Why can't they _say_ expect, 'stead
o' breakin' their jawsen with a word like that? Anti_cip_-ate! Well, I
swan! I hope he enjoyed eatin' it. Sh'd think 't'd ha giv' him the
dyspepsy, anyhow."
At this Hilda could contain herself no longer, but burst into a merry
peal of laughter; and as the boy started up with staring eyes and open
mouth, she pushed the bushes aside and came towards him. "I am sorry I
laughed," she said, not unkindly. "You said that so funnily, I couldn't
help it. You did not pronounce the word quite right, either. It is
an_ti_cipate, not antic_ip_-ate."
[Illustration: "SHE PUSHED THE BUSHES ASIDE AND CAME TOWARDS HIM"]
The boy looked half bewildered and half grateful. "An_ti_cipate!" he
repeated, slowly. "Thanky, miss! it's a onreasonable sort o' word,
'pears ter me." And he bent over his carrots again.
But Hilda did not return to her currant-picking. She was interested in
this freckled, tow-headed boy, wrestling with four-syllabled words while
he worked.
"Why do you study your lesson out here?" she asked, sitting down on a
convenient stump, and refreshing herself with another bunch of white
currants. "Couldn't you learn it better indoors?"
"Dunno!" replied the boy. "Ain't got no time ter stay indoors."
"You might learn it in the evening!" suggested Hilda.
"I can't keep awake evenin's," said the boy, simply. "Hev to be up at
four o'clock to let the cows out, an' I git sleepy, come night.
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