"At break of day a strong party of white men started after the girls; but they did not overtake them until near the close of the day. When they had travelled about forty miles, they discovered them at a short distance. They had encamped for the night, and were cooking their supper. Fearing that the Injins would kill the girls as soon as they found that they were closely pursued, it was a part of the white men's plan to shoot them before they had a chance. Therefore, as soon as they got fair sight of the Injins, they all fired at them at once, taking good care not to hit the children. It was so sudden to the 'red-skins,' that they were scared half out of their wits, and run away, leaving the girls and all their weapons."

"How glad the little children must have been to see their fathers again!" said Mrs. Lincoln. "Don't you think they were, Abe?"

"Yes, indeed," replied the boy, with a satisfaction lighting up his intelligent face. they in the woods all the night before?"

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glow of

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Yes," replied his father; "and they want more pleased to see their fathers than their fathers were to see them. The men might have followed the Injins, and killed them all before they had gone a mile, but they were so glad to find the girls that they didn't care for anything else."

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Nobody will blame them," added Mrs. Lincoln; "they did well to get their children again. But you

have heard enough now," turning to Abraham, "and I hope you will be thankful for your home.”

"So do I," continued his father; "the poorest home is better than none: I know it by sad experience."

Abraham drew a long sigh, as if relieved by the thought that his little cabin was not surrounded with such perils. He had listened with rapt attention to the thrilling stories of his grandfather's time, and he was glad the lines had fallen to him in pleasanter places.

"You see now, Abe, how much better you fare than your father did; and you see, too, why he never learned to read," said his mother.

"I'm glad that such Injins don't live about here," he replied.

"And you should be thankful that you fare as well as you do, and make the most of your opportunities," continued his mother.

"Learn to read in a few weeks if you can, Abe,” said his father; "for it ain't long that you can have Hazel to help you."

"How long do you think, father?"

"Just as long as I can pay for. I want you should know how to read and write, and not be so ignorant as I am. Perhaps you can learn something about ciphering yourself when you are older." “Mr. Hazel says I can learn to read real quick if I try."

"I have no doubt of it," replied his father.

"And then you can read the Bible, and all the good stories in it that I have told you," were the words of his mother.

“And it will be a pleasure to you as long as you live," continued his father. "If I could live my life over again, I would learn to read somehow."

A neighbor called, and the conversation with Abraham was broken off. The next chapter will disclose what followed.

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WA

II.

THE NEIGHBOR'S CALL.

ALL, neighbor Lincoln," said the man, "I called to tell you where you can sell your place, I reckon. You know we talked about it

t' other day."

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"I remember it," answered Mr. Lincoln; "and I want to sell out, and make my tracks to some place where the curse of slavery is not found."

“Where would you go?"

"I would go to Indiana. Slavery is shut out from there, and there is a chance for a poor white man to be somebody. But who wants to buy?"

"A feller by the name of Cordy, I believe. I was told about him to-day."

"Where does he live?"

"Down the river somewhere; I hain't seen him.' "And you don't know anything about him?”. "No; only he wants to buy a place about here somewhere, and I thought of you. I can find out about him, and send him word that you will sell, if you want I should."

"I wish you would; though I sha'n't leave here till fall, now I'm gettin' my plantin' in."

"A good long time he'll have, then, to make a bargain."

"Yes; and Abe will have a chance to learn somethin' this summer. He went to school to-day for the first time."

"That's more than my boys have done. If I can cover their backs and keep them from cryin' for bread, it's all I can do."

“I can't do but little more than that," said Mr. Lincoln; "but Abe takes so to books, that I want he should learn to read and write."

"Could n't he get along as well as his father without it?"

"I never got along very well without it: I'd give all I have now to know how to read and write?"

"Pshaw!" exclaimed the neighbor; "I would n't do any such thing. It don't give anybody victuals and clothes."

"I don't know about that. At any rate, I don't want Abe to be as ignorant as I am. If his mother could n't read, we should have a sorry time here." "It's no worse for you than 't is for me." "That may be: it's bad enough for all of us; and it helps keep us down with the niggers.' "You don't think so?"

"Upon my word I do. It's for the interest of slaveholders to promote ignorance, and hence there is the most ignorance where there is the most