how to improve the farm, and he did say that if HE owned the farm the
first thing he'd do would be to drain the pond and plant it in corn.
It was his friend that suggested the electric lights--and he wasn't
joking, either, Uncle Joe," stoutly declared Bob with much
earnestness.

"Come over to the barn, Bob," said his uncle after considering the
matter a moment, "and tell me just what they said."

They went over and sat on the fence on the south side of the barn from
which point of vantage they could see the pond.

Bob now described in detail all that he had overheard, his uncle
interrupting from time to time to ask questions. When he had finished
they sat in silence for quite a while, then his uncle jumped down from
the fence and turning to Bob said:

"Come on, Bob, let's go' down and see how we can drain the old pond.
I'll make a bargain with you now. Your father told you I'd be willing
to pay you what you could earn. Well, that goes, and if you leave it
to me, I'll settle square with you in the fall, but there's one thing
I want you to do and that's to promise me you won't tell a soul about
this matter, and you and I'll make some of them around here sit up and
take notice before we get through."

"I'll promise," said Bob, "if you'll let me make one exception."

"Why, who's that?" asked his uncle, surprised at his answer.

"Aunt Bettie," said Bob.