To ride, bare backed, the farm colts and to go fishing and birds' nesting at all hours was far more pleasant than sitting at a school desk and bothering one's head with fractions, and over the tea table he spoke his mind.
"You won't catch me going into the sheds, father, when I leave school. I'm going to be a farmer and ride on horseback all day long."
"You'll be a poor farmer at that rate, Ted," his mother said quietly. "What about feeding stock and ploughing and sowing and reaping?"
"Oh, but I should keep men to do all that," was the lofty reply.
"Yes, but you must at least know how it is all done, if you are to make farming pay. That's why Dick here has to begin at the very bottom and do all sorts of black work before he can be a great engineer and come out at the top of the tree."
"And must he have black eyes as well?" asked Nellie pointedly; "and have his face spoiled?"
"No, little one, that is another matter. Whatman ought to be sent about his business and should be, if I had the management. But a black eye is no disgrace when you get it for resisting evil."
"There's a verse that's just meant for you, Dick," said Mrs. Dainton kindly, "and you ought to learn it by heart. 'Consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds.' I'll show it to you after tea."
"And then, as it is a wet night, you can all have a game with Pat in the kitchen before Dick goes to school."
"School at night," asked Teddy in amazement. "And after working all day. Haven't you learned enough?"