asked Margy. "I like stories."
"I don't believe there are any stories in this book," said Uncle Fred with a laugh.
"Could you tell us one?" asked Mun Bun.
"About cowboys!" exclaimed Russ.
"And Indians!" added Laddie.
"Well, I guess I could think of a story, if I tried real hard," answered Uncle Fred, laughing.