"
"Well, then, Mr. Hardee, if you can't do something for Mr. Bobbsey, as
a favor, I can't do anything to oblige you. Mr. Bobbsey is a friend of
mine and unless you cut your wire fence, I'll have to foreclose that
mortgage, and take your house in payment for the money you owe me.
That's all there is about it. Either pay me my money--or cut that
fence. It must be one or the other."
Mr. Hardee squirmed in his seat, and seemed very uneasy.
"I--I just can't pay that money," he said.
"Then I'll have to take your house away."
"I--I don't want you to do that, either."
"Then cut the wire fence!" cried Mr. Murphy.
"Wa'al, I--I guess I'll have to," said Mr. Hardee, but it was clearly
to be seen that he did not want to. He went into the barn, and came
out wearing a pair of rubber boots, and carrying a pair of pincers--
the "wire-cutting things," as Freddie called them.
Wading out into the creek Mr. Hardee snipped the wires of the fence.
"There, now you can go on," he said to Mr. Bobbsey, but his tone was
not pleasant.
"I thought I knew how to make him give in," whispered Mr. Murphy.
"Thank you," said Mr. Bobbsey to his friend. They hurried back to the
houseboat.
"We're going on again!" cried the twins' father. "The fence is down."
"Oh, fine!" said Bert.
"Now for the waterfall!" sighed Nan, who loved beautiful scenery.
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