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〃Sit on the floor here；〃 he said； 〃and I won't be a second。 You'll feel next to no pain。〃
Dad complied like a lamb。
〃Hold the light down here； missisa little lower。 You gentlemen〃 （to Canty and Dave） 〃look after his legs and arms。 Now； let your head come backright back； and open your mouthwide as you can。〃 Dad obeyed； groaning the whole time。 It was a bottom…tooth； and the dentist stood behind Dad and bent over him to fasten the sinew round it。 Then； twisting it on his wrist； he began to 〃hang on〃 with both hands。 Dad struggled and groanedthen broke into a bellow and roared like a wild beast。 But the dentist only said； 〃Keep him down！〃 and the others kept him down。
Dad's neck was stretching like a gander's； and it looked as if his head would come off。 The dentist threw his shoulders into it like a crack oarsmanthere was a crack； a rip； a tear； and； like a young tree leaving the ground； two huge； ugly old teeth left Dad's jaw on the end of that sinew。
〃Holy！〃 cried the dentist； surprised； and we stared。 Little Bill made for the teeth； so did Joe； and there was a fight under the table。
Dad sat in a lump on the floor propping himself up with his hands； his head dropped forward； and he spat feebly on the floor。
The pressman laughed and slapped Dad on the back； and asked 〃How do you feel； old boy？〃 Dad shook his head and spat and spat。 But presently he wiped his eyes with his shirt…sleeve and looked up。 The pressman told Mother she ought to be proud of Dad。 Dad struggled to his feet then； pale but smiling。 The pressman shook hands with him； and in no time Dad was laughing and joking over the operation。 A pleased look was in Mother's face； happiness filled the home again； and we grew quite fond of that pressmanhe was so jolly and affable； and made himself so much at home； Mother said。
〃Now； sit over； and we'll have supper；〃 said Dad； proud of having some fried steak to offer the visitors。 We had killed a cow the evening beforeone that was always getting bogged in the dam and taking up much of Dad's time dragging her out and cutting greenstuff to keep her alive。 The visitors enjoyed her。 The pressman wanted salt。 None was on the table。 Dad told Joe to run and get someto be quick。 Joe went out； but in a while returned。 He stood at the door with the hammer in his hand and said：
〃Did you shift the r…r…r…rock…salt from where S…Spotty was lickin' it this evenin'； Dave？〃
Dave reached for the bread。
〃Don't botherdon't bother about it；〃 said the pressman。 〃Sit down； youngster； and finish your supper。〃
〃No bother at all；〃 Dad said； but Joe sat down； and Dad scowled at him。
Then Dad got talking about wheat and wallabieswhen； all at once； the pressman gave a jump that rattled the things on the table。
〃Oh…h…h！。。。I'VE got it now！〃 he said； dropping his knife and fork and clapping his hands over his mouth。 〃Ooh！〃
We looked at him。 〃Got what？〃 Dad asked； a gleam of satisfaction appearing in his eyes。
〃The toothache！the dd toothache！。。。Oh…h！〃
〃Ha！ ha！ Hoo！ hoo！ hoo！〃 Dad roared。 In fact； we all roaredall but the pressman。 〃OH…H！〃 he said； and went to the fire。 Dad laughed some more。
We ate on。 The pressman continued to moan。
Dad turned on his seat。 〃What paper； mister； do you say you come from？〃
〃OH…H！。。。Oh…h； Lord！〃
〃Well； let me see； I'll have in altogether； I daresay； this year； about thirty…five acres of wheatI suppose as good a wheat〃
〃Damn the wheat！。。。OOH！〃
〃Eh！〃 said Dad； 〃why； I never thought toothache was THET bad！ You reminds me of this old cow we be eatin'。 SHE moaned just like thet all the time she was layin' in the gully； afore I knocked 'er on the head。〃
Canty； the storekeeper； looked up quickly； and the pressman looked round slowlyboth at Dad。
〃Here；〃 continued Dad〃let's have a look at yer tooth； old man！〃
The pressman rose。 His face was flushed and wild…looking。 〃Come on out of thisfor God's sake！〃 he said to Canty〃if you're ready。〃
〃What；〃 said Dad； hospitably； 〃y're not going； surely！〃 But they were。 〃Well； thenthirty…five acres of wheat； I have； and〃 （putting his head out the door and calling after them） 〃NEXT yearnext year； all being well； please God； I'll have SIXTY！〃
CHAPTER XXIV。
A Lady at Shingle Hut。
Miss Ribbone had just arrived。
She was the mistress of the local school； and had come to board with us a month。 The parents of the score of more of youngsters attending the school had arranged to accommodate her； month about； and it was our turn。 And did n't Mother just load us up how we were to behaveparticularly Joe。
Dad lumbered in the usual log for the fire； and we all helped him throw it onall except the schoolmistress。 Poor thing！ She would have injured her long； miserable； putty…looking fingers！ Such a contrast between her and Sal！ Then we sat down to supperthat old familiar repast； hot meat and pumpkin。
Somehow we did n't feel quite at home； but Dad got on well。 He talked away learnedly to Miss Ribbone about everything。 Told her； without swearing once； how； when at school in the old country； he fought the schoolmaster and leathered him well。 A pure lie； but an old favourite of Dad's； and one that never failed to make Joe laugh。 He laughed now。 And such a laugh！a loud； mirthless； merciless noise。 No one else joined in； though Miss Ribbone smiled a little。 When Joe recovered he held out his plate。
〃More pumpkin； Dad。〃
〃Ifwhat； sir？〃 Dad was prompting him in manners。
〃IF？〃 and Joe laughed again。 〃Who said 'if'？I never。〃
Just then Miss Ribbone sprang to her feet； knocking over the box she had been sitting on； and stood for a time as though she had seen a ghost。 We stared at her。 〃Oh；〃 she murmured at last； 〃it was the dog！ It gave me such a fright！〃
Mother sympathised with her and seated her again； and Dad fixed his eye on Joe。
〃Did n't I tell you；〃 he said； 〃to keep that useless damned mongrel of a dog outside the house altogethereh？did n't I？ Go this moment and tie the brute up； you vagabond！〃
〃I did tie him up； but he chewed the greenhide。〃
〃Be off with you； you〃 （Dad coughed suddenly and scattered fragments of meat and munched pumpkin about the table） 〃at once； and do as I tell you； you〃
〃That'll do； Fatherthat'll do；〃 Mother said gently； and Joe took Stump out to the barn and kicked him； and hit him against the corn…sheller； and threatened to put him through it if he did n't stop squealing。
He was a small dog； a dog that was always on the watchfor meat； a shrewd； intelligent beast that never barked at anyone until he got inside and well under the bed。 Anyway； he had taken a fancy to Miss Ribbone's stocking； which had fallen down while he was lying under the table； and commenced to worry it。 Then he discovered she had a calf； and started to eat THAT。 She did n't tell US thoughshe told Mrs。 Macpherson； who imparted the secret to mother。 I suppose Stump did n't understand stockings； because neither Mother nor Sal ever wore any； except to a picnic or somebody's funeral； and that was very seldom。 The Creek was n't much of a place for sport。
〃I hope as you'll be comfortable； my dear；〃 Mother observed as she showed the young lady th