Bert Wilson at the Wheel

Goes to

sky was dark and lowering. A good many anxious glances were thrown at the

fearful day

is," chime

n I wanted to go to town to get a new bla

plunged his head in a bucket of cold water and now was rub

"but say," as he turned to Bert suspiciously

ou were p

oes that jawb

sist his propensity to tease, "tha

and more of it,"

s clear as mud

tantalizingly, "l

children and

ght ride of

at identical poem in his elocutio

ow made him duck,

e doughnut. The pessimist sees only the hole in the doughnut. Now, for my part

vision rose up his mother's kitchen, fragrant with the smell of the crisp, brow

t down with all the enthusiasm of hungry boys. The food disappeared as if by magic and the table had been replenished more than once before the boys cried enough. Many a sated millionaire woul

never get enough, but was always asking the gods for more. After a while they became wearied and disgusted and granted his request that everything he touched should turn to gold. The king was delighted at this beyond all measure. Now, at last, he was to have his heart's desire. He put the gift to the test at once. He touched his sword and it changed to gold. That was fine. He stroked his beard and every hair became a glistening yellow spike. That wasn't so fine. He began to get a little worried. Wasn't this too much of a good thing? Well, anyway there was no use in fre

eneral sentiment, "I'd sure like t

t life-the "bug squad" as they were commonly and irreverently referred to in camp-went to a little clearing about half a mile away that was especially rich in specimens. The day before, Tom had secured an uncommonly beautiful species of butterfly that topped anything in his experience so far, and the other boys wanted to add one to their rapidly

horty's mind, had not that guileless youth been lying stretched out at full length with his hat over his eyes. The warmth and general mugginess of the air saturated almost to the raining point, together with the constant activity of the last two hours, had tired him out, and after a little badinage growing less and less spirited, he began to doze. The other boy

on. The weight of Shorty's body and his movements as he composed himself for sleep had aroused them to a sense of danger and they poured out in thousands. Soon the ground was covered with little patche

nd Tim grew black in the face as he crowded his handkerchief into his mouth. Shorty shook his head as a horse does when a fly

s quit your kidding? Stop

th laughter. Then he saw the swarm of ants surrounding him and took in the situation. He tore his hat from his head, his coat from his shoulders, shook off his tormentors and spinning around like a dancing dervis

temper never was any of the best, and the sudden awakening from sleep, the stings and ticklings of the invaders, and perhaps most of all, the unrestrained laughter of the boys had filled his cup to the brim. He "saw red," as the saying is, and re

of boy or man is to control his temper. The boys didn't mean any harm. It looked to them like a splendid joke, and perhaps we let it go a little t

ther boys, too, thoughtless and impulsive though they might be, were sound and kind at heart, and following Dick's example crowded about Phil and joined in the apol

d at this highest of commendations from a boy's point o

ven with those pesky ants. I never did care much for ants anyway. I've been told so often to 'go to

he ant hill as though to demolish i

ldn't destroy a wonderful and

king for a moment that Dick was "strin

esses there that are taken out daily to get the air, accompanied by a governess, exactly as you have seen a group of boarding-school girls walking out with their teachers. Surrounding

n, but this was really too much. What was the matter with Dick? Was it a joke, a parable, a fairy story? They might be kids all right, but there was a limit to everyth

ed him with questions. Then he took from his kit a strong magnifying gla

ould have to destroy this wonderful palace if I were to try to show you how marvelous it is and how perfect in all its appointments. But what we don't see ourselv

ing else on faith, but I'm afraid I'd have to se

ns that is just the thing I can show

wded eagerly