bakin'.”  

 “Well, now that you put it right at me,” said Phineas, “I dunno as my wife would take right up with it, either. She seems bound to do just the contrary to what I want her to do. But I dunno as I'd care to put money into anything while these here labor unions keep actin' up.”  

 “I dunno as I would, either,” said Eph. “I guess mebby we'd better let this thing lay over till the labor unions sort of play out. What say?”  

 “I reckon you're right,” agreed Phineas. “I guess we'd better mosey along with these here pies, too.” The two men arose from their shady seats, and Phineas swung his baskets upon his arms, but Eph seemed to be considering a delicate question. 

 “That their pie I mashed,” he said at length—“I dunno what to say to my wife about it. She'll like to take my scalp off when she finds out I'm ten cents shy.”  

 “Dog me, if I ain't glad it wasn't my pie,” said Phin, heartily. 

 Eph coughed. 

 “You don't reckon as mebby you could give me the loan of a dime till to-morrow, could you, Phin?” he asked. 

 Phineas grinned. 

 “Well, now, Eph,” he said, “I'd give it you in a minute if so be I had it; but I swan t' gracious, I ain't got a cent to my name.”  

 THE END 

 Prev. P 12/12