pride, which had hitherto kept him very distant toward those whom
he regarded as standing lower than himself in the social scale.

"How are you, John?" he responded, putting up the knife with
which he had been whittling.

"All right. What are you up to nowadays?"

"Working in the shop," said Dick, shrugging his shoulders. "I
wish people didn't wear shoes, for my part. I've helped make my
share. Pegging isn't a very interesting operation."

"No," said John, with remarkable affability. "I shouldn't think
there'd be much fun in it."

"Fun! I guess not. For my part, I'd be willing to go barefoot, if
other people would, for the sake of getting rid of pegging."

"I suppose you have some time to yourself, though, don't you?"

"Precious little. I ought to be in the shop now. Father sent me
down to the store for some awls, and he'll be fretting because I
don't get back. I broke my awl on purpose," said Dick, laughing,
"so as to get a chance to run out a little while."

"I suppose your father gives you some of the money that you earn,
doesn't he?' inquired John.

"A few cents now and then; that's all. He says everything is so
high nowadays that it takes all we can both of us earn to buy