"Isn't that a very heavy load?" she asked of their driver, as he was throwing it down under the apple-tree.
"Heavy? Not a bit of it. It ain't nothing at all to 'em. They'd take twice as much any day with pleasure."
"I shouldn't think so," said Ellen; "they don't look as if there was much pleasure about it. What makes them lean over so against each other when they are coming up hill?"
"Oh, that's just a way they've got. They're so fond of each other, I suppose. Perhaps they've something particular to say, and want to put their heads together for the purpose."
"No," said Ellen, half laughing, "it can't be that; they wouldn't take the very hardest time for that; they would wait till they got to the top of the hill: but there they stand just as if they were asleep, only their eyes are open. Poor things!"
"They're not very poor anyhow," said Mr. Van Brunt; "there ain't a finer yoke of oxen to be seen than them are, nor in better condition."
He went on throwing the wood out of the cart, and Ellen stood looking at him.
"What'll you give me if I'll make you a scup one of these days?" said Mr. Van Brunt.
"A scup! may be you don't know it by that name; some folks call it a swing."
"A swing! oh, yes," said Ellen, "now I know. Oh, I like it very much."
"Well, what'll you give me, if I'll fix you out?"
"I don't know," said Ellen, "I have nothing to give; I'll be very much obliged to you, indeed."
"Well now, come I'll make a bargain with you: I'll engage to fix up a scup for you, if you'll give me a kiss."
Poor Ellen was struck dumb. The good-natured Dutchman had taken a fancy to the little pale-faced, sad-looking stranger, and really felt very kindly disposed toward her, but she neither knew, nor at the moment cared about that. She stood motionless, utterly astounded at his unheard-of proposal, and not a little indignant; but when, with a good-natured smile upon his round face, he came near to claim the kiss he no doubt thought himself sure of, Ellen shot from him like an arrow from a bow. She rushed to the house, and bursting open the door, stood with flushed face and sparkling eyes in the presence of her astonished aunt.
"What in the world is the matter?" exclaimed that lady.
"He wanted to kiss me!" said Ellen, scarce knowing whom she was talking to, and crimsoning more and more.