Tomappearedonthesidewalkwithabucketofwhitewashandalonghandledbrush．HestoppedbythefenceinfrontofthehousewherehelivedwithhisauntPolly．Helookedatit，andalljoylefthim．Thefencewaslongandhigh．Heputthebrushintothewhitewashandmoveditalongthetopofthefence．Herepeatedtheoperation．Hefelthecouldnotcontinueandsatdown．

Heknewthathisfriendswouldarrivesoonwithallkindsofinterestingplansfortheday．

Theywouldwalkpasthimandlaugh．TheywouldmakejokesabouthishavingtoworkonabeautifulsummerSaturday．Thethoughtburnedhimlikefire．

Heputhishandintohispocketsandtookoutallthatheowned．Perhapshecouldfindsomewaytopaysomeonetodothewhitewashingforhim．Buttherewasnothingofvalueinhispockets-nothingthatcouldbuyevenhalfanhouroffreedom．Soheputthebitsoftoysbackintohispocketsandgaveuptheidea．

Atthisdarkandhopelessmoment，awonderfulideacametohim．Itfilledhismindwithagreat，brightlight．Calmlyhepickedupthebrushandstartedagaintowhitewash．

WhileTomwasworking，BenRogersappeared．Benwaseatinganappleashewalkedalongthestreet．Ashewalkedalongit，hewasmakingnoiseslikethesoundofariverboat．Firstheshoutedloudly，likeaboatcaptain．Thenhesaid"Ding-Dong-Dong"，"Ding-Dong-Dong"againandagain，likethebellofariverboat．Andhemadeotherstrangenoises．WhenhecameclosetoTom，hestopped．

Tomwentonwhitewashing．HedidnotlookatBen．Benstaredamomentandthensaid："Hello!I'mgoingswimming，butyoucan'tgo，canyou？"

Noanswer．Tommovedhisbrushcarefullyalongthefenceandlookedattheresultwiththeeyeofanartist．Bencamenearer．Tom'smouthwateredfortheapple，buthekeptonworking．

Bensaid，"Hello，oldfellow，you'vegottowork，hey？"

Tomturnedsuddenlyandsaid，"Why，it'syou，Ben!Iwasn'tnoticing．"

"Say-I'mgoingswimming．Don'tyouwishyoucould？Butofcourseyou'dratherwork-wouldn'tyou？Ofcourseyouwould．"

Tomlookedattheboyabit，andsaid，"Whatdoyoucallwork？"

"Why，isn'tthatwork？"

Tomwentbacktohiswhitewashing，andans