"I think it's just like Heaven," said little David, with a long-drawn sigh of bliss.
"That's a fact," cried Mr. Tisbett, well pleased. "And so you liked it?"
"I loved it, Mr. Tisbett," declared David, solemnly.
"And you've said it about right," declared Mr. Tisbett, the smile dropping away from his jolly face, but the satisfaction remaining. "And I love them two horses's if they was folks. Fact!" And Mr. Tisbett slapped the toe of his big boot with his whip. "Now Jerry's a trifle the smartest, and--"
"No! No!" howled Joe, in protest, and leaning clear over David so abruptly that the stage-driver started and involuntarily pulled up his horses smartly. "I like Bill the best."
"Hey--sho, now!" exclaimed Mr. Tisbett, relaxing his tight grip on the reins. "You've waked up, have ye? Well, you set back and hang on to that there railing, or you'll break your neck. Then what would your Ma say to me? and I shouldn't never take you again."
"Mr. Tisbett," said little Davie, deliberately, "I like Jerry the best, too. I do."
"No, you don't," screamed Joel, with a nudge in Davie's side, "Bill's the best. Say so, Dave."
"I can't," said little David, quite decidedly, "'cause I think just as Mr. Tisbett does."
"They're both good; good as gold," Mr. Tisbett here made haste to say. "An' sometimes I think one's better'n t'other, an' then again I don't know. So, boys, the only way to fix it up straight is to like 'em both best. Well, we're comin' to my first passenger," and the stage-driver chirked up the horses. "Now step lively there." And presently the turn of the road brought them to a white house with green blinds and a big piazza across one end.