" Josiah was actually smiling. "Then you can
have the book to keep."
Abe caught his breath. What a lucky boy he was! Three days' work and he
could keep the book! He would have a chance to read about George
Washington any time he wanted to.
Never had he worked harder or faster than he did that morning. When the
noon dinner bell rang, he seemed to be walking on air as he followed
Josiah into the cabin. Sally was putting dinner on the table. Abe
slipped up behind her and pulled one of her pigtails. Taken by surprise,
she jumped and dropped a pitcher of cream. The pitcher did not break,
but the cream spilled and spread over the kitchen floor.
[Illustration]
"Abe Lincoln! Look what you made me do!" cried Sally. "I just washed
that floor. And look at that good cream going to waste."
"'Tain't going to waste." Abe pointed to Elizabeth Crawford's cat, which
was lapping up the delicious yellow stream. Then he began to sing:
"Cat's in the cream jar, shoo, shoo, shoo!"
"Stop trying to show off!" said Sally.
She was angry, but Sammy, Elizabeth's little boy, shouted with delight.
That was all the encouragement Abe needed.
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