diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:21 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:26:21 -0700 |
| commit | a4d2eafac74dbf628c3c39f02054e38a5e077eec (patch) | |
| tree | 9e0f3704b7f8d6e58b6f984fc6a7b0384e705a8b | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5870.txt | 9046 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 5870.zip | bin | 0 -> 153156 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
5 files changed, 9062 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5870.txt b/5870.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6872bbd --- /dev/null +++ b/5870.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9046 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hidden Treasure, by John Thomas Simpson + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Hidden Treasure + +Author: John Thomas Simpson + +Release Date: June, 2004 [EBook #5870] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on September 15, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HIDDEN TREASURE *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + +HIDDEN TREASURE + +THE STORY OF A CHORE BOY WHO MADE THE OLD FARM PAY + +BY + +JOHN THOMAS SIMPSON + +COLORED FRONTISPIECE BY E.H. SUYDAM +AND 16 ILLUSTRATIONS + +PHILADELPHIA & LONDON + +1919 + + + +PREFACE + + +A few years ago the author visited the farm in Western Pennsylvania on +which he had lived for a number of years when a boy. Much to his +surprise there was not a boy of his acquaintance still on the +neighboring farms, many of which had passed into other hands, and in +some cases even the names of the original owners had been forgotten. + +He bumped over the two short miles of road, still deep with mud, +between the town and the farm, and could scarcely recognize in the +weedy fields before him, with their broken-down fences partly +concealed by undergrowth, the fertile acres of his boyhood. + +The orchard, once kept so neatly pruned, was now with trees that were +gnarled and broken--while rich bottom land, so productive in years +past, was foul with all manner of rank growth. The lane leading up to +the house from the main road was in such bad repair that he had to +leave his automobile on the main road and complete his journey on +foot. + +Investigation showed that many of the farms in the neighborhood were +in a similar rundown condition; that farm work was generally +considered unprofitable or uncongenial; and that the boys and girls +born in the country usually took the first opportunity to leave the +farms, often for harder and less profitable work in the cities. + +In the hope that many boys and girls now living on farms, as well as +others, who, if they knew of the advantages of labor-saving machinery +and modern farm buildings (to say nothing of the interest of outdoor +work), would take up this, the most profitable and independent of all +occupations--FARMING--this story of Hidden Treasure is written. + +THE AUTHOR +FEBRUARY, 1919 + + + + +ACKNOWLEDGMENTS + + +The author begs to acknowledge his indebtedness for valuable +information to: + +A.A. Drew, Superintendent of Agencies, of the Mutual Benefit Life +Insurance Company, Newark, New Jersey, for Constructive Banking and +Life Insurance. + +Bucyrus Company, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Trenching with Steam +Shovels. + +Waterloo Cement Machinery Company, Waterloo, Iowa, for Concrete Mixing +Machines. + +Hercules Powder Company, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, for Progressive +Cultivation and Trench Digging by Dynamite. + +International Harvester Company of America, Chicago, Illinois, for +Tractors and Farm Machinery. + +George M. Wright, owner of Indian Hill Farm, Worcester, Massachusetts, +for Holstein Cattle, Dairy Methods and Poultry Raising. + +John W. Odlin, Publicity Department, Wright Wire Company, Worcester, +Massachusetts, Wire Fencing. + +C.P. Dadant, Editor American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois, Bee +Culture. + +The Sharpies Separator Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania, for +Milking Machines and Cream Separators. + +D. & A. Post Mold Company, Three Rivers, Michigan, for Concrete Fence +Posts. + +A.A. Simpson, Indiana, Pennsylvania, for much data regarding crop +production and market values in that vicinity. + +The Domestic Engineering Company, Dayton, Ohio, for Electric Light and +Power for Farms. + +The Portland Cement Association, Chicago, Illinois, for Concrete +Buildings and Road Construction. + +United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., for +Farmers' Bulletins covering the great range of subjects referred to +throughout the story. + +The Country Gentleman, Philadelphia, Pa., for much helpful data on +general farming and stock raising. + +K.C. Davis, Knapp School of Country Life, Nashville, Tenn., for a +final reading of the proof sheets. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + + I. THE OLD HOMESTEAD + + II. A DAY'S WORK + + III. A RAINY DAY + + IV. DRAINING THE POND + + V. SELLING TURTLES + + VI. SELLING SAND + + VII. THE NEW AUNT + + VIII. THE SALE + + IX. POWER AND BANKING + + X. RUNNING WATER + + XI. TONY + + XII. THE DAIRY HOUSE + + XIII. VISITORS + + XIV. RUTH AND THE STRAW STACK + + XV. NEW METHODS + + XVI. RUTH AND JERRY + + XVII. FILLING THE INCUBATOR + +XVIII. THE NEW IMPLEMENTS + + XIX. THE STORM + + XX. GOOD ROADS + + XXI. FILLING THE SILO + + XXII. THE FAIR + +XXIII. CHRISTMAS AT BROOKSIDE FARM + + XXIV. COST ACCOUNTING + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + +The Afternoon was Spent Examining the Buildings and Looking +Over the Plans for the New Barn + +The Old Homestead + +"Well, Son, Let's Get Down to Business. I See You're Wise +All Right to the Value of that Pit" + +Bees are a Profitable Side Line + +The Tractor Will do the Work of Five Men and Five Teams + +Ditch Digging by Dynamite + +One-Half the Herd + +The Electric Milker + +Comfortable Sanitary Stalls + +Small, Self-Loading, Kerosene Driven, Concrete Mixers + +Every Boy that Ran Away from the Farm and Many that are +Still There can Tell of the Days Wasted on Repairs to +Wooden Fences and Cleaning Out Fence Rows + +Extra Profits are not the Only Things a Farmer Gets from a Herd +of Well Bred Dairy Cows + +Good Seed Well Planted Lays the Foundation for a Profitable +Crop + +A Well-Managed Flock of Poultry Will Return Good Profits + +The Side Delivery Rake Fluffs up the Hay and Lets the Sun +do Its Work Quickly + +The Self-Loader Makes Possible the Quick Storage of Properly +Cured Hay and Saves Tons of Man-Lifting Power + +The Electric-Driven Laundry + +Well-Built Concrete Roads Bring the Markets and Your Neighbors +Nearer + +Transferring the Green Corn Crop from Field to Silo + + + + +I. + +THE OLD HOMESTEAD + + +The late afternoon sun shone full upon a boy who was perched on the +top of an old rail fence forming the dividing line between the farm +that spread out before him and the one over which he had just passed. + +It was early March. The keen wind as it whirled past him, whipping the +branches of the tree together and carrying away clouds of dried leaves +from behind the fence rows, penetrated the thin clothes he wore--but +instead of making him shiver, it seemed only to add to his pleasure, +for he removed his cap and ran his fingers through his damp hair. + +The boy was slender and scarcely looked the eighteen years to which he +laid claim. He had curly sandy hair, a freckled face and penetrating +blue eyes. His clothes were new, but of rather poor material and ill- +fitting, scarcely protecting him from the cutting wind. Because of his +short legs and arms, his coat sleeves and trousers, cut for the +average boy, were too long for him and were much wrinkled. + +He had climbed the last and steepest hill lying between the town and +his grandfather's farm--the ancestral home of the Williams family, +which was now, for a time at least, to be his home. Since early +morning he had bumped over the rough frozen roads between his home in +a distant village and the county seat, which was situated some two +miles to the west, and from which he had just walked. + +He had expected to find his grandfather or his Uncle Joe waiting for +him; in this he was disappointed, and as the sun was getting along +toward mid-afternoon, he had picked up his worn suitcase and set off +through the town by a route that he knew would bring him to a short- +cut over the hills. + +Despite the wind, he sat for some minutes, cap in hand, while he +looked out over the familiar scenes. There was not one foot of ground +in the one hundred and sixty acre farm that spread out fan-shape +before him which was not familiar. Here he had spent many happy +vacations in summers past. The last two years he had attended the +State College, taking the course in agriculture, and had worked in a +grocery store in the village during the summer vacations, but this +work had been distasteful to him--he missed the freedom of outdoor +life, especially the birds and animals so plentiful on the farm. So +this year, as his father could not afford to have him complete the +course, he had asked permission to go on a farm. His two years in the +State College had opened his eyes to modern methods of farming and the +use of Portland cement for farm buildings, and he wanted a chance to +try them out. + +His father had hesitated at first in giving his consent, not because +he did not wish him to be in the open country, but because he felt, +now that he had reached the age of eighteen, he should be able to earn +money and direct his attention toward permanent employment, and he +could not think of farming as a business with so many other +opportunities at hand. A letter from his Uncle Joe, saying that he had +purchased the old farm, and would like to have Bob help him with the +work on his newly acquired property, had settled the matter, and, as +his uncle was anxious to make an early start, he had left home at +once. + +He could not help noticing, as he gazed at the panorama before him, +the dilapidated appearance of the buildings and tumbled-down fences +half hidden by rank growths that confronted him on every side, but +this, for the moment, was of passing interest. + +Across the valley to the east, in the twenty-five acres of woods, he +had once found the nest of a great white owl, and there on "Old Round +Top," as the steep hill directly opposite him was called, they had +overturned a wagon-load of hay one summer with him on top. He even +remembered the thrill he had received as he went flying through the +air, and how they had all laughed when he landed unhurt on a hay cock +some distance down the hill, just clear of the overturned wagon. Then +in the valley, at the foot of the hill, stood the old cider mill where +neighbors for miles around would bring their apples in the late summer +for cider-making. Here, straw in mouth, he and the neighbors' boys lay +prone on their stomachs on the great beams and sucked their fill of +the freshly squeezed cider as it flowed down the smooth grooves in the +planks to the waiting barrels below. + +Beyond the cider mill was the old orchard, with its Rainbow and Sheep- +nose apple trees; then the garden in one corner of which grew black +currants and yellow raspberry bushes; and near by the low red brick +smoke-house, from which many a piece of dried beef had been slyly +removed to stay his hunger between meals. + +Just beyond was the white farmhouse, nestling among the apple trees, +the front to the west and facing on the lane that led up to a farm +above. The house had a one-story ell on the end toward him, containing +the kitchen and pantry--this ell projected back almost to the +smokehouse. On the opposite side, but hidden from his view, there was +a wide porch running the full length of house and ell, and in the +angle formed by the porch, stood the well with its home-made pump. + +The water from this well, he recalled, had a peculiar mineral taste, +with a strong flavor of sulphur--a taste he did not like. He had never +been so tired that he would not go to the spring up on the side of +"Old Round Top" for a pail of water, rather than drink from this well. +Back of the house, but within the enclosure formed by the picket +fence, was the wood and tool shed--while just beyond stood the old- +fashioned bank barn and other farm buildings. There was a short steep +hill just beyond the barn, down which the lane wound to a mill pond +below. An old sawmill with an undershot water-wheel stood at the +extreme south-east corner of the farm, diagonally opposite. + +[Illustration with caption: THE OLD HOMESTEAD] Of all the places on +which his gaze rested, this mill and pond held the most treasured +recollections. It was in this pond ten years ago his father had taught +him to swim. Here, too, the neighboring farmers brought their sheep +each spring to be washed--always a holiday and frolic for the boys. + +Like many other farms in this section of Western Pennsylvania, the +buildings were set so that the barn stood between the house and the +main road, making the approach to the house past the barn and through +the barnyard. For the first time, this awkward arrangement was +apparent to him; he wondered why the buildings had been thus located, +and facing northwest. + +He replaced his cap, swung his suitcase over the fence, jumped down to +the frozen ground and set off down the hill. As he trudged along, +picking his way over the rough ground, the parting words of his father +came to him: "Make yourself useful, Bob, and your Uncle Joe, I'm sure, +will pay you all you're worth, and while I'd rather have you become a +merchant, still if you find you like the farm, you may stay with your +Uncle Joe." It was not so much the prospect of making money as the +chance of being in the open air among the things that he loved that +caused him to whistle a lively tune as he crossed the fields toward +the house. + +The one over which he was now passing, he observed, had been planted +in winter wheat, and that just beyond, at the edge of the meadow, was +the young orchard well grown and badly in need of pruning. The route +he had taken soon brought him out into the lane at the foot of the +hill, near the cider mill, where he stopped to drink of the cool sap +that flowed into a large tin pail, from one of the sugar-maple trees +under whose branches the mill stood. How good it tasted to the thirsty +boy, as he drank slowly from a long-handled dipper that someone had +conveniently left hanging on the tree. When he had quenched his +thirst, he picked up his suitcase again, resting it on one shoulder, +and continued up the lane to the house. + +"Hello, grandma!" he shouted, as he dropped his luggage on the porch +and hurried forward to meet her as she emerged from the kitchen door, +a steaming kettle of vegetables in her hand. + +"Why, Bob, where'd you come from?" she exclaimed, setting the kettle +down and kissing him. + +"I looked for grandfather and Uncle Joe when I got off the bus in +town, but I couldn't see them anywhere, so I walked out," he replied. + +"Why, I'm sure they expected to meet you, Bob," she replied, "but the +roads are so rough, I suppose they were late. They took some grain to +the mill and would have to wait for it to be ground, and they may have +been delayed there--but you haven't told me yet how all the folks +are." + +"Oh, they're all pretty well," he replied; "but tell me, when is Uncle +Joe to be married?" + +"Some time in April, I believe," she replied. "Do you know you're to +be his chore boy this summer?" + +"Yes, father told me--it will be lots of fun. Just think--no more +working all cooped up in a store like the last two summers," he +replied enthusiastically. + +"But it won't be all fun, you know, Bob. Your Uncle Joe has bought the +farm, although it's not all paid for yet, and I imagine he'll keep you +pretty busy--if I know Joe," she added. + +"Let me get you some water, grandma," he said a moment later, seeing +her pick up the tin water-pail; "I'll start right in now and get my +hand in," he laughed. + +"You always were a hustler, Bob, even if you don't grow very fast," +she said, looking at his over-large clothes, as he left the kitchen. + +"I hope your Uncle Joe will remember that you're not grown and can't +do a man's work, even if you're willing to try," she said on his +return, as she watched him set the pail of water on the kitchen table. + +"Why, I'm eighteen now, grandma, and weigh one hundred and ten +pounds," he answered stoutly. + +"Well, this is a big farm, Bob, and it's gotten pretty well run down +in the last few years with your Uncle Joe out West and your +grandfather feeling too poorly to do much more than look after the +crops," she said. + +"Are there big fortunes to be found in the West, grandma?" he asked a +moment later. + +"No bigger than right here, Bob," she replied. "It's only a matter of +work, and I'm beginning to believe that after all it is as much a +matter of managing properly as working hard. Do you know that your +grandfather and I are going to move to town as soon as your Uncle Joe +gets married?" + +"Why, no, I didn't--who'll look after things here when you go away?" +asked Bob. + +"Oh, your new aunt will see to that," she replied. "I hope you'll like +her, Bob." + +"Who is she and what does she look like?" he inquired with boyish +eagerness. + +"She used to be a school teacher and lived with us while she taught +our school," she replied; "that's how your Uncle Joe met her. She has +plenty of good looks--too many, I sometimes think, for a farmer's +wife--and she is a real New England Yankee woman, who doesn't know how +to milk cows." + +"How could any one be too good-looking to be a farmer's wife, +grandma?" laughed Bob. "Why should good looks keep her from being +successful?" + +"Well, you see, Bob, nice white hands are generally spoiled by rough +work," said the old lady. + +"But why will she have to do the rough work when she comes here?" +persisted Bob. + +"Oh, I guess she won't have any to do--at least, that's what your +Uncle Joe says," replied his grandmother with a haughty toss of her +head. "That's what he's got you down on the farm for." + +"Oh," said Bob, dryly, "and so that's why he was so extremely anxious +for me to come." + +"Yes, that's why, Bob--you might as well know sooner as later, that +you're going to be a pretty busy boy this summer. Your Uncle Joe is so +big and strong that he never gets tired and doesn't know when to quit, +and he expects every one else to work just as hard and as long as he +does. Besides," she added, "I don't think he'll want HIS wife to spoil +her nice white hands." + +"What's her name?" inquired Bob, not in the least worried by his +grandmother's gloomy predictions. + +"Betsy Atwood--but your uncle calls her Bettie," replied his +grandmother. + +"Aunt Bettie," repeated Bob. "A pretty name!" + +"H'm!" sniffed his grandmother. "I'm certainly glad you like it, and I +hope you'll like her as well--it will help to make the work seem +easier to you." + +"Why, there's grandfather and Uncle Joe now," said Bob a moment later, +as he glanced through the kitchen window toward the barn, and catching +up his cap he rushed out to greet them. + +Joe Williams was a typical farmer, tall, deep-chested and straight as +an arrow. He stood six feet in his stockings and weighed two hundred +and ten pounds, and could toss a barrel of salt on the tailboard of a +wagon without losing his happy smile. He was twenty-seven years old, +and there was not a farmer in the county who could beat him at feats +of strength or endurance, and few indeed who could keep pace with him. +He had black hair and blue eyes. Books had little attraction for him-- +he loved to be in the open, for which his great size and strength +seemed to fit him. He had received little education beyond the country +school, unless could be counted the two years he had spent working on +farms in the great West, where he probably would have stayed had it +not been for the brown eyes of Bettie Atwood and an offer from his +father, now old and failing in health, to sell him the old place at +his own terms. + +"Hello, Bob!" he called as his nephew came forward, "sorry we missed +you. The bus driver said you'd left on foot for the farm when you +didn't see us around. How've you been lately?" + +"Oh, I'm all right," replied Bob. + +"Hello, grandfather!" he called, as he went round to the side of the +wagon to greet his grandfather. + +"You don't seem to grow much, Bob," he laughed, as he shook hands. +"Cooped up too much in that grocery store--you need the open air of +the country to stretch you out. Just look at your Uncle Joe there--see +what the country has done for him." + +"Oh, I'll grow all right, grandfather. I like the country and the +open-air life, too, and father says I may take up farming work if I +want to." + +The team was soon put away, and shortly after supper Bob, too sleepy +to keep his eyes open, went to bed. + + + + +II + +A DAY'S WORK + + +"Bob! Bob! Time to get up and do your chores." + +The sleepy boy rolled over, rubbed his eyes and sat up, trying to +remember where he was and who was calling him; then he recognized the +voice of his uncle, and jumped quickly out of bed. + +"All right, Uncle Joe, I'm coming," he answered, as he felt around in +the dark for his clothes, for he had neglected to provide himself with +matches to light the oil lamp that stood near by on the dresser. + +His clothes were simple, and getting up before dawn was no new +experience for him. A few moments later he hurried down to the +kitchen, where his uncle, who had just finished stirring the kitchen +fire, was filling the tea-kettle. + +"Well!--are you up for all day, Bob?" he inquired cheerily. + +"I will be as soon as I get awake," he answered, as he started for the +rain barrel for water to wash. + +As the water in the well was hard, rain water was used for washing, +except in winter, when the barrels were frozen solidly. The early +spring rains had filled the barrels again, but as the night had been +cold, ice had frozen over the top. His uncle had been to the barrel +ahead of him and broken the ice, so he dipped up the basin full of +water, and placing it on a bench on the porch, washed his face and +hands. + +Above the wash bench, summer and winter, hung the roller towel, and +near by the mirror and family horn comb. In the dark the mirror was of +doubtful use, but with a few well-directed strokes of the comb he +managed to get a semblance, at least, of neatness to his hair. He +shivered a little as he finished--just as his uncle appeared, milk +pails and lantern in hand. + +"I want you to do the milking from now on, Bob, for it's not the kind +of work a woman should do," said his uncle, and handing him the pails, +they started for the barn. + +"You're right, Uncle Joe," replied Bob. "I always milked our cow at +home so mother wouldn't have to do it; besides, it doesn't take so +very long." + +Bob had been taught to take good care of the family cow--a well-bred +Guernsey, whose stable had a good cement floor and was neatly +whitewashed. Once or twice a week he would curry-comb and brush her +from nose to tail. Nothing gave him greater pride than to have his +father bring some one unexpectedly into the stable to look at his +charge and comment on the clean manner in which both stable and cow +were kept. His mother sold the milk they did not need for their own +use, and had no trouble in getting two cents a quart more than the +regular price--partly on account of the cow being so well bred and +giving rich milk, but principally on account of the reputation the +clean stable had made in the village. + +The cow barn that Bob now entered was built under a portion of the +main barn, adjacent to the thrashing floor, and was dark, even in the +daylight. The earthen floor was foul with neglect. The cows, instead +of being secured in separate stalls with stanchions, were chained up +in a row to a long, old-fashioned manger. + +Upon entering, Bob's uncle hung up the lantern; then, seeing Bob look +around and hesitate, asked: + +"What are you looking for, Bob?" + +"I was looking for a fork to clean the stable. I always clean the +stable and brush off the cow at home before milking," he replied. + +"Well, I guess you're a little late to start that here," laughed his +uncle. "Never mind the floor; we'll back the wagon in here after +breakfast and give it a good cleaning." + +"All right, Uncle Joe; but where's the brush?" asked Bob. + +"Brush! What brush?" asked his uncle. + +"Why, don't you brush off the cows each morning before you milk them?" +asked Bob. "Father always insisted that I brush Gurney each morning." + +"Well, your father's not a farmer and you've only one cow, while we +have eight, and, besides, I've lots of other work to do without curry- +combing cows," replied his uncle in a sarcastic tone, angered at Bob's +reference to his father's greater knowledge of farm work. + +"Better hurry up with your milking, Bob, while I feed the horses," he +added, as he left him staring at the cows. + +He could not remember ever having seen such dirty cows or so dirty a +stable before. Then he suddenly thought that he had always visited the +farm in the summer time, when the cattle were kept in the fields and +milked in the open barn yard. + +He finished the milking as best he could, and was not surprised to +find that instead of getting forty quarts from the eight cows, he +received only fifteen quarts--about three times as much as he got from +Gurney alone. He now remembered the answer he once heard his father +give a visitor at Gurney's stable. + +"But, Mr. Williams," the visitor had said, "a purebred cow must be +considerably more expensive in upkeep than an ordinary one." + +"That's where you're mistaken," his father had replied, "for a well- +bred cow eats no more than a common one--in fact, Gurney eats less, +and the difference in the amount and quality of the milk soon pays for +the difference in the first cost. Then, there's the pleasure that Bob +gets out of the care he gives to an animal that is worth while, and +assuredly that's something not to be lightly lost sight of." + +Dawn was breaking when Bob finished. On the way to the house he met +his uncle coming out of the yard, a huge pail of swill for the pigs in +each hand. + +"Thought I'd feed the pigs for you this morning," he said, as Bob set +down his milk pails and held the gate open for his uncle to pass +through. "It will take you a day or two to get your hand in," he +added. + +Bob made no reply, but he noticed the swill was full of broken ice, +like the rain barrel from which he had taken the water to wash that +morning, and he was wondering how much good a cold breakfast like that +would do even for a pig. + +He carried the milk pails into the kitchen, where he found his +grandmother busy preparing breakfast. "Shall I take the milk to the +cellar?" he asked, as he set the pails on the floor to rest his arms. + +"No, thank you, Bob; I usually strain it here in the kitchen before +taking it down," she replied; "but you may feed the calves--that's +their warm milk there by the stove. You'll find four of them in the +orchard, back of the smokehouse. Divide the milk among them, and hurry +back to breakfast." + +Bob disappeared with the milk, but was back in a few minutes. The tin +wash basin was put into service again--this time hot water from the +boiling tea kettle took the chill off, and in a few minutes, he joined +his uncle who, having already washed, had that moment seated himself +at the breakfast table. + +"Will you feed the chickens for me, Bob?" asked his grandmother, as he +rose from the table after breakfast. "You'll find some shell corn in a +feed box on the thrashing floor. Give them two measures." + +"Come around to the wagon shed when you get through with feeding the +chickens, Bob," called his uncle, as he started for the barn. "I'll +get the team and we'll clean out the cow stable to-day." + +Bob filled the small wooden box he found in the feed bin, then +stepping out into the barnyard, he called the chickens around him. He +could not help observing what a nondescript lot of chickens they were +--not a purebred among them; besides, he noticed many were old, and +some had frozen feet and combs. No wonder, he thought, as he glanced +at the poorly built hen house that faced the east instead of south--a +lean-to built against the side of the barn, with only one small +window, and that one on the north end, while the cracks between the +upright boards, of which the coop was constructed, were not even +covered by strips. + +With these fowls he contrasted his own prize-winning white leghorns, +with their well-built and ventilated pen, with its two large windows +to the south. He wondered how long they would have averaged four eggs +a day for the eight hens through the entire winter, if he had fed them +with only cold grain instead of carefully prepared feed, and had kept +them in such a cheerless home. No wonder his grandmother, who got the +money from the sale of the eggs, said chickens didn't pay, and that +the few eggs the hens did lay in the winter were usually frozen before +they could be collected. + +He now joined his uncle and they began the annual cleaning of the cow +stable and barnyard. The stable was not hard work, although the long +corn stalks that were tramped deep into the floor were troublesome and +required much labor to pry loose. They finished the cleaning of the +cow stable by noon, but when they started on the barnyard in the +afternoon they found it was frozen almost solid, so they made slow +headway and Bob's arms and back ached from the unaccustomed heavy +work. + +"When shall I quit to do the milking?" he inquired, as he noticed the +sun getting low. + +"Oh, we'll be knocking off pretty soon," was his uncle's indefinite +answer. + +It was nearly six o'clock and getting dark when his uncle finally +decided they had done enough work for one day. + +"Guess you'd better hustle, Bob," he said. "I didn't notice it was so +late. Your grandmother will wait supper for you." + +Bob jumped down stiffly from the seat of the wagon and, after cleaning +his shoes, went to the house, as his uncle had directed, and washed +up. + +"Are you tired?" asked his grandmother, as he came into the kitchen +where she was busy cooking by lamp light. "Your Uncle Joe's starting +right in to have you do all the work on the farm in a day; he should +have let you stop an hour ago to do the milking." + +Bob made no reply. He took his pails and lantern and started for the +barn. His hands were stiff and blistered from using the fork all day, +and it was with difficulty that he finished his task in the ill- +smelling and badly ventilated barn. His back ached, too, as he carried +the pails to the house. + +"Why were you so long?" asked his uncle impatiently, as Bob entered. +"Your grandmother wouldn't let us eat till you came in, so I fed the +calves and pigs for you while we were waiting." + +"At home, Uncle Joe," replied Bob, as they seated themselves at the +table, "we always milk at five o'clock and don't let anything else +interfere with it. Father says a cow should be milked early and +regularly." + +"Well, Bob, your father's not a farmer, and if he wants you to quit in +the middle of the afternoon to milk your cow, you can do so, but we'll +milk ours after the day's work's done," was the stern answer. + +"Probably that's the reason Gurney gives nearly as much milk as any +three of yours," replied Bob quietly, to which remark his uncle made +no reply. + + + + +III + +A RAINY DAY + + +"Bob," said his uncle one rainy Saturday morning, a week later, "it's +such a bad day we can't do anything outdoors, so we'd better sharpen +up the tools; there's a lot of them that need grinding." + +"All right," said Bob, and he got a can of water for the grindstone-- +an ancient model, turned by hand. + +His uncle gathered up the tools and piled them beside the stone. There +were two double-bitted axes and one pole axe, two brush hooks, three +mowing scythes, a hatchet, a meat cleaver, half a dozen knives, both +long and short--to say nothing of a drawing knife, some chisels and +planes, which were added to the pile as an afterthought. + +Bob looked dubiously at the tools as his uncle deposited them near at +hand. + +"Are we going to sharpen them all, Uncle Joe?" he inquired, as he took +hold of the handle and set the stone turning. + +"Oh, this is only a short job," laughed his uncle, as he picked up a +dull axe and pressed the bit so heavily against the stone that it +stopped. + +"Why, what's the matter, Bob--not tired before you get started, are +you?" he laughed. + +Bob made no reply. He needed all his strength to turn the stone. After +a few minutes' work against his uncle's weight, he was compelled to +quit. + +"Can't we oil or grease it up or do something to make it turn easier, +Uncle Joe?" he asked as he straightened up. + +"Bah, who ever heard of oiling a grindstone?" answered his uncle, +throwing some water on the bearings, which caused a lot of rust to +work out at the ends. + +"I guess you'd like to go fishing to-day, instead of working?" he +observed. + +"No, Uncle Joe, I'm willing to work," replied Bob, "but you don't know +how hard this old stone turns." + +"Oh, I don't, don't I?" said his uncle. "Well, I turned this stone, +Bob, before you were born, and your father turned it before me." + +"And you never put any oil or grease on it all that time?" inquired +Bob. + +"Of course not," said his uncle, "only elbow grease. We boys always +had enough of that to keep the stone running in those days," he +continued with a sarcastic smile. + +"Well, there might have been an excuse in those days, Uncle Joe, for +using a hand-power grindstone, but there certainly is none in these +days, with water power, electricity and gasoline," he added, between +breaths, as he began tugging away again at the handle. + +"If you wouldn't waste your energy talking nonsense and turn faster, +we would get done sooner," said his uncle bearing down harder than +ever. + +Bob stopped turning and stood up as straight as his aching back would +allow him, and looking his uncle square in the eyes, said: + +"Suppose you turn a while, Uncle Joe, and I'll hold the axe." + +"No, you just keep on turning--you don't know how to grind an axe," +replied his uncle; "besides, that's the boy's job." + +"Perhaps you could teach me how it's done, while you're turning," said +Bob, not offering to continue. + +"That's only fair, Joe," said his grandfather, coming up suddenly +behind them and overhearing what was said. "The old stone does seem to +turn harder than ever these days." + +"Well, I'll show you how easy it turns," said his uncle, starting the +stone spinning, but looked up quickly a moment later as it suddenly +slowed down to a dead stop, for his father, instead of Bob, was +holding the axe against it. + +"Go on, Joe; don't stop; it's only a boy's job," he laughed, as he +bore down so hard on the axe that the stone could not be started. + +"Where are you going, Bob?" asked his uncle, as Bob started in the +direction of the barn. + +"I'm going to the wagon shed, Uncle Joe, to get some axle grease and +see if we can't make the stone turn easier." + +The metal plates covering the bearings were removed, and the caked +rust pried out from between the rollers, for the stone had been +mounted on small cast-iron wheels or rollers, but the wheels had been +allowed to become rusted and finally had ceased to revolve. + +When the rust had all been cleaned out and the wheels removed and +cleaned, they were well greased and replaced. + +"Now try it, Bob," said his grandfather, smiling; "it's a poor rain +that doesn't bring some good." + +The stone now spun around easily in the hands of the willing boy, and +by noon all the tools had been ground, including some additional ones +that his grandfather, seeing the work going so fast, had added to the +pile. When all were finished, Bob wiped them off with a greasy rag, +while his grandfather stood watching him keenly. + +"You'll make a good farmer some day, Bob," he said a little later, +"for I see you use your head as well as your muscle. All my life I've +been grinding farm tools, but I never once greased them to keep them +from getting rusty, and they were mostly rusty, too, when I wanted to +use them," he added with a dry smile. + +"How'd you like to have the afternoon off, Bob, to fish?" asked his +uncle after dinner, looking at the rain. + +"Fine, Uncle Joe! Perhaps I could catch a mess for supper," the boy +replied, and without waiting for any further suggestions started for +the woodshed to get his rod and line. + +He was soon sitting on the end of the log carriage under the shelter +of the saw-mill roof, his line dangling into the water of the forebay, +waiting for a bite. He had been seated only a few moments when his +attention was attracted by a small automobile bouncing over the deep- +rutted road, a few yards to the south of the mill. When it got nearly +opposite, one of the rear tires, with a loud report, blew out, and it +came to a sudden stop. Two men got out of the car, but after looking +up at the sky decided to wait until the shower was over before making +the repairs. So, turning up their coat collars, they ran over to the +shelter of the mill. + +They did not seem to notice Bob as they came up a plank at the +opposite end, but sat down on a log with their back to him. As they +seated themselves, one of the men took out his cigar case and passed +it to the other. + +"We'd better be careful about smoking in a saw mill, John, don't you +think?" remarked the other, as he hesitated to take the proffered +cigar. + +"Oh, that's all right, Al," said his friend. "Just be careful where +you throw the match." + +"This must be a pretty old mill, John," said the one called "Al," a +few moments later, as, his cigar lighted, he gazed around at the +structure. + +"Well, it's been here for some time, that's sure," his friend replied. + +"Don't they ever use it any more? Don't look as though they have cut +any lumber here in years," remarked Al. + +"No, the timber's pretty well cut down around here, Al, and one +doesn't haul it very far in these days of portable steam mills. In the +old days, you know, they hauled the tree to the mill; nowadays, they +take the mill to the tree. It's the modern idea." + +"But I should think they would use the power for other things," his +friend persisted. "For one thing, the water would be able to run a +small generator and supply the farm with electric lights." + +"Electric light! Ha! Ha! Joe Williams using electric lights on his +farm--that's a good one, Al." + +"Well, why not?" demanded his friend. "Electricity is not a new thing, +even in the country, and there certainly are enough uses for power on +a farm that would pay for a plant in a very short time." + +"Yes, but you don't know Joe Williams, Al," persisted his friend. + +"Well, who is he, then, that he never heard of electricity?" demanded +Al. + +"Oh, he's heard of electricity all right; but you see he's not +progressive--he has no 'git up and git,' as they say around here. Of +course, he expects to find electric lights and concrete sidewalks in +town, but electric lights on his farm and good roads from here to town +would never enter his head," was the reply. + +"Has he always lived here? Doesn't he ever get far enough away from +home to know what the rest of the world is doing, or is he just plain +lazy?" asked his friend. + +"Neither, Al. In fact, he spent two years on the big farms in the +West, and I had hoped he would wake up our farmers with new ideas when +he came back and bought the old homestead. But I've been disappointed. +He's one of those powerful men, who thinks that farming is a matter of +physical strength rather than thoughtful planning. He doesn't seem to +see the advantage of headwork. True, it's going to take a lot of hard +work to redeem this old place with its dilapidated buildings and +broken-down fences, but headwork will help a lot. Why, do you know, +Al, the acreage wasted by rail fences on this farm alone would raise +enough corn each year to send a boy to college." + +"Yes, and what's more," he continued, "here's an old pond full of the +richest soil in the whole county--soil that's been washed down from +the fertile fields for years--to say nothing of the drainage from +three big barns; and what does it produce?--nothing. Do you know, if I +owned this farm, I'd open the gates and let the water out, put in some +drain tile and plant this bottom land in corn. Why, when that corn got +ripe, you couldn't find a ladder long enough in the county to reach up +to the ears, the stalks would grow so high." + +"Well, that would be some tall corn, John," laughed his friend, "but +I've no doubt it's just as you say--this bottom would raise fine corn. +Speaking of that, you ought to see some of the corn I've seen in the +bottom lands out in Illinois and Iowa, But what about electricity if +you do away with the dam?" + +"Do you see those two beech trees down there, near the fence where the +brook cuts in between the two steep banks?" asked John pointing. + +"Yes, I do," said his friend. + +"Well, do you notice how the banks approach each other at that point? +A thirty-or forty-foot dam built across there would back up the water +over an acre or two of ground in there--that land is unfit for +anything else--and it would give them all the water they'd need for +cutting ice in the winter and swimming in the summer; and as for +electricity, a little direct-connection unit run by gasoline and +setting in one corner of the garage, where it would be near at hand, +would do the trick nicely. You know, Al," he continued, "the trouble +with our farmers is they don't manage right. Now take Joe Williams +here for an example. Here's wasted water power; he's still turning the +old grind-stone by hand, and probably will all his life, unless +someone wakes him up. Then here's this good bottom land wasted. Why, +it was only last week he came in to see me at the bank to borrow a +thousand dollars--said he was going to get married and needed some +money to set himself up in housekeeping, as he's put all his money +into buying the farm. Said he's going to marry a woman who's used to a +little better than farm life, and, now that he's got his brother's boy +helping him, he would like to put on another team." + +"Did you loan him the money, John?" asked his friend, keenly +interested. + +"No, I didn't, Al. I told him I'd think it over. In fact, it was to +look things over that I came out here to-day," he replied. + +"I don't know whether I mentioned to you, John," remarked his friend, +"but the Farmers' Mutual Life Insurance Company, which I represent, is +seeking all the farm loans they can find. We consider them the best +loans to-day." + +"How's that, Al?" asked the banker. + +"Well, it's like this. You loan a farmer a thousand dollars and in +nearly every case the money goes to improve the land, hence makes the +value that much greater. Then a wide-awake farmer generally wakes up +his neighbors and the value of all the farms goes up, which naturally +makes our risk less. We don't care how bad a farm may be run down, +John, if the farmer is a live one--one who has the 'git up and git,' +as you say--we'll advance him any reasonable amount of money to help +him. And that, by the way, brings me around to tell you why I dropped +off to see you this morning. We want to place some of our surplus +funds in farm loans in your section and would like to have your bank +handle them for us." + +"Why, Al, that's fine. I've a small policy myself in your company, and +it's certainly good of you to pick out the First National to place +these loans. I'll be a real booster for your company now. + +"But referring to wasted opportunities, Al, do you see that sand and +gravel pit over there on the other side of the pond? There's enough +sand and gravel there, I've no doubt, to supply this entire county +with concrete fence posts, silos, barns and all manner of buildings, +to say nothing of building fine concrete roads throughout the whole +county. And I'll tell you something more: Joe Williams hasn't waked up +to the fact that there's a railroad coming through about three miles +below his farm that will require thousands of yards of sand and gravel +for concrete bridges, and that this is the only sand and gravel pit +within a reasonable haul that's worth while. Why, do you know, Al, for +years and years they've been letting people drive in here and haul +away sand and gravel free of charge. + +"You don't say!" exclaimed his friend. + +"Yes, but speaking of concrete, Al, just think what a saving in +horseflesh a twenty-foot smooth concrete road all the way from here to +town would mean to these farmers--recent tests with a three-ton auto +truck show that while it could make only 3.6 miles per hour over dirt +roads, it could make twelve miles per hour over unsurfaced concrete +roads, which would represent in the United States a saving of nearly +two and one-half million dollars on auto-truck hauling alone, to say +nothing of horse-drawn vehicles--just think of it, Al. But there's +that old dirt road, same as it's been for years, hub deep with mud in +spring and winter, and so dusty in summer that there is no pleasure in +driving over it, and a dead loss in both time and money every time a +farmer drives over it." + +"It's surely the roughest road I've ever traveled on, John," laughed +his friend, "and I've no doubt what you say is right. If farmers would +only take to using lead pencils and figure a little they would soon +discover where their losses are." + +"You know the old way of repairing roads, Al. They dig the dirt out of +the gutters in the springtime and fill up the rut holes, and then the +next spring do the same thing over again, from 'generation to +generation,' as the good Book says. I'm satisfied myself," he +continued, "that our county will never go ahead until we begin putting +down good roads. I was telling our Commissioners only yesterday that +the First National Bank would guarantee the bond issue for any road- +building work they would undertake in any part of the county." + +The two men sat in silence for a time, looking out at the rain. Then +they got up and started to walk to the other end of the mill. + +"Why, hello, boy! Fishing?" remarked Al, as he noticed Bob for the +first time. + +"Yes," replied Bob. + +"Catching anything, are you?" asked the banker. + +"Well, you never can tell what you can catch on a rainy day," the boy +replied slowly. "Uncle Joe greased the grindstone to-day for the first +time in its history." + +"You don't say!" laughed the banker; "who put him up to that, I'd like +to know?" + +Bob only grinned and remained silent. + +"Well, it looks as though the rain were going to pass over," said the +banker a few minutes later, as he looked out at his stranded +automobile. + +"What's your name, young man?" inquired the insurance man. + +"Bob Williams," he replied. + +"Oh, then you are Billy Williams' son, who's working here this +summer," said the banker. "Well, how does it happen that you're +fishing instead of working to-day, I'd like to know? Couldn't your +Uncle Joe find anything for you to do?" + +"Yes, he did; but we greased the grindstone and got through at noon," +Bob replied smiling. + +"Well, he was square in letting you have the afternoon off after you +showed him how to save it," the banker replied. "Some time, Bob, when +you're in town, drop in and see me at the bank, and, by the way, if +you ever catch any turtles, bring them to me. I'll be glad to pay you +fifty cents each for all you can catch. I'm rather fond of a good +snapper." + +"What are you going to do now?" inquired the insurance man, seeing Bob +winding up his fishing line. + +"Guess I'll go up to the barn and look for some lumber to build a long +ladder," the boy replied grinning. + +"Well, so long, Bob," said the insurance man with a smile. "Good luck +to you! I see you've good ears." + + + + +IV + +DRAINING THE POND + + +It was quite evident to Bob the next morning that his uncle was +worrying about something; he was not only absent-minded, but he was +short and crusty and found fault with everything that Bob did. + +It was Sunday, and after the chores were finished, Bob walked down +back of the barn and stood looking at the pond for quite a while, +pondering over what the banker and insurance man had said. Then he +walked over to the west slope which ran along the side of the small +hill where the house and barn stood and examined the contour of the +ground carefully. + +"What are you trying to discover in the hog lot, Bob?" asked his +uncle, suddenly coming up behind him. + +Bob's face was very serious, and he looked up at his uncle a moment +before replying. + +"I was just wondering how much it would cost to hire a man to grade a +road up the side of this slope and get rid of the steep hill in front +of the barn." + +"What an idea!" exclaimed his uncle. "Hire a man, indeed! You must be +crazy. We don't hire any men to work on this farm." + +"Oh, yes, you do--you hired me, Uncle Joe." + +"Well, but that's different, Bob," said his uncle, half smiling. "You +don't get paid." + +"Oh, yes, I do, Uncle Joe. Father said you told him you'd pay me +whatever I was worth to you, and I'm willing to wait till you find +out, but I certainly expect to be paid money for my work." + +"Your father shouldn't have told you I'd give you money. Of course," +he added quickly, seeing Bob's face cloud, "I expect to get you some +new clothes in the fall." + +"But father said I'm old enough now to buy my own clothes and that +this year he'd let me do it. You just keep account of how much work +and other things I do for you and pay me what I'm worth," Bob +answered. + +"What do you mean about other things?" asked his uncle quickly. + +"Well, for instance," said Bob, looking him squarely in the eyes, "you +want to borrow a thousand dollars at the First National Bank and they +haven't told you whether they'd give it to you or not." + +"Who told you that?" demanded his uncle coloring. + +"I don't care to say," replied Bob, "but it wasn't grandmother or +grandfather," he added quickly, to clear them of any suspicion of +having violated a confidence. + +"Of course, they didn't," said his uncle. "They don't know anything +about it." + +"I can tell you how you can get all the money you want--enough even to +build a new house and a new barn, with silos, new fences, and other +buildings. Also a concrete road from the house to the main road and +put a bathroom and electric lights in the house, too," Bob added. + +"Have you gone crazy?" demanded his uncle, scarcely able to believe +his ears. "What nonsense are you talking this morning?" + +"Well, you want to find out how it can be done, don't you?" he asked. + +"Well, it won't do any harm to tell me," replied his uncle, suddenly +remembering his approaching marriage and how far his slender purse +would go toward fixing up the place and making it presentable to his +bride. + +"Drain the pond and plant it in corn," said Bob triumphantly. + +"What's that?" asked his uncle again, not sure he heard correctly. + +"Drain the pond and plant it in corn," repeated Bob. "You won't have +to wait till you sell the corn, either, to get the money." + +"How's that?" asked his uncle, interested in spite of himself. + +"Well, all I can tell you is to do it and the First National Bank will +make the loan." + +"Whoever heard of such a thing as planting corn in an old mill pond," +scoffed his uncle. + +"I did," replied Bob smiling. + +"Who told you?" demanded his uncle, looking him over from head to +foot, for Bob with his ideas was getting to be more and more of a +puzzle to him every day as he upset the long-established farm +traditions. + +"The president of the bank himself," declared Bob. "At least I +overheard him tell another man that he would." + +"You overheard John White, president of the First National Bank, +discussing with someone else that I wanted to borrow a thousand +dollars? I don't believe it. John White wouldn't discuss my affairs +with anyone, especially when boys are standing around listening," +vehemently declared his uncle. + +"I wasn't standing around listening," said Bob blushing. "I was +fishing in the pond yesterday and I sat in the mill to get out of the +rain. I was fishing in the forebay, and they came in the mill to wait +until the rain was over and sat down and talked." + +"What! They talked about me?" demanded his uncle. + +"They talked about you and grandfather and all the other farmers +around here. Said you farmers never used your heads and let your farms +run down, when all you had to do was to show him you had some 'git up +and git' and you could have all the money you wanted." + +"Well, if that's so, then why didn't he give it to me when I asked +him?" demanded his uncle. + +"That was because he was disappointed in you. You've not yet shown any +'git up and git,'" replied Bob. + +"What do you mean by 'git up and git'?" asked his uncle. + +"Why, things like draining the pond and making it raise corn instead +of letting it lie there a waste; building a new road up to the barn +that won't be so steep you can't haul a load up or down; building new +wire fences with concrete posts and a new barn with silos, and--" + +"Stop!" shouted his enraged uncle. "You're only talking to hear +yourself, Bob, and I'm not sure but you're talking to make fun of me. +I've a good notion to get a buggy whip and whale you for such +impertinence," he declared, his anger suddenly getting the better of +him. "No 'git up and git'! You know yourself I work from before +daylight until long after dark as it is. What does he expect me to +do?" + +"Just work from six o'clock in the morning until six at night, then +you can spend the rest of the time planning how to improve the farm." + +"Did he say that, Bob?" demanded his uncle, looking down at the +ground. + +"Well, not just that way," replied Bob, "but that's what he meant. He +did say, though, he would make the loan if you could show him you knew +how to improve the farm, and he did say that if HE owned the farm the +first thing he'd do would be to drain the pond and plant it in corn. +It was his friend that suggested the electric lights--and he wasn't +joking, either, Uncle Joe," stoutly declared Bob with much +earnestness. + +"Come over to the barn, Bob," said his uncle after considering the +matter a moment, "and tell me just what they said." + +They went over and sat on the fence on the south side of the barn from +which point of vantage they could see the pond. + +Bob now described in detail all that he had overheard, his uncle +interrupting from time to time to ask questions. When he had finished +they sat in silence for quite a while, then his uncle jumped down from +the fence and turning to Bob said: + +"Come on, Bob, let's go' down and see how we can drain the old pond. +I'll make a bargain with you now. Your father told you I'd be willing +to pay you what you could earn. Well, that goes, and if you leave it +to me, I'll settle square with you in the fall, but there's one thing +I want you to do and that's to promise me you won't tell a soul about +this matter, and you and I'll make some of them around here sit up and +take notice before we get through." + +"I'll promise," said Bob, "if you'll let me make one exception." + +"Why, who's that?" asked his uncle, surprised at his answer. + +"Aunt Bettie," said Bob. + +His uncle was touched by the thought that Bob was not willing to +exclude his new aunt-to-be from participating in what would probably +be her greatest joy--the success of her husband. + +"You don't know her yet, Bob," he said. + +"No," replied Bob, "but grandmother described her to me and I know I'm +going to like her." + +"I'm glad now I didn't go to church this morning, Bob--you've given me +an idea," remarked his uncle, as they walked along the breast of the +dam to the mill. "Well, here's the gate. I guess this is just as good +a time as any to start and they'll hardly consider it working on +Sunday if I open it now--so here goes," and up came the gate, and the +water began rushing out, sending the idle wheel spinning. + +They sat in the mill until noon, listening to the dull rumble of the +wheel and watching the water getting lower and lower, while they +debated the best way of planting the bottom. + +"I suppose we'd better go up and get our dinner, Bob," said his uncle, +suddenly coming out of a day dream into which he had fallen almost an +hour before. + +"After dinner, Uncle Joe, may I come down and look for some turtles +for Mr. White? He said he'd pay me fifty cents apiece for all I could +catch." + +"Did he?" replied his uncle. "I'll help you, Bob. We'll bring down a +barrel or two and a couple of rakes and have a regular turtle hunt," +he laughed. "They can't get out of the sluiceway gate, there's a +wooden grating there." + +As soon as they had finished their dinner, they put on some old +clothes, including rubber boots. Then Bob got the water barrels and +two rakes and put them on a stone drag, while his uncle harnessed up +old Frank. They rode down the hill to the pond and near the spillway +they unhitched the horse and tied him to a tree. The water had fallen +so much already that there were little shallow pools scattered all +over the bottom of the pond, and in some of these they could already +see the heads of surprised turtles sticking out. They took their rakes +and waded out to one of these pools. The bottom of the pond was so +soft they sank nearly up to their boot tops. Bob, who was the first to +arrive at the pool, drew his rake across the shallow water and a big +struggling snapping turtle was overturned and dragged out. + +"There's a big one, Uncle Joe," he exclaimed, as he drew the turtle +from the water. + +"All right, Bob, I've got him," said his uncle, grasping the turtle by +the tail. "Now look for another while I put this one in the barrel." + +"Hurry, Uncle Joe; I've a big one here," he called, and his uncle came +splashing back through the mud as fast as he could to secure the +prize. + +Two more were gotten from this pool and then they moved on to another. +The second pool contained four, and as soon as they had them out of +the water they dropped their rakes and grasping a tail in each hand +they waded through the mud to the shore. + +"Say, Uncle Joe, there must be a lot of 'em in there. I guess Mr. +White will be surprised when he sees them all." + +"Why, Bob, you surely won't take them all in at once," said his uncle, +starting to pry something out of the mud that proved to be a turtle +still larger than any they had yet found. + +"Why not?" said Bob. "He didn't say bring in one or two--he just said +he'd pay fifty cents each for all I could catch; so I'm going to take +them all at once, before he changes his mind about them. Maybe after +he's eaten three or four he won't be willing to buy any more." + +"Three or four, Bob," said his uncle, "why, I really believe we'll get +a barrel full." + +"All the better," said Bob, as he scraped out another big one from +behind an old log. "They're in here thick as thieves." + +It was nearly sundown when they finished the hunt and by that time +most of the boys in the neighborhood had learned that the water was +being drained from the pond and that a turtle hunt was on and had come +down to see the fun. + +They were astonished at the number of turtles they found, for after +giving every boy one, they had two barrels full and eight big turtles +beside. + +"How many have you got, Bob?" asked his uncle, as they hitched up the +horse and started for the house. + +"Sixty-three, Uncle Joe, counting the big one." + +"Why, that'll be over thirty dollars," said his uncle thoughtfully, +"but I told you they were yours, Bob; you suggested the idea and I'll +stick to it." + +"Well, it only goes to show," replied Bob, "that Mr. White was right. +We've lots of resources we're neglecting to develop." + +When they reached the barnyard they put the turtles in the corn crib +until morning, for they didn't have enough empty water barrels for +them to swim in. They then went into the house and got rid of their +muddy clothes. + +"Well, I'm glad I lived long enough to see the old pond drained," +remarked Bob's grandmother at supper that night. "I always said it was +a great nuisance, as well as a waste of good bottom land--now that +there's no more logs to be sawed. But you shouldn't have done it on +Sunday, Joe; you should have waited until to-morrow." + + + + +V + +SELLING TURTLES + + +A little after nine o'clock the following morning, John White, +president of the First National Bank, and his friend, Alfred Dow, +superintendent of agencies of the Farmers' Mutual Life Insurance +Company, of New York City, walked up Sixth Avenue from the banker's +home and turned into Philadelphia Street. They were engaged in earnest +conversation and had reached the bank before they noticed a farm wagon +with a boy perched on the driver's seat, standing near the curb. + +"Where do you want me to deliver your turtles, Mr. White?" called the +boy, and the men turned to look at the speaker. + +"Why, hello, Bob!" exclaimed the banker. "Did you get me a turtle +already?" Then turning to his friend, he remarked, "I can now give you +that promised turtle dinner, Al. How many did you catch, Bob?" he +asked, coming over to the wagon. + +"Sixty-three," replied Bob, "but I kept one for myself." + +"What's that you're saying?" asked the astonished banker. "Sixty-three +turtles for me?" + +"No, only sixty-two for you, Mr. White; I kept one for myself," +replied Bob smiling. + +"But, Bob, what would I do with sixty-two turtles? I couldn't eat that +many in ten years." "Well, you didn't say you'd eat them," said Bob +continuing to smile. "You only said you'd pay fifty cents each for all +I could catch and bring to you." + +"That's right, Bob; he did say that," interrupted Mr. Dow, enjoying +the situation. "I'll back you, Bob. He made a verbal contract with you +for all you could catch. I heard him say so myself." + +"But, great guns, Al, what will I do with so many turtles?" asked the +banker, looking hopelessly from one to the other. + +"I'll tell you what," said his friend still laughing; "our company's +going to give a dinner in Pittsburgh day after tomorrow to our Western +Pennsylvania agents. I've been looking for a novelty for the dinner +and this will do fine. We'll go into the bank and call up the Fort +Henry Hotel and talk with the manager. We'll sell him the turtles and +you come down and have dinner with us and meet our men." + +They were gone about twenty minutes, and both were laughing when they +returned. + +"You win, Bob," said the banker. + +"All right," laughed the happy boy. "Where do you want them delivered +and who'll count them?" + +"Take them over to the express office, and I'll take your word for the +count, Bob. Tell them I'll send over the shipping directions later." + +"How about the grain sacks?" asked Bob. "The turtles are mine, but the +grain sacks belong to Uncle Joe, and I'll have to charge you extra for +them unless you guarantee that they'll be returned." + +"I'll guarantee to have them returned," said the banker, "but tell me, +Bob, how in the world did you catch sixty-three turtles since Saturday +afternoon?" + +"Uncle Joe drained the pond yesterday," replied Bob, smiling back at +them as he started for the express office. + +A half hour later he walked into the bank and stepping up to the +cashier's window asked for the president. + +"He's in a conference in the directors' room," replied the cashier. +"Are you Bob Williams?" + +"Yes," he replied. + +"Come this way," he said. "The president left word to have you shown +in as soon as you returned. Turtles seem to be biting pretty good this +weather," he laughed, as he conducted him to a small room in the rear +of the bank. + +Bob had never had much to do with banks; indeed, he could count on the +fingers of one hand all the times he had ever been inside of one, and +as to a directors' private room, he did not even know there was such a +place, let alone ever having been in one. It was not to be wondered at +then that he was embarrassed when he entered the room a moment later +and saw the president and his friend seated in comfortable leather +chairs before a large mahogany table. + +"Back already, Bob?" asked the banker. "I don't suppose you thought to +inquire how much the express charges will be on those turtles to +Pittsburgh?" + +"Yes, I did. They weighed 378 pounds, and the rate is 75 cents per +hundred pounds--that makes $2.63," he replied, drawing a small +notebook from his pocket and consulting a memorandum he had made. + +"Do you always figure out things?" asked the banker, apparently much +interested that Bob had taken the trouble to find out the rate and +figure the cost of the expressage to Pittsburgh. + +"I do most always," he answered. "I learned to do that selling +chickens and keeping account of the milk Gurney gives." + +"Don't you keep a record of the milk all your cows give?" asked Mr. +Dow. + +"Oh, Gurney is our cow at home--not one of Uncle Joe's cows. Gurney's +a purebred with a pedigree," he declared proudly. + +"When are you going to start keeping a record of the cows on the farm, +Bob?" asked the banker. + +"I don't know," replied Bob. "Uncle Joe don't believe in it yet. He +thinks it's a waste of time, and he always laughs when I tell him that +it is the only way to find out if a cow's worth her keep, but," he +added smiling, "he drained the pond and he didn't believe in that two +days ago." + +"I suppose you want the money for the turtles, Bob," said the banker, +getting back to the main subject. + +"Well, yes," he said, "but who's buying them, Mr. White--you or Mr. +Dow?" + +"Ha, ha," laughed the banker. "This is where you get stuck, Al." + +"Why, how's that?" asked his friend. + +"Well," said the banker, "I asked the manager of the Fort Henry how +much he'd pay a pound for nice fat turtles. You see, Bob, I reduce +everything to figures, too. Look at this and you'll see why it pays." + +Bob took the paper and read "378 pounds turtles, at 30 cents per +pound--$75.60, less $2.63 expressage--$72.97." + +"But you haven't deducted anything for your own trouble, Mr. White," +said Bob, scarcely able to believe his eyes. "Don't you intend to +charge anything for selling them to the hotel? Father says every +business man must make profit on the things he sells, if he wants to +keep in business." + +"Well, Bob, I'm not going to charge you a commission on this deal. +I've had too much fun already sticking my friend Al here a stiff price +for the turtles," he added laughing. + +"Don't think you've turned such a clever trick, John," replied his +friend. "The hotel's only paying about $40 more than you were willing +to pay yourself, and probably won't use half of them for our dinner. +Besides, I've gotten a fine idea for my talk at our meeting on +Wednesday night." + +"What's that?" asked the banker. + +"Hidden Treasure," replied his friend. "Why, just look what's happened +to Bob here in two days. On Saturday there was a pond occupying +fifteen acres of the best ground on the farm and producing nothing. +To-day he has $72.97 and has prepared the way for the finest field of +corn that will be raised this year in the county, if not the state, +and there's no telling what he may do yet when he gets his Uncle Joe +thoroughly waked up," he laughed. + +"By the way, Bob, do you want your money in cash?" asked the banker +looking at him keenly. + +"If it's all the same to you, Mr. White, I'd like to leave it here on +deposit," replied Bob. + +"Put it in the savings department, Bob," suggested Mr. Dow, "then +you'll get interest. Say, Bob," he continued, "tell your Uncle Joe I'm +going to have our agent see him and show him how he can protect his +family while he's paying for the farm." + +"All right, I'll tell him," Bob replied. + +When Bob drove into the barnyard just before noon his uncle hurried +over and looked into the wagon. + +"Why, did he take all the turtles, Bob?" he inquired, surprised to +find the wagon empty. + +"Yes, he took them," said Bob, "and sold them right away to the Fort +Henry Hotel in Pittsburgh. He called them up on the long distance +telephone." + +"How much did he pay you for them?" was the next inquiry. + +"$72.97," replied Bob proudly. + +"What! for those turtles!" exclaimed his uncle. "I don't believe it." + +"Well, you don't have to believe me," Bob laughed as he jumped from +the wagon. "I've the proof here." And he proudly exhibited his new +bank book. + +The look of surprise on his uncle's face gave way to one of +disappointment. + +"Of course, Uncle Joe, I put the money in the bank--I didn't want to +carry it around," he added. + +His uncle said nothing more, but turned on his heel and walked away. +It was very evident to Bob that he had changed his mind and expected +him to turn over the proceeds from the sale of the turtles, but he was +determined that his uncle should stick to his agreement. + +"Uncle Joe," he called, as his uncle reached the gate. "Mr. White told +me to tell you that the matter you were discussing with him was all +right and that he would be glad to see you any time." + +"Oh, he did," said his uncle, turning and coming back to the wagon, +where Bob was unhitching the team. + +"Yes, he did," said Bob, "said he'd accommodate you any time you were +in town." + +"Well, I'm glad you drove a good bargain for the sale of the turtles, +Bob," remarked his uncle, the look of disappointment gone. "I said +they were yours and I want you to know that I still feel the same way +about it." + +"Thank you, Uncle Joe," replied Bob, as he started for the barn with +the team. + + + + +VI + +SELLING SAND + + +"Bob," said his uncle after dinner, as they were bringing the horses +from the barn, "the old pond looks as though it might take all summer +to dry out. Then, too, the brook winds through the center of it in +such a way as to really spoil the field for farming." + +"Why couldn't we straighten the brook, Uncle Joe," asked Bob, after a +moment's thought, "or move it over to the south side against the bank +there. That would make it almost a straight line between the lane +bridge and the old forebay." + +"But that would make a lot of work, Bob," replied his uncle, "and we +have more now than we have time for. It would be a good idea though to +have the brook on the outside of the field; but what bothers me most +is how we're going to keep the field from being flooded every time it +rains." + +To this Bob made no reply. + +All afternoon, as they were hauling manure to the field, he kept +turning over in his mind the question of straightening the brook, for +it was now evident that in order to make the field a success the brook +would not only have to be straightened but moved over to the south +side, so as to have the field all in one piece. He realized now that +the easiest part of redeeming the pond had been the letting out of the +water, and also that his uncle was right in saying that it might take +all summer for the bottom to dry out sufficiently for planting. + +Bob had persuaded his uncle to let him stop work in the afternoon at +four-thirty in order to have time to do the milking and chores, and he +found that by hurrying he could get through before six o'clock. So +that night in the early twilight, he paced off the length of the south +side of the pond and found it was approximately seven hundred feet +from the bridge to the forebay. He remembered that, except on rare +occasions, the opening between the abutments of the bridge that +carried the lane over the brook had always been sufficient to take +care of any water. He now measured this space and found that the +abutments were eighteen feet apart and from the under side of the +timbers to the bed of the brook it was four feet six inches. He +returned to the house and got out his notebook and began making some +calculations. He found the area of the space under the bridge to be +eighty-one square feet. If they could dig a ditch back a few feet from +the south bank of the pond, where the ground rose sharply, and throw +the excavated earth on the north side of the cut, they would have a +channel with two good banks at the expense of making only one. + +By pacing off eighteen feet of the bank, he had found that the slope +of the ground would average about two feet for that distance. The +depth of the water along the bank on the south side had been about two +feet. By digging three feet below the level of the bottom of the pond +it would mean an average cut of six feet. Taking out a block of earth +approximately eighteen feet by six feet, of one hundred and eight +square feet, would raise the banks high enough to allow for heavy +freshets, and the bottom of the ditch, being three feet below the +bottom of the pond, would allow for drainage. + +He now calculated the amount of earth to be removed and found there +would be twenty-eight hundred cubic yards to be dug and piled up to +form the new north bank of the cut. He had no idea how much time it +would require to do this work, or what it might cost if they hired a +man to do it for them. After sitting for a few minutes debating the +matter, he became so sleepy that he put his notebook in his pocket and +went to bed. + +"How long will it take you to dig a cubic yard of earth and pile it +out on one side of a ditch, Uncle Joe?" asked Bob the next morning at +the breakfast table. + +"I don't know, Bob. Why do you ask?" + +"I wanted to find out how much it would cost to straighten the brook +in our new bottom field," he replied. + +"Well, I know one thing," said his uncle, "and that is that it will +cost more than I can afford to spend; and you know, Bob, we have no +time for digging ditches ourselves--in fact, it seems to me it was a +great mistake to drain the pond at all--the water at least covered the +bad-smelling bottom, and we could shoot an occasional wild duck +there." + +"I'm not so sure about it being too expensive," replied Bob. "Mr. +White said yesterday that it didn't matter so much what an improvement +cost, if it could be made to pay the interest on the investment and +earn a profit beside. All I need to know now to complete my figures is +how much earth a man can dig and then I can tell how much it would +cost." + +"If you want to know so badly, Bob, why don't you take a pick and +shovel and dig out a yard, and find out for yourself," suggested his +grandmother. + +"Yes," said his uncle, "then you'd know what a real backache feels +like." + +"All right," said Bob, "when may I do it?" turning to his uncle. + +"Well, I suppose you might as well do it this morning as any time," +said his uncle. "I know you won't be able to sleep to-night until you +find out; besides, I'm going to town and you can have the forenoon +off." + +"That'll be fine, Uncle Joe," said Bob, "and there's another thing +too, I wanted to ask you. I see wagons hauling sand and gravel from +our pit. Who collects the money and how much do you charge them?" + +"Charge a neighbor for a few loads of sand, Bob? What are you talking +about? Of course not." + +"But if you went to their farms, Uncle Joe, and asked for the rich +soil out of their fields, they'd make you pay for it." + +"Why, of course, Bob, but rich soil and sand and gravel are different. +There's plenty of sand and gravel." + +"Where, Uncle Joe?" + +"Oh, everywhere." + +"Then if that's so," said Bob, "why did Dan McCormick send his three +wagons four miles to our pit last week? He said it was the nearest +sand to his farm and what's more he said it's the only clean sand and +gravel that don't need washing for fifteen miles around. I think we +ought to charge them so much a yard." + +"All right, Bob," said his uncle, whose mind was evidently occupied +with things more important than selling sand. "You go ahead and make +them pay, but remember, if you don't have any friends among your +neighbors, don't blame me." + +When his uncle returned from town a little after twelve o'clock, he +drove down to see what Bob was doing, and found him at work on the +ditch. As soon as Bob saw his uncle's face, he knew he had received +his loan from Mr. White, for he was smiling and seemed to be very +happy. + +"Well, Bob, how are you making out?" he called cheerily, as he +approached, looking at the excavated dirt thrown out. Then his eye +caught a double line of stakes set at intervals and running the full +length of the pond, marking out the two sides of the cut. + +"I dug out one cubic yard in forty minutes, Uncle Joe, but we could do +much better with a team of horses and a plow and scoop. Allowing +thirty cents per hour, the ditch would cost eight hundred and forty +dollars." + +"Whee," said his uncle, "more than we could ever afford to pay, Bob, +I'm afraid, even though Mr. White is in favor of it and agreed to-day +to loan me whatever it would cost." + +"Oh, then you told him about it?" said Bob. "How did he like the +scheme?" + +"He said it was a first-rate idea, Bob. He also said we should lay +tile field drain through the bottom of the pond to the ditch every +fifty feet over the entire field. These would soon drain the bottom +and keep the new field dry." + +"I've been wondering," said Bob, "what we could do about draining the +bottom, but I didn't think of tile, although it sounds like a good +idea." + +And Bob took out his notebook and figured for a few minutes. + +"If we put them fifty feet apart, that would mean twelve rows; each +row would be six hundred feet long--that would mean 7200 lineal feet. +Did Mr. White say what the tile would be worth a foot, laid, Uncle +Joe?" + +"No, he didn't, Bob, and I was too busy to ask him." + +"What would you say, Uncle Joe," remarked Bob a few minutes later, "if +I were to tell you we can get the ditch dug, a new dam built across +between the two banks down by the beech trees, and a road cut up the +west slope by the barn, so as to get rid of that steep hill, and we +won't have to spend one cent." + +"What nonsense are you talking?" demanded his uncle. "You just said it +would cost eight hundred and forty dollars to dig the ditch alone." + +"So it would, Uncle Joe, if we dug it by hand. We could probably do it +quicker if we used a team of horses and scoop, but, of course, we'd +have to allow for the value of the team while it was doing the work, +and, besides, it would take too long." + +"Well, then, how'd it be done?" asked his uncle, interested in spite +of himself, for after his interview with the president of the First +National that morning he began to look upon Bob as something more than +a chore boy. + +"Come over to the sand pit with me, Uncle Joe," he replied, "and I'll +show you." + +Together they walked over to the pit and the first thing that caught +his uncle's eye was a large sign: Sand and Gravel for Sale Price 5oc +per cu. yd. Cash or Labor Inquire Robert Williams + +"Well, what does it mean?" asked his uncle, reading the sign for the +second time. + +"It means, Uncle Joe, that while I was still nailing up that sign two +men came along in a big gray touring car and stopped, and one of them +wanted to know what we'd take for the pit. I told him we sold our eggs +by the dozen and not by what a hen might lay in a year. He laughed and +said his name was Brady and that he had a contract for building some +bridges for the new railroad that's coming in three miles down the +creek and needed sand and gravel. The gentleman with him, who I judged +from what they said was the engineer for the railroad, seemed to be +very much pleased with the kind of sand and gravel we had, and I heard +him tell Mr. Brady he'd approve it for the work. After looking the pit +over, Mr. Brady asked what was meant by 'Cash or Labor,' so I told him +we had some work we wanted done and would be willing to have him give +us an estimate on the cost. He asked me what it was and I told him it +was a ditch, a dam and a road. So he went up and looked the ditch +over, then we went down to the beech trees and I explained to him +about the new dam we were going to put in there to generate electric +light for the farm. Then we rode up to the west slope in his big +touring car and he examined the bank there. I showed him my figures +for the ditch, and he made a memorandum of them; then he said if we +would let him have the exclusive use of the sand pit for one year, +taking out as much sand as he needed, and also let him have the heavy +timbers from the old mill, as he needed them for some shoring he had +to do, he would be willing to tear down the old mill, dig our ditch, +build us a new dam and a new road, using his caterpillar steam shovel +for the work." + +"What did you say, Bob?" eagerly asked his uncle. + +"I told him we couldn't think of it," replied Bob with a grin. + +"What! You didn't take him up? What could you have been thinking of, +Bob?" + +"Well, you see, Uncle Joe, we'll need a lot of sand and gravel +ourselves for making concrete fence posts and things like that, and +then we may want to build a concrete road from the main road up to the +barn, and, of course, we need a new dairy house and big silo." + +"Yes, I know, Bob; the old place is pretty well run down," said his +uncle. "Mr. White said something to-day about looking ahead and making +permanent improvements, but we can't think of doing that now." + +"I'm not so sure about that, Uncle Joe," replied Bob. "It seems we've +got the only sand and gravel pit within fifteen miles with sand and +gravel that the railroad engineer will accept for his work. I +overheard him say that to Mr. Brady." + +"Well, what did you finally do about the sand, Bob?" inquired his +uncle eagerly. + +"I told him the price was fifty cents per cubic yard in the pit, but +we would let him pay for it in work, if his prices for the work were +not too high, so he's going to make up a figure and come back and see +us. I told him I thought you'd be willing to let him have the timber +from the mill if he would take off the boards and two by fours and +haul them over to the sand pit for us. You know, Uncle Joe, these will +come in handy for us to build a shed when we start to make fence posts +and other things there." + +"But will he need enough sand to pay for all this work, Bob?" asked +his uncle, now greatly excited. + +"Yes, I'm sure he'll need more, for he seemed to be anxious to buy the +pit outright." + +"He did!" + +"Yes, he did, but I told him we were not willing to sell it, Uncle +Joe; that we expected to put up a lot of concrete buildings on the +farm besides building some concrete roads and making a lot of concrete +fence posts." + +"Well, Bob, I guess you did a good half day's work all right," said +his uncle, "and to show you that I appreciate the way you've handled +this matter, I'll let you make the deal with Brady when he comes +back." + +They didn't have long to wait, for about three o'clock that afternoon +a big gray touring car came snorting up the steep hill back of the +barn and stopped near where they were loading manure. The driver of +the car got out and came over to them. + +"This is the Uncle Joe, I was telling you about, Mr. Brady," said Bob, +by way of introduction, as the contractor came up to them. + +"Glad to know you, Mr. Williams. I came up to see you about buying +your sand pit. What will you take for it in cash? I haven't a great +deal of time to lose, so I brought the money with me," and he drew +from his pocket the largest roll of bills that Bob had ever seen in +his life. + +"You'll have to--to--talk it over with Bob," hesitated Bob's uncle, +for at the sight of so much ready money he began to waver in his +resolutions to let Bob handle the matter. + +"We don't want to sell it, Mr. Brady," spoke up Bob quickly. "We want +to control the pit ourselves and have sand and gravel for our own +use." + +"Oh, that's all right. I'll let you have all you want for your own +use, free of cost, too," said Mr. Brady quickly. + +"No," said Bob. "This is the only sand and gravel pit around here, +and, when they start building concrete roads in this county, which +they may do any time now, this pit will be valuable." + +"Say, son," said the contractor, "you're wasting your time on a farm. +You ought to be with me in the contracting business. Who's been +telling you about this new county road work?" + +"No one's been telling me," said Bob, "but everyone can see it doesn't +pay to haul heavy loads over rough roads to market your crops, and as +for farming," he added," it's a good business, too, Mr. Brady, +especially if you have a good sand pit on the place," he added +laughing. + +[Illustration: "WELL, SON, LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. I SEE YOU'RE +WISE ALL RIGHT TO THE VALUE OF THAT PIT"] + +"Well, son, let's get down to business. I see you're wise all right to +the value of that pit. How much work do you want me to do and how much +money will you want me to give you, and who's going to keep account of +the sand we get and when do we settle for it?" + +"You said you had a steam shovel, Mr. Brady," said Bob. "Is it busy +now? We want to get this bottom land ready for corn this year." + +"Not doing anything at the present time; can start your work next week +for the shovel's on the railroad siding at Indiana now," he replied +quickly. + +"What do you charge a day for use of shovel with a man to operate it?" +asked Bob. + +"Hold on there, son; you'll get to be as smart as I am if you keep on +at that rate. I don't rent the shovel by the day, but I'll tell you +what: I'll do your work on contract." + +"All right," said Bob. "How much do you want for digging the ditch?" + +"$700," said Mr. Brady, consulting a memorandum. + +"And how much for building the dam?" + +"$200 without a concrete spillway and sluice gate and $350 more with +them." + +"And how much for the road up the west slope?" + +"Well, that won't cost you much, son; that's an easier job than it +looks. I'll charge you only $100 for doing that. That would make $1350 +total." + +"Yes," replied Bob, setting down the amount in his own memorandum +book. "How much sand will you need, Mr. Brady?" + +The contractor took a memorandum book from his pocket and consulted it +for a moment. + +"About ten to fifteen thousand yards of sand and gravel together on my +first contract, but I expect to have a contract for building roads +pretty soon that will require more than double that." + +At the mention of these figures, Bob exchanged glances with his uncle, +who had with difficulty kept to his agreement to let Bob make the +bargain, and he fairly gasped when he began to realize the earning +capacity of the old sand pit. + +"I think you're charging me too much money, son, for the sand and +gravel. You ought to knock off five or ten cents per yard and give me +exclusive right to the pit." + +"No," said Bob, "we're not willing to do that, but we will make this +bargain with you, Mr. Brady: if you will do our work for us right +away, we'll agree not to charge you more than fifty cents a cubic yard +for as much sand and gravel as you want." + +Seeing there was no other way out of the matter, the contractor +finally consented to this arrangement. + +"I'm not much on verbal contracts," he said, "for I find that people +who do not set down in black and white what they agree to do, often +forget and then there's trouble, so if you don't mind, Mr. Williams, +we'll step into the house and put our agreement in writing." + +"How shall we arrange to keep account of the amount of materials I +get?" asked Mr. Brady, as they started for the house. + +"How do you usually do?" asked Bob. + +"I've got some tickets with my name on them," replied the contractor, +"and every time a man takes away a load he gives one of those tickets +to the man in charge of the pit. By the way, I suppose there'll be +some one in charge who can take care of these tickets?" + +"Yes," said Bob quickly, before his uncle had a chance to speak. +"We're going to start a man making fence posts at the pit next week +and you can give the tickets to him." + +A few minutes after they had sat down at the table in the sitting room +Mr. Brady handed the agreement to' Bob's uncle to read. He read it +over and then handed it to Bob, who read it over twice, very careful, +and then laid it down on the table. + +"It reads all right, Mr. Brady, and seems to be just what we agreed to +do," said Bob, "but before we sign it I'd like to show it to Mr. +White, president of the First National Bank." + +"All right, son, just as you like," said the contractor, a look of +disappointment on his face as he put his fountain pen in his pocket. +"I'll be here on Monday with my men and outfit, for I'm sure Mr. White +will find the agreement is all right." + +"I think it is myself," said Bob, "but I'd like to have him read it +over anyway before it's signed." + +As they walked out to the barnyard, where his car was standing, the +contractor turned to Joe Williams and asked: + +"How do you manage to get up and down that steep hill with your +automobile, Mr. Williams?" "Oh, I don't have an automobile," Williams +replied. + +"What! no car?" exclaimed Mr. Brady. "I don't see how your women folks +get along without one. Cars are so low and horses so high nowadays, it +don't pay to take a horse out of a busy team to drive to town. I +should think you couldn't do without one. Well, good day," he added, +as he climbed into his car and threw on the self-starter. "See you +next week." + + + + +VII + +THE NEW AUNT + + +The following week was a very busy and eventful one for Bob. Plowing +time was rapidly approaching, and his uncle was anxious to have all +the manure placed on the fields ready to start work early; besides, +they had taken a day off at Bob's urging to prune the young orchard. +On Thursday he received a large package of Farm Bulletins from the +Department of Agriculture at Washington, in reply to a postcard he had +sent. He had only time for a hasty glance through them, before having +to lay them away for careful reading later. + +On Friday his uncle turned over the team to him, saying he was going +to town for the day. Bob noticed that he had dressed up in his best +clothes, so was not surprised when he came in from work late that +afternoon to find they had company at the house. + +"Come here, Bob," called his uncle cheerily, as he entered. "I want +you to meet your new Aunt Bettie. She isn't exactly your aunt yet, but +she will be soon." + +Bob hastened forward to take the out stretched hand of the woman who +rose to greet him. + +Bob had a quick eye for beauty; he noted the fair, soft complexion +which the rich dark hair set off so beautifully, but not this alone +made the strong and conscious appeal to him--it was the frank manner +with which she took his hand and the friendly light in her lovely +brown eyes that won Bob completely. + +"So this is 'Bob,' of whom you have been telling me," said Miss +Atwood. "I'm certainly glad to make your acquaintance, Bob. Your Uncle +Joe has been telling me many things about you, and I know we're going +to be fast friends and have lots of fun together on the farm this +summer." + +"I hope so," said Bob, "for I like farming better than anything I +know; there are so many interesting things to see and do." + +"I'm glad to hear you say that, Bob," she replied. "In these days, +when most boys of your age want to be in the town and cities, it's +refreshing to find one who has vision enough to appreciate the golden +opportunities of the country. Your Uncle Joe doesn't know it, but I've +been doing considerable reading myself about farm life and farm work +since we became engaged, and the more I read the more enthusiastic I +become, and I'm sure we're going to have lots of pleasant days and +evenings, too, together." + +"Have you been reading farm bulletins, also, Aunt Bettie?" Bob asked +hesitating, as he used her new title for the first time. + +"That's right, I want you to call me 'Aunt Bettie'," she replied +quickly, seeing his embarrassment. "Yes, I've gotten a great many +bulletins from the Department of Agriculture at Washington and have +read them over and over very carefully. The opportunities on a farm, +if one just keeps his eyes open, are certainly wonderful." + +"I'd like to read your bulletins, too," said Bob, his eyes sparkling. + +"I thought you were going to give up teaching school, Bettie," +interrupted her intended husband, "and here you and Bob are getting +ready to start one. First thing you know, you'll be getting another +scholar, one six feet tall," and he laughed down at her. + +"Well, frankly, Joe," she replied, "you might spend your evenings less +profitably than reading bulletins and other interesting papers on +making farms pay." + +"Guess I'll have to get in line," he replied laughing. "Bob's been +preaching to me ever since he came here about modernizing the old farm +and digging up our 'Hidden Treasure,' as he calls it." + +"You'll have to excuse me now, Aunt Bettie," said Bob, "for it's +milking time and I always plan to milk our cows regularly." + +His heart was light and he whistled a merry tune as he started for the +barn, the milk pails on his arm. He now felt sure that this summer was +going to be the happiest one he had ever spent. + +After the supper dishes had been cleared away, they sat together and +talked of the things to be done to improve the farm and which would be +the best crops to plant. As the discussion continued, Joe Williams +began to realize that both Bettie and Bob knew many things about +farming of which he was ignorant--things which, he reluctantly +admitted to himself, were of the utmost importance. + +On Saturday they quit work at noon to go to town. Bob asked his uncle +if he were going to take Mr. Brady's contract and show it to Mr. +White, the banker. + +"The bank closes at noon on Saturdays, Bob," replied his uncle, "and +we're to be pretty busy, Bettie and I, buying our things, for we're +getting new furniture for the house, and I want to bring it back with +me." + +"Perhaps Mr. White doesn't go out of town on Saturday and I could find +him at his home," said Bob. "I think we ought to have the matter +settled before Mr. Brady gets here on Monday morning with his tools. +It might make some difference if he started work before the agreement +is signed." + +"All right, Bob, you take the contract and try to find him. I'll be +too busy loading the furniture to bother with it." + +So as soon as he arrived in town, Bob left the wagon in front of the +furniture store where his uncle, who had driven in with Miss Atwood in +the buggy, was waiting. He hurried over to the First National Bank. +The bank seemed to be closed, but the entrance door was unlocked, and +after some time he found the banker in the directors' room going over +some papers. + +"Back already for your money, Bob?" laughed the banker, as he opened +the door to admit him. + +"No, Mr. White, I haven't yet found a better investment for the money. +I came to see you about our sand pit. A Mr. Brady, who says he has the +contract to build some bridges for the new railroad, wants to buy our +sand and we have made a bargain with him and he put it in writing. We +didn't sign it, for while it seems to be all right, Uncle Joe would +like to have you look it over first." + +"Oh, indeed," replied the banker, "and whose idea was it that I should +read the contract before signing?" + +"Well," hesitated Bob, "we thought maybe it would be better to be sure +it was all right since you're loaning Uncle Joe money for the farm." + +"That's right, Bob; that's only fair. Follow out that principle and +you'll always get along." + +He took the paper and read it through carefully and laid it down. Then +he reflected a moment, picked it up and read it again. Then he +whistled softly. + +"You're right, Bob, in bringing this to me," he said, tapping the top +of the table thoughtfully with the end of his pencil. "That contract +is very well written. + +"You see, Bob," said the banker, laying the document on the table, +"this contract would be all right if you were sure you had enough sand +and gravel to supply Mr. Brady's wants, but you will notice that he +does not specify how much material he expected to use, nor does he +state when he will require it, and if he took a notion to measure all +the sand you have in the pit and issue a receipt for it, he could take +it and let it lie on your ground for re-sale; he could do that under +this agreement. Also, if you didn't have as much material as he +wanted, he could compel you to supply him from other sources at the +rate of fifty cents a yard." + +"Well, what had we better do about it, Mr. White?" inquired Bob. "Mr. +Brady's going to go to work on the ditch on Monday morning. He's +setting up his caterpillar steam shovel now and getting ready." + +"Wait a moment," said the banker, as he pressed the button. "I'll see +if my stenographer has gone. She usually leaves at noon, but to-day I +had some extra work that she stayed to finish--no, here she comes-- +we'll have it re-written." + +"Will you kindly make two copies of this agreement, Miss Brown?" asked +the banker. + +"You see, Bob, there should always be two copies of all agreements-- +one fer yourself and one for the other party to the contract. It is +always best to have all agreements in duplicate." + +"You see, Bob," said the banker, as he finished dictating, "I've added +a time limit to the contract. A year from now, when I hope they will +begin making concrete county roads, your sand and gravel, if the +supply holds out, ought to be worth at least $1.00 per cubic yard." + +"I had no idea sand and gravel were so valuable" said Bob. + +"Well, I've been looking the matter up a bit lately," replied the +banker, "and I wouldn't be surprised if you could get that price for +it a year from now--maybe before that even. There isn't a great deal +of good sand and gravel in the entire county--certainly none that is +as good as yours. If you've something else you'd like to do, Bob, you +may stop around in an hour or so and get these contracts. I'll read +them over after Miss Brown has them finished, and put my O. K. on +them. I may not be here when you return." + +Bob hastened to the store to impart the information he had obtained to +his uncle, but found him so busy loading the farm wagon with his new +purchases that Bob had to explain the matter to him several times +before he seemed to understand. + +At four o'clock Bob returned to the bank and received the corrected +copies from the president, who was still there. + +"How much do we owe you, Mr. White, for doing this for us?" asked Bob. + +"Oh, I don't think I'll charge you anything for this, Bob, although it +is worth something to know how to do a thing right, but since I've +decided to make our bank the headquarters for farmers, we expect to do +little things like this for our friends, so you're welcome to whatever +the service is worth." + +"Well, I'm sure we didn't expect you to do it for nothing," replied +Bob, "and I know Uncle Joe will be pleased that you fixed it up for +him." + +"By the way, Bob," said the banker, "you might tell your uncle that +there's going to be a sale of some purebred and grade Holstein cattle +next week on a farm in the southern part of the county, and that I'd +like to have him bid them in. There are ten young cows and a fine +bull--just the kind he should have to start a herd on his farm." + +At the mention of the purebreds, Bob's eyes sparkled, but after +reflecting a moment he replied: + +"Uncle Joe'll not have money enough to buy any now, Mr. White, and +besides, he doesn't think there's much advantage in purebred over +ordinary cattle." + +"You tell your Uncle Joe that the First National Bank is back of him +and we'll loan him the necessary money to buy these cattle, and that I +think he should replace his present herd of old common cattle with +young purebred stock--that it will pay him to do so. He can get back a +part of their cost by selling off his present herd. I've about come to +the conclusion, Bob, that there's more money in that sand pit of your +Uncle Joe's than either you or he have any idea. Tell him the sale +will be next Tuesday, and if he'll come in early in the morning, I'll +drive him down in my automobile. We can get back easy by noon, so +he'll only lose half a day. I know all about these cattle--they're a +first-class healthy herd. The man that owned them died, and his widow +is selling off all their stock." + +"All right, Mr. White, I'll tell him," said Bob. "Thank you for your +advice about the contract." + +"I want to see that farm of your uncle's, Bob, improved and well +stocked this year--first on account of the benefit he'll get from it +and second on account of the influence it will have on the neighboring +farms. We've lots of good farms around here, Bob, and I want a model +one for the others to pattern after. All our farms need to make them +pay well is wide-awake farmers, with a constructive bank back of them +to give them the necessary financial help to get started. I've decided +that the First National is going to be that bank, and stand back of +all farmers in this county who'll make real improvements. + +"Your uncle's farm I've picked out to start with, on account of his +having that gravel pit, which will make it possible to build his new +buildings and pay off the mortgage quickly. Of course, the others must +necessarily go slower in their improvements, but when we finish with +your uncle this fall, Bob, we'll have the others all so jealous +they'll just naturally get into line." + + + + +VIII + +THE SALE + + +Bob's heart beat quickly on Monday morning, as he looked out from the +barnyard in the direction of the old mill and saw the smoke coming +from the steam shovel that Mr. Brady had placed at the lower end of +the ditch, ready to start operations. Brady evidently intended to do +the work in the shortest possible time, for while Bob was still +looking, the operator started the machine, and Bob saw the shovel sink +deep into the soft earth and a moment later swing over to the north +side, and the first yard of dirt had been removed. He even forgave the +contractor for his attempt to drive a sharp bargain in his written +contract, though he remembered Brady's embarrassment when his uncle +pointed out the defects in his written agreement and hastily signed +the corrected one made by John White. + +Bob could scarcely realize that it was little more than a week since +the eventful Saturday afternoon he had spent fishing in the old pond. +He was whistling merrily as he brought out the horses to start the +spring plowing. + +"I don't like to spoil that merry tune of yours so early Monday +morning, Bob, but I've been in a quandary for several days to know how +to tell you that it isn't going to be possible for you to go to the +wedding," said his uncle. "You see, some one will have to stay on the +place while we're away, and your grandmother and grandfather ought to +go, and, of course, I'll have to be there myself," he laughed. + +"That's all right," replied Bob. "Of course, I'd like to go to the +wedding, but I'll have lots of time to get acquainted with Aunt Bettie +afterwards, and, besides," he added, glancing at the sun coming over +the hill, "we ought to get our spring plowing started as soon as +possible. I was just wondering, Uncle Joe," he added, "who we could +get to look after the sand pit and start making fence posts. I was +reading in one of the 'Concrete on the Farm' bulletins how they're +made. It isn't going to be much of a job to receive the tickets for +sand and gravel that Mr. Brady'll take away, and the man in charge can +spend practically all of his time making fence posts. He ought to make +at least 20 posts each day--that would mean that in a month we would +have 520 posts--enough for 520 rods of fence--or in a year 6240 rods." + +"But you couldn't make fence posts in cold weather, Bob," corrected +his uncle. + +"Why, yes, you can, Uncle Joe, if you have an enclosed shed with some +heat in it. The bulletin tells all about how to do concrete work in +cold weather." + +"Well, I'll look around to-day, Bob, and see who I can find. I have to +go to town at noon to attend to some business. You have to get a +license, you know, so I'll have to attend to that before I forget it. +Shall I plow around for the first time or two for you, Bob?" asked his +uncle, as they hitched the team to the plow. + +"No," said Bob. "I'd like to try it myself," and he guided the horses +along the fence for the first furrow. + +The field they had selected was the one lying just back of the barn, +and Bob had completed three sides and was coming along the fourth, +which adjoined the fence between the woodshed and the house. His +uncle, who was washing the buggy, looked up and noticed that he was +leaving considerable space between this fence and his furrow. + +"Why are you leaving such a large space in the corner, Bob?" he +called, as the team came abreast of where he was working. + +"I was leaving a space for a new hen house, Uncle Joe," he replied. + +"What new hen house?" asked his uncle. + +"Oh, didn't Aunt Bettie tell you when she was here that we talked +about the location for a new hen house, and she thought it ought to be +put out here in this field between the house and the barn, so that it +would face to the south," answered Bob. + +"Why, no, I guess she must have forgotten to mention it to me," said +his uncle, "but I don't think we'll be able to afford any new +buildings on the farm this year, Bob." + +"I'm not so sure about that," replied Bob. "You know, Mr. White said +the First National Bank was going to be run as a constructive bank and +that he would be willing to loan money on any permanent improvements, +and that he wanted to make a model farm of yours this year. Besides, +you remember what I told you he said about the value of our sand and +gravel pit." + +"Yes, Bob, but look at the work we have contracted for already; don't +forget how many loads of sand and gravel it will take to pay for +that." + +"That's so," said Bob, "but Mr. White didn't seem to be so much +concerned about the amount we spent for improvements as what we spent +it for. He seems to be anxious to have us fix the old farm up and +believes it will pay." + +"That's all right for you and John White," added his uncle, "to talk +of making this a model farm in a year, but it's my name that's going +to be on the notes, and some fine morning when we get all these +improvements made, he may drive out here and take the model farm away +from me for the notes." + +"I don't think John White would do such a thing," said Bob stoutly. +"Besides, why should he call his bank a 'Constructive Bank,' if he +used it to destroy other people's hopes? I should think he would call +it a 'Destructive Bank,' instead." + +"Well, maybe so," said his uncle. "Anyhow, it won't hurt any one to +let that little corner go undeveloped for the present, till I talk it +over with your Aunt Bettie. It may please her if we carry out her +suggestion." + +"Why're you so quiet, Bob?" asked his grandmother at dinner that day. +"One would think it was you that was getting married instead of your +Uncle Joe, sitting there as solemn as an owl and not saying anything. +Has the cat run away with your tongue so soon?" + +"Why, no," said Bob. "I was just thinking." + +"You weren't feeling badly because you weren't going to the wedding, +were you?" asked his uncle, looking up. + +"No, Uncle Joe, I wasn't. I was just wondering if they might have some +bees at the sale to-morrow." + +"Bees!" exclaimed his grandmother. "What in the world do you want with +bees? Isn't it bad enough around the farm already with yellow-jackets +and bumble-bees, without bringing any more here? I should think you +would get stung enough by the wild bees without wanting to bring a lot +of honey bees to the farm." + +"Yes, grandmother, but you forget that the wild bees don't make any +honey, or earn anything for us, and honey bees would be earning money +all the time. I've been reading in one of the farmers' bulletins that +a good colony of bees would make 30 pounds of honey in a season, which +at 20 cents per pound would be worth $6.00, and the only thing we +would have to do would be to look them over carefully and smoke them +once in a while when they swarmed," he replied. + +"Say, Bob, did John White put these bees in your bonnet?" asked his +uncle suddenly. + +[Illustration with caption: BEES ARE A PROFITABLE SIDE LINE THAT PAY +IN INCREASED CROPS OF FRUIT AS WELL AS HONEY AND REQUIRE LITTLE CARE] + +"No, it was an idea I got out of one of the farm bulletins," he +replied. + +"Well, I think you had better give up reading those bulletins for a +while, and keep your mind on your plowing," said his uncle. + +"Why, didn't I do lots of work this morning, Uncle Joe?" asked Bob +surprised. + +"Yes, of course; but I mean you can't work and think both," said his +uncle. + +"Why not, Uncle Joe? Don't you remember what Mr. Dow, the insurance +man, said about the farmers that didn't think?" + +"Well, anyhow, I draw the line at buying bees," replied his uncle +firmly. + +"Yes," added his grandmother. "I don't want any bees around here, +spoiling the fruit." + +"But, grandmother, you haven't waited to find out what I'm going to do +with them," said Bob. "I don't want to put them around the house. I +want to put them between the clover meadow and the young orchard, and, +besides, they don't spoil the fruit. It's the other insects that do +that. A honey bee couldn't do that if it wanted to." + +"Bob," asked his uncle, showing an interest for the first time, "why +do you want to put them away over there?" + +"Because I've been reading in the farm bulletins that the reason +orchards have such poor crops of fruit is because they don't have +enough bees to pollinate the blossoms. The bulletin said that every +orchard should have a number of colonies of bees. Of course, the +nearer the bees are to the blossoms the more honey they'll make, +because the distance is short; besides, if we put them at the edge of +the orchard next to the meadow when the clover is in bloom, they could +work on the clover, too, just as easy as the orchard blossoms, and +they'd make a lot of honey," he declared. + +"Well, Bob, you certainly have been reading those books," said his +grandfather, glancing up from his paper. "Between your own work, Joe, +your new wife and your chore boy," he said, "you're going to lead a +pretty busy life this summer, if I don't miss my guess." + +"Well, why not, grandfather?" demanded Bob. + +"No reason in the world, my boy, and you've hit the nail square on the +head by locating the hives between the orchard and the meadow. A bee +can probably make four to five times as much honey in a season there +than if we put the hives out back of the barn or in some other place +near the house." + +"I'd like to please you in this matter, Bob, if I could," said his +uncle, "but you know how things are this year. We're doing so much +already that I don't feel as though I could spare a dollar to invest +in bees." + +"But, Uncle Joe, I haven't asked you to invest anything in bees. I was +only wondering if there'd be some bees for sale. You know I have +$72.97 myself on deposit at the First National, and I was wondering +whether you'd be willing to let me buy the bees and take enough time +off to look after them for the benefit the orchard would get. I've a +notion that the bees could earn more for me than the money will earn +at interest." + +"Now, that's what I call real 'git up and git'," said his grandmother, +suddenly forgetting her prejudice against bees, in admiration of the +scheme. + +"Well, if they've any at the sale, how many do you want me to buy, +Bob?" asked his uncle. + +"I should think five or six good colonies would do to start with, and +they ought not to cost more than ten dollars each, provided they're +good and healthy." + +"How the dickens am I to know whether they're good and healthy, Bob? +You don't want me to knock at their door and say, 'Good morning bees; +how do you find yourself this morning'?" + +"Of course not," laughed Bob. "I forgot you don't understand bees." + +"But, how would you get them here?" asked his uncle, suddenly +realizing that hauling hives of bees around the country might not be a +pleasant job, and also that the farm to which he was going was some +eighteen miles away. + +"Well, of course," said Bob, "it would cost something to haul them, +but maybe they've an automobile truck and you could pay a little more +and have them delivered." + +"All right, Bob, I'll look into the matter and let you know when I +return," said his uncle. + +After supper, when the chores had been done, Bob went over to look at +the ditch. He was astonished to find how much work had been +accomplished. A clean-cut trench with uniform banks on either side and +the new bank leveled on top 125 feet long had been dug. He didn't know +how much a caterpillar steam shovel was worth, but at the rate the +contractor figured for the ditch, he would have $610.00 left over, +after paying the operator and engineer each $5.00 per day, for six +days' work, which Bob thought ought to be enough to cover their wages, +and adding $5.00 per day for fuel, making $90.00 in all. Machinery was +certainly the thing to handle work quickly and cheaply, for after +deducting the cost of bringing the shovel to the job and taking it +away again, the contractor would make a handsome profit, and he was +more impressed than ever with the conversation he had overheard +between Mr. White and Mr. Dow regarding power on the farm. + +Bob was at supper with his grandparents when his Uncle Joe returned +from the sale the next evening, but instead of taking a half day, as +he had thought, he had used up an entire day. + +"I thought you were going to get back at noon, Uncle Joe," said Bob. +"Did they have any bees to sell?" + +"How many colonies did you ask me to buy, Bob?" asked his uncle +laughing. + +"Five or six," said Bob. + +"Well, I got them for you all right, but there's not five or six. They +had twenty-two and they wouldn't sell one without selling all. So I +bought them all for $50.00, which you see is less than you said you +were willing to pay for six and they're going to deliver them, too, in +modern sectional hives. They are three-banded Italian, whatever that +means, with one or two exceptions they say the colonies are in a good +healthy condition." + +"That's fine," said Bob, so excited he was scarcely able to eat his +supper. "What else did you buy?" + +"Well, Bob, if I go to the poorhouse, there'll be no one to blame for +it but you and John White." + +"Why, how's that?" asked Bob's grandfather, looking up quickly. + +"Well, it was like this: when he got me down there he not only +persuaded me to buy the ten young Holstein cows and a bull, but he +induced me to buy five Berkshire brood sows and two four-year-old +Belgian mares. He wanted me to take a flock of Southdown Ewes and a +ram, but I didn't buy them--there's no money in keeping a few sheep." + +"Were they nice-looking sheep, Joe?" asked his father, who was very +fond of sheep. + +"The finest I ever saw, father, but I didn't want to go so far in +debt." + +"Then who bid them in, Joe?" asked his father. + +"Bob." + +"Me!" asked Bob, looking up suddenly. + +"Yes, John White bought them for you and said he would be willing to +advance the money to pay for them, and you could pay him back later. +He said they were too good a bargain to lose." + +"But I've no farm for them to run on," said Bob, "and it wouldn't be +fair for me to pasture them on your land, Uncle Joe." + +"I was thinking of that," said his uncle. + +"Well, the only fair way, Uncle Joe, would be for you to take the +sheep yourself, for it wouldn't be fair for me to keep them on your +farm. Besides, I'll be busy enough with the bees." + +"And the chickens," added his uncle. + +"Why, did you buy some chickens, Uncle Joe?" + +"Yes, that confounded John White made me buy nearly everything on the +place. I bought fifty single-comb white Leghorn pullets and three +cockerels. Also ten white Plymouth Rock pullets and one cockerel, also +an incubator and brooder. The chickens," added his uncle, "are for +your Aunt Bettie. Since you're going to build a new hen house I +thought we'd better get some good chickens." + +Bob was so excited now that he left the table and rushed up to his +room to get out the farm bulletins that showed the best types of hen +houses. When he returned his uncle and his grandfather were busily +talking. + +"Joe," remarked his father, "I'm afraid you're getting in pretty deep +with John White putting these notions into your head about modern +farming. Don't forget you owe me $2000.00 on the farm, which, with all +the other things you've bought, you must be terribly in debt." + +"I was afraid you'd feel that way about it, father, and I told White +so," he replied. + +"He probably don't care, as long as he was getting you to borrow his +money and sign his notes," said his father. + +"That's where you do him an injustice, father," replied his son. "He +said the first thing I should do would be to pay you off, and as it +don't make any difference whether I pay interest to you or the bank, +he loaned me enough money to pay you off, so the next time we go to +town we'll fix the matter up. I told John White if I went broke he'd +be the one to suffer." + +"What did he say?" asked his father. + +"He only laughed and said, 'I'll take a chance on you, Joe, since I've +met the woman you're going to marry and that boy you've got on the +farm. If the pair of them don't make you "git up and git," then I'll +miss my guess.'" + +"H'm," sniffed his mother, "it's little that Betsy Atwood knows about +farming, with her high-fangled New England notions and Farm Bulletin +Education. H'm!" + +"Now, mother," said her son, "people aren't living on farms any more +the way they used to. Farms must be made attractive and work must be +made easy, if people are to live on them. That's why you're leaving +yourself." + +"Nobody ever accused me before, Joe Williams, of not doing my share of +work. Your father and I toiled all our lives and this is how much you +appreciate it." + +"But I tell you, mother, farmers aren't satisfied to get along in the +same way they used to. The farmer is human and wants comforts and +pleasures in life just as well as anybody else, and I'm beginning to +believe that John White was right when he made me buy an automobile +to-day." + +"What!" almost shouted his mother. "Joe Williams, you've gone plumb +crazy. John White has bewitched you!" + +"No, he hasn't, mother. I knew you'd feel that way when I told you +about it, and that's one reason I want to pay you off first, so you +won't lose anything if I fail." + +"Whatever induced you to buy an automobile, Joe?" asked his father, +while Bob sat staring, unable to believe his ears. + +"Well, it was like this: On the way back from the sale he said, 'Now, +Joe, this ought to give you a pretty good equipment by the time you +get your new buildings put up." + +"What! Is he suggesting new buildings?" demanded his mother. "As if +the buildings we used aren't good enough for our children." "It was +like this," Joe continued, ignoring the interruption; "as we were +driving back in the car, he said, 'Now, Joe, I want you to remember +you're marrying a young woman who has been accustomed to going about a +bit, and will have to get away from the farm occasionally in order to +be happy, and you've one of the most enthusiastic boys on your farm +I've ever met, but his enthusiasm will not keep up if he's to be tied +down tight. What you need is an automobile, so you can go to church, +and in the evening, when your work is done, you can go for a drive, or +run in and see the movies. I don't mind telling you there are two +reasons why I'm recommending this car to you. First, I want you to +find out for yourself what miserable roads there are in this county +and why they should be paved with concrete. Second, I want you to make +it so pleasant on the farm for your wife, and later for your children, +that they'll always want to stay there--for we must keep our boys and +girls on the farm if this country is to prosper. The trouble has been +farmers have not realized the old saying, "All work and no play makes +Jack a dull boy." That's why the farms are deserted. There's one +restriction, though, I'm going to place on you, and that is that the +car is never to be run during working hours, except such as your wife +might use it to drive to market, and the car must be sheltered in a +building and kept clean. I don't want to ever see you drive in to town +with a car all covered with mud. Now, if you're willing to do that, +I'll advance you enough money so you'll have a complete outfit.'" + +"Well, I suppose you signed up for it," said his mother hopelessly. + +"Yes," laughed her son. "I thought I might as well take the automobile +along with the other things, mother." + +"H'm!" sniffed his mother. "Joe Williams, I'll give you six months +until the sheriff sells you out. I never thought I'd raise a son who +would turn out to be such a fool," and she burst into tears. + +"Now, now, mother, you're all wrong in this matter," said her son, +going over and taking her in his arms. "I'm not doing this simply +because I love Betsy Atwood but because it's good business, and, +besides, I want to make her life pleasant. It's the modern idea, +mother; it's the right way to do, and I think John White is right. The +reason farmers' boys and girls refuse to stay on the old farm is on +account of the few amusements they get. Don't you worry about the +sheriff selling me out, for if I live I can easily make a go of it, +and if I should die suddenly, I've a $10,000.00 life insurance policy +in the Farmers' Mutual that will pay off the mortgage and leave +something for Bettie besides. Of course, it cost something to take out +a policy of $10,000.00; everything of value costs, but an insurance +policy that pays off the mortgage, if I happen to die, relieves me of +all worry. It would have been a risk without insurance, but I feel +safe now." + + + + +IX + +POWER AND BANKING + + +Everything was hustle and bustle on the farm on Monday morning, March +twenty-seventh, for this was to be Joe Williams' wedding day. + +Bob was up at daylight, milked his cows and finished his chores before +breakfast. At nine o'clock his Uncle Joe and grandparents left for +town, where they would take the ten o'clock train to Greensburg, where +the wedding was to be solemnized at noon. + +As previously arranged, Bob stayed on the farm to look after things +and finish plowing the ten-acre field adjoining the barn, which had +been started two days before. It was scarcely nine-thirty when he +turned and started back along the north side of the field. He glanced +in the direction of the barn and beheld an unusual sight. A small +automobile had been driven into the barnyard and close behind it came +the most unusual looking piece of machinery he had ever seen. He +stopped his team and stood leaning on the plow, wondering what it +might be. The driver of the automobile, whom he recognized as John +White, president of the First National Bank, jumped from the car and +opened the gate of the field in which Bob was plowing and a moment +later the machine entered. It crossed the ground he had already plowed +on the west side of the field and entered the furrow; then swung +around with its side toward him. He now recognized the apparatus--it +was a tractor gang plow, and as it went along, he saw it was throwing +up three furrows at a time. As he watched it go he could not help +noticing how much faster it moved than his team of horses was capable +of doing. He was so lost in admiration of the speed and ease with +which the plow did its work that he did not notice the banker coming +toward him until he stood beside him. + +"Well, what do you think of that, Bob, for a plow?" asked the banker +laughing. + +"Some plow, Mr. White," said Bob, taking off his hat and running his +fingers through his sandy hair, while he still kept his gaze riveted +on the tractor which now turned the southeast corner and started up on +the east side of the field. + +"Better turn your team out of the furrow, Bob," advised the banker, +"and let the tractor get ahead of you. I want you to follow it around +the field, so you can see how much faster it travels than your team." +Bob had scarcely turned his team out before the tractor came up +opposite them, and with a wave of the hand and a cheery good morning, +the operator of the machine went by the admiring boy and the smiling +banker. + +"Now get your team in behind him, Bob, and see if you can catch him," +said the banker. + +Bob had not gone more than a few rods before it became evident to him +that his team would never overtake the fast-moving tractor. In, fact, +before he had gone half the distance, the tractor was up behind him +again on the second round, so he turned his team out again to let it +go by. This time, however, the operator brought the machine to a stop +and said: + +"Come over and have a look at her, young man." + +"This is Mr. Patterson, of the Farmers' Harvester Company, Bob, with +their latest model tractor plow. Show him how to operate it, +Patterson," said Mr. White, "and then let him take it around the field +himself." + +"Oh, but I couldn't run a piece of machinery like that," protested +Bob. + +"Sure you can. That's why we brought it out here," said the banker. + +"Oh, no, I'm sure it would be too complicated for me," protested Bob. + +"That's where you are mistaken," said the agent, jumping down from the +operator's seat. "Come here and I'll explain the mechanism to you in a +few minutes." + +After he had finished, he turned to Bob and said: + +"This thing is so simple, it'll run itself, except at the corners, +where you'll have to operate it to turn." + +"How do you mean, run itself?" asked the unbelieving boy. + +"Well, I'll show you," said the agent, as he adjusted one or two of +the levers, and, much to Bob's astonishment, the tractor set off down +the field by itself. + +"Why, how do you do that?" he asked, staring open-mouthed after the +disappearing tractor. + +"Come down to the corner and I'll show you," said the agent. + +"But I can't leave the team," said Bob. + +"Oh, I'll take care of the team," said the banker laughing. "You go +down and operate the plow." + +Handing the lines over to the banker, Bob hurried after the agent, who +was racing down the field so as to catch up to the tractor before it +reached the corner. Then he stopped the machine until Bob came up. +"Now, this is how it's done, Bob. You see this self-steering device +down here in the furrow. Well, I set this lever and clamp it over fast +and this self-steering device rubs along the edge of the furrow and +keeps the plow following the furrow. In big fields in the West, where +there's plenty of room and the ground is comparatively level, we +always plow around a circle. There's where we use our big fellers," he +said smiling. "Fourteen plows in a gang and one man can operate all of +them at once." + +"You don't mean it," said Bob. "Three or four plows going at once, and +each one plowing fourteen furrows. Why, you would plow a field like +this in less than a day." + +"Less than a day," said the agent. "How long will it take you to +finish this field with your team, Bob?" + +[Illustration with caption: THE TRACTOR WILL DO THE WORK OF FIVE MEN +AND FIVE TEAMS AND ONLY EATS WHEN IT'S WORKING] + +"Well, I expect to get through by noon on Saturday," he replied. + +"Well, what do you say if we finish it up by six o'clock tonight?" + +"But you couldn't do that, Mr. Patterson!" + +"We can't! Well, you just wait till I show you. I want you to get into +the seat and run it yourself, Bob; then you can see how it goes." + +The boy climbed awkwardly into the machine and adjusted the levers +according to instructions. + +"I'm sure I won't be able to handle it, Mr. Patterson," he said, as he +opened the throttle and the engine started. + +"Won't be able to handle it? All you need to do is to sit on the seat +and let it go. Now shove this lever and throw in the clutch," +suggested the agent, and off the plow started. + +"It does run easy," said Bob, as the tractor moved rapidly ahead, the +agent walking alongside, talking to Bob as they went. + +"Easy!" remarked the agent. "Why, you can run this machine all day, +Bob, and it won't make you as tired in a whole day as doing your +chores. Now, when you get to the corner put your throttle down and +I'll show you how to make the turn." + +Bob was a bit awkward, but finally made the adjustment and got the +plow to a standstill at the corner. + +"You see, Bob," said Mr. Patterson, "when you use a gang plow you +don't cut the corners square as you do with a team of horses. You +round them off a bit, then you don't need to take the trouble to turn. +Now, while you plow around, I'll take your team and plow off the +corners." + +"You aren't going to let me go around myself, Mr. Patterson?" asked +Bob. + +"Certainly, you can run it yourself just as well as anybody," replied +the agent. "After I finish with the team, Mr. White and I have some +business to do. By the way, can we use your telephone, Bob?" + +"Sorry, Mr. Patterson, we haven't a telephone yet," stammered Bob. "I +think Uncle Joe'll put one in though when he gets back from his +wedding. You see, he's getting married to-day." + +"I know he is," said the agent grinning. "That's why we brought the +tractor out to-day. We wanted to have a good chance when your uncle +wasn't home. When he gets back with his bride, we're going to show him +what power can do to a farm." + +"Well, I'll take the car," said Mr. White, "and drive over to the +Wallace farm and use their 'phone. You see, Bob, we're going to have a +little party on your farm. We're going to sort of take possession of +the place and have invited some of your neighbors to see the tractor +work." + +"All right," said Bob. "I'll try it out myself, but if I smash this +thing, it won't be my fault." + +"Don't worry about smashing it, Bob. Just give her kerosene and keep +her going," said the agent. + +After the first round or two, Bob became confident of his ability to +handle the tractor, and began to realize how quickly and easily +plowing could be done by power. + +He noticed Mr. White drive back to the barnyard, and as soon as Mr. +Patterson had finished with the team, he unhitched them and took them +over and put them into the barn, then they sat down in the auto and +began to talk, leaving Bob to manage the tractor alone. + +When dinner time came he brought the machine to a standstill on the +west side of the field nearest to the barn, and, shutting down the +motor, came quickly over the freshly plowed ground to the barnyard. + +"That's certainly a fine way to plow, Mr. White," said Bob, his eyes +sparkling as he contemplated the amount of work done in a quarter of a +day. + +"Sure is, Bob," said the banker. "The greatest thing I've ever seen. +Power certainly does beat horse flesh, and you notice, Bob, we only +feed the engine when it is working." + +"I can't give you very much of a dinner," said Bob, apologetically, +"for everybody's away at Uncle Joe's wedding, but if you'll be +satisfied with cold victuals, I guess I can fit you out." + +"Bread and butter and a glass of milk is good enough for me, Bob," +laughed the banker, as they started for the house. + +Bob's grandmother had left him well supplied with food--several apple +pies, a boiled ham and a weekly baking of bread had been finished the +day before. She had also left the fire in the kitchen stove and the +tea-kettle on, so it didn't take Bob very long to make a pot of +coffee. He brought some butter and milk from the milk cellar and they +were soon enjoying the simple food. + +"Bob," said the banker, as he helped himself to a large heel off the +loaf and spread it thick with butter and apple butter, "we thought +we'd give your Uncle Joe a wedding present by doing his spring plowing +for him. We want to surprise him when he comes back, so I arranged +with Mr. Patterson to give a demonstration of his tractor on your +farm. We sent out some invitations last week to a number of farmers +around here, asking them to come here this afternoon, but told them to +keep it quiet so your uncle wouldn't find out anything about it. We're +going to spend the rest of the afternoon giving each fellow a chance +to run the tractor, but to-morrow, just to show you what the tractor +can do, Mr. Patterson is going to take it and disk and harrow your +ten-acre field back of the cider mill, and then the next day we want +you to plow your west bottom field, where your Uncle Joe said he was +going to plant his spring wheat this year." + +"When you take charge of the tractor, Bob," said the agent, "we're +going to let you start with the machine in the barnyard, take it to +the field, do the plowing and bring it back again yourself, and unless +you have some bad luck, I don't think I'll have to lay a hand on it. +Of course, I'll be here in case you need me, but I've a notion the +machine will do the trick, without my touching it." + +"Why," said Bob a moment later, realizing for the first time what it +would mean to have that much plowing done, "our three fields will all +be finished before Uncle Joe gets back." + +"Not three, Bob," corrected the banker, "four, for we're going to plow +your north field, too." + +"Isn't that field too hilly for the tractor?" asked Bob. + +"No," replied the agent. "I've been looking at it and feel sure we can +manage it, although it's a little steeper than we usually recommend +for tractors, but we want to demonstrate that our machine will take +care of all the fields you have on the farm, with the exception, of +course, of 'Round Top,' which ought to be planted in fruit or +something instead of trying to raise a grain crop." + +"When does your Uncle Joe expect to get back, Bob?" asked the banker a +moment later, helping himself to a second piece of pie. + +"Thursday afternoon, I think," replied Bob. "They're planning to be +back for Sunday." + +"Come to think of it, that's right," said the banker. "I overheard him +tell Henry Smith, who sold him his automobile, to have the car up at +the station to meet the three o'clock train on Thursday. He's +evidently going to bring his bride out in style." + +"Can Uncle Joe drive the car already?" asked Bob. + +"No, I don't think he's going to try to drive out, not on the first +trip with his bride," replied the banker, "but I think you can look +for them about three-thirty." + +"I'd like to be hanging on behind," said Bob, "about the time they +come around the bend in the road by the Wallace Farm, and he sees his +spring plowing all done." + +"That's a joke," laughed the banker, "in which we'd all like to share, +Bob, but it won't do him any harm to ride the rest of the distance +home wondering how you managed to get it all done." + +When they came out from their dinner they found two farmers had +already arrived and others kept dropping in by ones and twos, so that +before the afternoon was over there were almost two dozen rigs and +automobiles standing around in the barnyard. + +Much to his delight, Bob was allowed to drive the tractor, while the +agent stood among the men and explained its workings. + +After a round or two, Bob gave up the seat to a neighboring farmer, +who in turn gave way to another, so one by one they tried the tractor. + +"Wish he had picked out our farm to demonstrate his plow on," remarked +Alex Wallace, as he watched the space in the center of the field +rapidly getting smaller. "By the time he's through demonstrating he'll +have your field plowed." + +"Maybe you could get him to do it for you, Alex," said Bob. "Why don't +you ask him?" + +"I've already done that," replied Alex, "but he wants to sell us one." + +"Well, are you going to buy one?" asked Bob, as they watched the +tractor work. + +"I don't know what father'll do," replied Alex. "Suppose we'll have to +think it over." + +When the afternoon sun got low, the banker called the men together in +the barnyard and said: + +"There's something I want to say to you men. I know that some of you +are pretty hard pressed for money just now, and don't feel much like +investing in new equipment, but I've recently made a careful survey of +the farming conditions in our county and have taken a trip west to +look over what they're doing out in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and the +Dakotas. In fact, I was gone for four weeks last summer, looking over +the situation generally, and I've come to the conclusion that we've +just as good farms right here in Pennsylvania as they have in any of +the western states--only they've gotten ahead of us out there by +adopting many modern methods. There isn't a thing they do out there, +though, that we can't do right here. Another thing I discovered, and +that was that the banks in the West are very much more liberal to the +farmers than the banks have been in the East. I don't mind telling +you," he said smiling, "that I picked up a number of pointers myself +on how to run a bank and when I got back I talked the matter over with +our board of directors. + +"From now on the First National is going to be run on different +principles than we have ever run it before. We're going to do +'Constructive Banking,' which means in plain English that we're going +to help you farmers with liberal loans wherever we find a man who's +progressive and working intelligently. We're fitting up a special room +in the bank that we're going to call our 'Bureau of Farm Information'; +we're going to put a capable man in charge of it to answer questions; +we're sending down to the Bureau of Agriculture at Washington for a +lot of farm bulletins on every subject of interest to you men, also to +manufacturers of farm machinery and other appliances that can be used +on the farm. The manufacturers of Portland Cement are fitting us up +with a complete line of literature on farm buildings and how to build +them. In fact, there won't be any information connected with a farm, +its equipment or the construction of farm buildings that we won't be +able to give you. There's some of you men here who don't do your +banking with us--you're just as welcome to the information as the +others. We want you to make this your room when you come to town--it +will be open every day from eight o'clock in the morning until six +o'clock in the evening. There'll be tables there where you can do any +writing you want, and a billboard to stick up notices of anything +you've got for sale. I hope you'll make good use of the Bureau. Tell +your wives we're going to have a special lot of literature for them on +canning and evaporation of fruits and vegetables, raising poultry and +dairy work and bees. Tell them to come in and use the room as much as +they like. We've provided for their comforts." + +"Well, it sounds pretty fine, Mr. White," said Billy Waterson, +"especially the loans. I'll be in to see you myself on Saturday." + +"Yes, come in, Billy, and tell me about your needs," invited the +banker. "We'll no doubt be able to help you." + +The last of the farmers had scarcely gone when Bob's grandparents came +driving up the lane. + +"Has any one died, Bob?" asked his grandfather, as soon as he got near +enough to be heard. + +"Why?" asked Bob smiling. + +"Well, I saw many rigs going down the road as we came by the Wallace +farm. One or two of them, I thought, came out of our lane." + +"No," said Bob, "no one's dead, but," with a wave of his hand toward +the newly plowed field, "the old method of plowing with horse flesh +passed away this afternoon." + +"I noticed, Bob, as soon as I came around the bend in the road that +the field was plowed, and I was going to ask you about it. How did you +get it done so quickly? Were some of the neighbors over here with +their teams helping you?" + +"No," said Bob, "come here a minute and I'll show you something," and +he took his grandfather, who had alighted from the buggy, over to the +wagon shed in which the tractor stood. + +"Where'd that come from?" asked his grandfather, looking at it +curiously. "Has Joe gone and bought a tractor, too?" + +"No, not yet," laughed Bob, "but I guess he will when he gets back and +sees how much work it can do." + +"They must cost a lot of money, Bob," said his grandfather. + +"Not as much as you might think," replied Bob, using the phrase he +heard Mr. Patterson use in talking to the farmers that afternoon. "Not +when you take into account how much they can do." + +"I should like to have seen it work," said his grandfather interested. + +"Well, you'll see it, all right," said Bob, "because Mr. Patterson's +going to plow the other three fields before he leaves." + +"How long does he calculate it'll take him to finish, Bob?" inquired +his grandfather. + +"He expects to get done by noon on Thursday." + +"It can't be done," said his grandfather incredulously. + +"Well, he says it can," laughed Bob, "and to-morrow morning you'll +see." + + + + +X + +RUNNING WATER + + +Bob was up bright and early the next morning and had his chores all +done by the time Mr. Patterson came back from town, where he had gone +the night before for a supply of kerosene. + +As soon as breakfast was over the tractor was driven out to the field +back of the cider mill, and, with the agent in the seat, started off +on its rounds. In this field corn had been raised the year before, and +it would be planted in oats this year, so the plow was omitted and the +double disk and spike-toothed harrow used. Bob and his grandfather +stood for a half hour watching it work, then Bob went to the barn and +got out the team and began plowing the garden, which adjoined the +field in which the tractor was working. + +When they knocked off at noon, the relative amount of work done by +each was very apparent, for the ten-acre field was more than half +finished in the same time it had taken Bob to finish less than an acre +of garden patch, and by six o'clock the entire field was completed. + +The next day Bob took charge of the tractor and succeeded in doing +almost as well in plowing their west bottom field as Mr. Patterson had +done the day before, although it took him until seven o'clock in the +evening to finish the entire ten acres. + +Thursday morning everything on the farm was excitement. Bob started to +clean up the corners of the west field with the plow and team, while +Mr. Patterson started plowing the hilly north field, so that +everything would be finished by the time Bob's uncle arrived. It +seemed to Bob, as he watched the tractor work, that the hilly field +was requiring more time to complete than they had figured, for by noon +the field was not much more than half done, so he asked Mr. Patterson +at dinner if the plow worked slower on hilly ground. + +"Of course, Bob, we can't make the time there that we can on the +level, but I've been taking it kind of easy, loafing a little this +morning so the tractor would be working when your uncle comes home +this afternoon." + +In this, however, he was disappointed, for the automobile did not +arrive until after five o'clock, an hour after the tractor had been +run into the barnyard, where the agent left it and drove to town in +his auto. + +Bob was in the barnyard waiting to greet his aunt and uncle when Henry +Smith drove up. His uncle, however, did not wait until they had +alighted to ask Bob the question which was uppermost in his mind, but +shouted to him as soon as the car swung up the hill into the yard. + +"How in the world did you ever get the plowing all done so soon, Bob?" +he called. + +Without replying, Bob waved his hand toward the tractor. + +"Where'd that come from?" asked his uncle, as he helped his bride from +the auto. + +"Oh," laughed Bob, as he stepped forward to shake hands with them, +"that's another of John White's jokes. He's had nearly everybody in +the county out here on the farm while you were away, showing them how +easy it is to plow with power." + +"Well, Bob, I don't want your Uncle Joe to get married again soon," +laughed his new aunt, "but it does seem to have been lucky for him +this time, for you've certainly got more plowing done while he was +away getting married than he'd have gotten if he stayed at home," as, +much to Bob's embarrassment, she suddenly bent over and kissed him. +"Things seem to be moving faster on the farm, Bob, since you and your +Uncle Joe started working together," she laughed, as they all started +for the house. + +Bob could not remember any time in his life when he had been quite so +happy as he was that night at supper, sitting in silence opposite his +new aunt, listening to the story of the wedding and honeymoon. There +was something about the frank open smile that she bestowed upon him +from time to time which established her in his confidence, and made +him feel that the coming summer was going to be a very pleasant one. + +He wondered what shape the first suggestion for improvement by his +aunt might take, but he didn't have long to wait, for the very next +morning at breakfast she turned to her husband and said: + +"Have you figured out yet, Joe, how much pipe it will take to bring +the water from the spring into the house? I think we should arrange +for running water in the kitchen and put in a bathroom, and I have +also been thinking that, instead of using the small room beyond the +kitchen as a pantry, we could do away with that and fit up a washroom, +with a toilet and shower for the men. A farmer is just as much +entitled to a shower after his day's work as a golf player and is even +more benefited by its use. We could easily make a cellar under it for +the hot-water heater and supply hot water to the kitchen, washroom and +the bathroom on the second floor, as well as the laundry. I've been +looking up the cost of plumbing and don't think the whole thing would +cost more than five or six hundred dollars, exclusive of digging the +trench." + +When his aunt began to speak, Bob scanned the face of his uncle, and +he noticed that while his uncle smiled and said he would have to look +into the matter, Bob noticed his brow contract in a way that spoke ill +of the project being carried out--at least at the present time. + +Now that the plowing had been done, it was decided that they would +spend a few days in cleaning out the fence rows and repairing fences, +and as they were leaving for this work shortly after breakfast, Bob +made a discovery. His aunt came into the woodshed where they were +getting out their mattocks and brush hooks and said: + +"There are a few things I wanted to get in town to-day, Joe, so I'll +take the car and drive in." + +"Why, you can't drive yet, Bettie," declared her astonished husband. + +"Oh, yes, I can," she laughed. "I have my license, too. I learned last +summer. While I'm in town, I'll speak to a plumber about the work, and +I think, too, we should also have a telephone put in. It will be quite +awkward getting along without one." + +"All right, Bettie," said her husband. "It will do no harm to get a +price on them, even though we won't get them until fall," and he +kissed her good-by and started for the field. + +She certainly doesn't let her ideas get cold, thought Bob, as he +walked along with his uncle, and, after all, it would not cost any +more to put the water in now than it would in the fall, and besides +they'd have the use of it all summer. + +That night after the chores were finished and the supper dishes were +put away, his uncle and aunt adjourned to the sitting room, where Bob +noticed a fine reading lamp, surrounded by magazines and farm +bulletins, had been placed in the center of a large oak table. + +"Come into the sitting room, Bob," called his aunt, when he returned +to the kitchen after doing his chores. "I want to show you the +pictures of our new bathroom fixtures I got from the plumber to-day." + +It was only natural that Bob should have wondered just how far his +aunt and uncle would take him into their confidence in the planning of +the work on the farm, and he was not only relieved but very much +pleased at her early invitation to their conferences, having to do +with improvements and the expenditure of money. He took it as a +compliment to his interest in the farm work, and felt nothing would be +too hard for him to undertake while his Aunt Bettie followed the +results. + +"Here's the plumber's estimate, Joe," she said, opening a letter. "He +wants $250 for the bathroom and washroom equipment, including a four- +foot white enamel wash sink with soap dishes and tempering faucets. +You see, by putting in a sink of this sort, the hot and cold water is +mixed as it comes through the faucet, and all the dirty water runs +away so that you can always wash in clean water, which is better than +filling a bowl. This four-foot sink will allow two people to wash at +once. This is the hot-water heater that we will put in the cellar. It +will mean the putting in of a new door and steps on the north side of +the building for taking out the ashes. That will be some concrete work +for you, Bob," she smiled across to him. "The heater will keep the +floor of the washroom warm in winter and prevent the pipes from +freezing. We ought to take out the wood floor of the washroom and put +in a concrete floor, but I think the wood floor will have to answer +until we build our new house. The plumber said he could manage this by +putting in a galvanized iron tray on the floor under the shower and +connecting it to the waste pipes. If you are careful when you use the +shower and not splash the water too much over the wood floor, I guess +we can get along with this arrangement. This, however, doesn't include +the cost of bringing the water down from the spring. I thought, +inasmuch as our plowing and harrowing had been done so soon, you could +take the time off, Joe, to dig the ditch and put in the pipe yourself. +A one-inch galvanized genuine wrought-iron pipe will cost ten cents +per running foot and a two-inch pipe twenty-two cents per foot." + +"A one-inch pipe ought to be big enough," said Joe, "to supply all the +water we want." + +"Yes, perhaps it would be for the house alone," she replied, "but then +there's the barn and the hen house and the new dairy house to take +into account, besides a watering trough in the barnyard and water +bowls in the new cow barn for each cow, and I think for all these we +really ought to have at least a two-inch pipe, so that the pipe will +be in for all time, and, of course, it would not pay to use steel +pipe--that would rust too quickly. The hard job will be the digging of +the ditch, for the pipe ought to be at least three and a half feet to +four feet underground, so as to be sure it will not freeze up during +the winter." + +"Don't you think we ought to build new concrete walls and put a cover +on the spring, Aunt Bettie?" inquired Bob, "so that nothing can get +into the spring to foul the water?" + +"That would be a good idea, Bob. Do you suppose you could make a rough +sketch and figure out how much concrete it would take to do that?" + +"Why, there's a sketch in one of the concrete bulletins that shows how +that can be done," replied Bob. "I'll get the book right away," he +said. + +"Bring your bulletins down to the sitting room and leave them on the +table, Bob," called his aunt, "that is, if you don't mind. Perhaps it +would be well if they were all here so we could all see them." + +"All right," said Bob. + +He returned a few minutes later and after looking up the suggestion +set to work, and by nine o'clock a rough sketch for enclosing the +spring had been made. It would require thirteen hundred and fifty feet +of two-inch pipe to bring the water to the house, which would cost +$297 and the probable cost of the ditch would be $625. When the +figures were all put together it was found the improvement would mean +an outlay of $1172, if they paid to have the ditch dug, but, of +course, they could save $625, by doing the digging themselves. + +"I'd like you to have the water in the house, Bettie," said her +husband, as he rose to retire, much worried at the large amount of +money, "but on top of all the expenditures we have made already, I +don't think it would be possible to put it in at this time." + +"Well, we won't decide to-night, Joe," his wife said, smiling. "I +think it is always best to think such matters over carefully before we +undertake them." + +All during the next day it was quite evident to Bob that his uncle was +puzzled and worried. On the impulse of the moment he had been +persuaded by John White, president of the First National Bank, to +invest in what he considered a very much larger equipment of live +stock than he would otherwise have done, and he had also allowed White +to persuade him to spend $1500 for the tractor, plow, disk and harrow. +The chances of making the farm earn enough to take care of the +interest on his obligations at the bank and perhaps pay off something +on the principal, looked all right while John White was explaining it, +but now that he had had sufficient time to reflect on the matter, he +felt that perhaps he had overstrained his resources in taking on this +additional financial burden. + +It was not the six per cent interest that worried him so much as the +fact that Bettie wanted to spend almost $1200 to repair the house from +which there could be no returns--the cost of which would have to be +earned just the same. He was particularly silent and abrupt with Bob +as they worked upon the fence rows and scolded him severely when he +did not anticipate his wishes in the matter of placing the rails for +the repairs of the fence. He scolded him unmercifully when, through +his eagerness to please him, he happened to drop the sharp corner of a +rail on his uncle's hand. It was in this state of mind that Joe +Williams came in to supper that evening to greet his smiling wife. + +Nothing was said during supper about putting in running water and +fitting up a new bathroom, but Bob noticed the roller towel and horn +comb had disappeared and that each had their own towel, brush and +comb. When the supper dishes had been put away, and they had all +adjourned to the sitting room, Bob's aunt opened the drawer in the +sitting-room table and took out several sheets of carefully compiled +figures, which she handed over to her husband. + +"What's this, Bettie?" he asked, taking up the papers. + +"That, Joe, is an inventory of our assets and liabilities," she +answered smiling. + +"Well, does it look as bad as it sounds?" laughed her husband, as he +took up the statement and glanced at it hurriedly. "What's it all +about, Bettie, and why have you been worrying your head with figures +to-day?" he said, placing the papers on the table, without seeming to +comprehend their meaning. + +"I've been thinking for several days, Joe, that we should know where +we stand in the matter of the cost of our farm and equipment, so that +we can figure out our possible income and profit. I don't think it +would be wise to go ahead and buy and sell without knowing in advance +the value of everything we own; the amount of money we're obligated +for in the way of loans and have estimated the probable cost of +carrying on the work through harvest, and what our crops and produce +ought to sell for." + +ITEM INVENTORY APRIL 15,1916 + + Farm, 160 acres .................................... $6,000.00 + Cows: + 10 head @ $175 ................................... 1,750.00 + 8 head @ $60 ...................................... 480.00 + Bull, 1 head @ $350 ................................... 350.00 +Calves, 4 head @ $10 .................................... 40.00 + Horses: + 2 head @ $350 ..................................... 700.00 + 2 head @ $200 ..................................... 400.00 + Hogs: + 5 head @ $40 ...................................... 200.00 + 6 head @ $30 ...................................... 180.00 + Sheep, 12 head @ $20 .................................. 240.00 +Chickens ................................................ 50.00 +Machinery and Tools .................................... 125.00 +Automobile ............................................. 440.00 + Feed and Supplies ..................................... 300.00 +Growing Crops (Labor and Seed) ......................... 180.00 + Cash .................................................. 110.00 + Bills Receivable ....................................... 75.00 + ---------- + Total Resources ................................... $11,620.00 +Mortgage and Bills Payable ........................... 6,000.00 + ---------- + Net Worth........................................... $5,620.00 + +"I have started with to-day, April 1, 1916, but next year it will be +better to take our inventory so that we can start on March 1st, which +will be just before the spring work starts. Then we can see what our +gain is for the year. We'll have to run separate accounts for all our +crops and stock as well as feed and labor in order to see what the +gain or loss is on any item. After we get them started, it will take +only a few minutes each day to keep them up to date." + +"Here, you see," she continued, as she walked around the table and sat +on the arm of his chair, "I've listed the farm at its probable value-- +$6000." + +"But you have listed it at $2000 more than I paid for it," protested +her husband. + +"That's because it's worth $2000 more than when you bought it," she +laughed, "for with the new ditch you have added fifteen tillable acres +and we still have a pond and a better driveway up to the barn. Then, +of course, I've included in the improvements the running water and +bathroom equipment." + +"We've not decided to put that in yet," said her husband quickly, to +which she made no reply. + +"Then you see, I've listed our stock and equipment at $5520. These +added together make our assets total $11,520. You have already +obligated yourself at the First National Bank for $5400, and when we +get the loan for the running water, it will make a total of about +$6000." + +At the mention of a further loan, Bob noticed his uncle's brow +contracting in a way that did not speak well for the installation of +the running water. + +"But you're missing the best item of all, Joe," said his wife, "the +sand pit. I was talking to Mr. White about this when I was in town +yesterday, and he feels sure that by the time Mr. Brady gets all the +sand he requires for the railroad work, they will be making concrete +roads throughout the county and that there'll be a big demand for this +pit. While I don't know exactly how big the pit is, I've estimated +that it contains thirty thousand yards. If we figure this at 50 cents +per yard, the price Mr. Brady is paying, it will bring us $15,000." + +"But I'm afraid those are only day dreams, Bettie," laughed her +husband good-naturedly; "it couldn't be possible that so much money +could be gotten out of a sand pit." + +"Why not?" asked his wife. "In New England there are many large supply +companies who make a business of digging, washing and selling sand and +gravel and carry on a very large business in this material. You have +no idea what a hold concrete is getting on the country these days. +It's such an excellent material in the first place, and besides it's +so cheap and easily handled that any one can build all manner of +structures with it. So you see, Joe," she added, smiling up at him, +"if the farm doesn't pay a penny for an entire year, and we don't sell +any sand besides what Mr. Brady has agreed to take after paying for +the improvements that he is making, we'll still have more than enough +money coming from the sand pit alone to pay the interest on all our +obligations and leave us $2500 to $5000. I know we're going to have +something good from the farm itself, besides. So I'm in favor of not +only putting in running water in the bathroom, but building the new +dairy house at the same time. The cellar under the kitchen here is a +bad place to keep the milk and the work is very much increased on +account of having to carry the ice down there. Besides, the floor is +damp and the place has a musty odor." + +"How much will a dairy house cost as you are planning to build it, +Bettie?" asked her husband, looking up hopelessly. + +"I don't know exactly, Joe," she replied, glancing across the table at +Bob, "but we've been looking over the bulletins and as near as we can +estimate, it ought not to cost more than $500 for a dairy house alone, +but when we build the new dairy house, I think we should abandon this +old wooden ice house that keeps the yard all mussed up with sawdust-- +besides, you have to cut from thirty to fifty per cent, more ice than +we really use in order to provide for the great waste in such a poorly +built house. Now, if we build our ice house in connection with the +dairy house, it will be better protected and the waste will be +practically eliminated. Besides, we can have a refrigerator built in +under the ice to keep butter, meat and poultry, which is something we +don't have now, the way the ice house is built. Get the sketches, Bob, +that you and I were talking over and show them to your uncle," said +his aunt smiling, seeing that she had won her point. As Bob's +grandmother passed through the sitting room on her way to bed that +evening, she saw three heads close together bending eagerly over the +sketches, while Bob and his aunt in turn explained to Joe Williams the +design and advantages of a modern dairy and ice house combined. + +"H'm!" she sniffed to herself. "Joe's new wife is certainly starting +in early to spend his money for him. He'll find out it's easier to +spend money than it is to make it, and I'll be glad when I get away +from here so that they can't say I helped to put him in the +poorhouse." + + + + +XI + +TONY + + +"Good morning, son--is your uncle around?" inquired Mr. Brady, the +following Monday morning as Bob was getting ready to start work +digging the trench for the new water supply. + +"He's in the woodshed now," replied Bob, "but he'll be out here in a +few minutes." + +"How do you like the ditch, son?" + +"It's a fine job, Mr. Brady," replied Bob. "When are you going to put +in the cement drain tile?" + +"They ought to be here to-day and it won't take long to put them in, +once they're here. The digging's all done already. I've a lot of men +coming to-morrow, and I'll make a short job of that and the building +of the dam. What I wanted to see your uncle about was, when's he going +to put a man on at the gravel pit so we can start taking gravel away. +We'll have to screen some sand for face work, but in most cases I +expect to use the sand and gravel together, just as it comes from the +pit." + +"Won't you have to measure it out," asked Bob, "to get the right +aggregate?" + +"In most cases we would, son," answered the contractor, "but your pit +is running just about right--twice as much gravel as sand, which makes +a very good concrete, so as soon as we get through with the steam +shovel at the dam I want to put it up in the pit and start my trucks +hauling sand to the railroad bridges. The engineer tells me he'll be +ready for me with his lines by the end of the week. + +"Oh, good morning, Mr. Williams!" said the contractor, as Bob's uncle +approached. "How about the man to take care of the tickets at the sand +pit?" + +"By George, I forgot all about that!" exclaimed Joe Williams. "You'll +have to excuse me, Mr. Brady. I was pretty busy last week with getting +married and everything and forgot all about the man. That reminds me, +John White was speaking to me about a man the other day for some light +work on the farm, but if I can't locate one within, a day or two, I'll +let you put one of your men on." + +"All right. I want to begin taking sand away by Monday at the latest," +said the contractor. "Some activities, Mr. Williams, you're having +around here, what with the steam shovel working in the ditch and a +tractor plow working in the fields. We've had about everybody in the +county stopping here within the last week inquiring what's going on. +I've had a lot of fun out of it, too," he laughed. + +"How's that?" inquired Joe Williams. + +"Well," said the contractor, winking at Bob, "I told everybody who +asked that we were digging for 'Hidden Treasure,' and do you know, +some of them believed me." + +"That's right," said Bob, "we are digging for 'Hidden Treasure,' and +what's more, Mr. Brady, we're finding it." + +"I think if I were to stay around with you very long, sonny, you'd be +after making me believe the moon was made of green cheese, as they say +in Ireland, but with you charging me fifty cents a yard for sand, I +know you're making money all right. But you're wasting your time here +on the farm, me boy--it's a contractor you should be." + +"I don't agree with you, Mr. Brady. I think farming is the best of +all. Building is interesting, of course, but planting crops and +raising cattle and seeing things grow is the most interesting thing in +the world to me, and I'm going to be a farmer. I like to hear the +birds sing while I'm working." + +"Oh, but we've birds singing in the contracting business, too, for +what's sweeter music to the ear than the puffing of a hoisting engine, +or the rattling of the chains of a steam shovel? Music is music the +world over--it's only a matter of education the kind we enjoy most. +Now, to me, the escaping steam is the sweetest music I know, for it +means dollars to me; but I must be looking after me work instead of +standing here blarneying with you all the morning." + +"I wish we had your men to dig our trench for the new water supply, +Brady," said Joe Williams. + +"How deep do you want it?" asked the contractor. + +"About four feet. I guess that's the depth you wanted to make it, +Bob?" he asked turning to his nephew. + +"Yes, Uncle Joe," he replied. + +"Say, Williams, you're wasting time and good muscle digging that +trench. Let me dig it for you in two days." + +"What--in two days!" exclaimed Joe Williams. "You surely couldn't use +your steam shovel for that job, it would be too big and heavy." + +"I'll be using no steam shovel, Williams," said the contractor. "I'll +use dynamite." + +"Why, how could you do that?" asked Bob, interested at once. + +"Sure, my boy, there's many easier ways than digging a trench with a +pick and shovel. I have some dynamite in town now that would be just +the thing to blast out your trench. Of course, it will scatter the +dirt around some, for dynamite is usually used to make an open ditch +rather than one that is to be re-filled, but it will be less work to +gather up the dirt than to dig through the hard shale, and that +reminds me," he continued, "when you come to put in your concrete +fence posts, don't break your back digging holes if you strike hard +shale; just put in a stick of dynamite and loosen her up--you'll find +it will save you lots of backaches." + +"How much would it cost, Brady?" asked Joe Williams much interested. +"Let me see," said the contractor. "You, say it's about 1400 feet long +and four feet deep. That will mean putting down 470 holes, three feet +six inches deep, and require 360 pounds of dynamite." + +He figured for a moment on a memorandum pad and added: + +"I'll do the whole job for $100.00, which is about one-fourth of what +it will cost you to open up the ditch, and I'll complete it in two +days. You may have to level off the bottom of the trench here and +there for the pipe, but at that it will be easier than digging the +entire trench." + +"All right, Brady," said Joe Williams; "when will you start?" + +"To-morrow morning," said the contractor. "I'll get the dynamite to- +day." + +"But isn't dynamite dangerous, Mr. Brady?" asked Bob. + +"No, son, not when it's taken care of properly. You know, you don't +set your kerosene oil can on a hot stove, neither do we leave dynamite +around where it is likely to be put off, but it's just as safe as +gunpowder, if you handle it right. You ought to have the ground in +your young orchard loosened up a bit with a few sticks. You'll be +surprised to know how it will improve the production of your trees." + +"Does it really improve the land, Mr. Brady?" asked Bob. + +"Haven't you read about that, Bob? I thought you were reading +everything about farming." + +[Illustration with caption: DITCH DIGGING BY DYNAMITE--ONE-HALF THE +COST--ONE-TENTH THE TIME, AND NO BACKACHE] + +"I've read considerable, Mr. Brady, but never anything about dynamite, +but the next time I go to town I'll stop around at the First National +and ask them if they have any literature on dynamite. You know they're +running a 'Constructive Bank' now and distribute literature to the +farmers, and I'm sure John White will have the information." + +"That's right, my boy, find out all about it first, and then you'll +know the reason for using it, and how to apply it. Well, I must be +going. I'll take care of the job to-morrow. Good day, Mr. Williams; +good-by, son," he said, as he turned and strode down the hill toward +the new drive where the steam shovel was making fast inroads into the +remaining bank. + +"There's one thing I like about Brady, Uncle Joe," said Bob, as they +watched him disappear. "He does things quickly and he does them well. +Did you notice how straight and even the slope of the two sides of the +ditch were made, and how he leveled off the north bank on top?" + +"Well, Bob, you know I always like a straight furrow myself," replied +his uncle, "and have always claimed that there isn't a man in the +county can plow a straighter one." + +"And there won't be a man in the county next year, Uncle Joe, who can +plow a faster one than you," laughed Bob, "when you get your new +tractor going." + +"That certainly was a great piece of work," said his uncle, looking +admiringly at the ploughed fields, "but where can we get a man to look +after the sand pit, Bob? Why not let Brady put on one of his men and +settle it?" + +"Don't you think we ought to have a man of our own, Uncle Joe, rather +than take one of his? No doubt, Brady's honest, but he's human. +Suppose he'd forget once in a while to give us some tickets." + +"Oh, well, we wouldn't miss a load or two of sand." + +"No," said Bob, "but it might get to be a habit with him, and you +know, according to Aunt Bettie's figures, the sand is going to help a +lot in getting our loan paid off quickly at the bank." + +"Well, the next time I go to town, I'll see who I can find," he +replied. + +"You know, Uncle Joe, if we had a telephone we could call up this +morning and probably have a man out here by noon. Don't you think Aunt +Bettie was right in wanting to have a 'phone?" + +"Oh, that's been taken care of," said his uncle. "I told Bettie to go +ahead and have it put in. I thought it would be nice to be able to +call up our friends in town and talk to them on rainy days and Sundays +when we didn't want to drive in. Besides, as you say, it will be +useful at times to save trips." + +They spent the morning repairing the fences, which, under their +persistent work, were beginning to look like real fences again. + +There was one thing about Joe Williams--whatever he did, he did +thoroughly, and the undergrowth was cut from both sides, heaped into +piles and burned. + +"Do you know, Uncle Joe, if we had wire fences, on concrete posts, +we'd never have any work like this to do each spring. The plows would +keep the sides clean. Think of what it would mean, Uncle Joe, to get +rid of fence rows and repairing old rail fences. Then there's the +wasted land that the fence takes up; that's a dead loss." + +"Yes, I can easily see that," replied his uncle. "Bettie was talking +about that last night." + +They had worked all morning and were on their way to the house to +dinner when they saw a man coming across the fields toward them. He +came from the direction of the farm above, and as he approached they +saw he was a youthful foreign-looking chap--probably an Italian and +not more than twenty or twenty-one years old. He carried a bundle at +the end of a stout stick thrown across his shoulder, and when he had +gotten within speaking distance, he called: + +"Good-a morn! Do you need-a da mase or-a da carpendero to do-a da +work?" + +"Oh, you're one of the plumber's men?" asked Bob, thinking perhaps his +aunt might have asked to have some men sent out to work on the new +cellar under the washroom where the hot-water heater was to go. + +"No, I no-a da plumb. I-a da mase and-a da carpendero." + +"Oh, you want a job?" asked Bob, catching his meaning. + +"Yes-a, da job, but no-a work-a da field. I no-a da farmer--I-a da +mase and-a da carpendero." + +Bob exchanged glances with his uncle, who shook his head. + +"What's your name?" he asked, suddenly turning to the applicant. + +"Tony." + +"What do you say, Uncle Joe, if we have Tony go down to the house with +us and talk the matter over with Aunt Bettie? He might be the man we +could use at the sand pit. Besides," he added suddenly, "he might be +the very fellow to help build the dairy house--if he understands both +carpentry and mason work, he would be a big help." + +"How much will you work for?" asked Joe Williams, who hesitated at +paying any money in wages. + +"How much-a da work to do?" asked Tony. + +"Oh, we've enough for a week or a month--maybe more--that's if you can +do our work." + +"I understand-a da work," replied Tony, "and I like-a da live in-a da +country, if you no-a make-a me sleep in-a da barn." + +"Where do you come from?" asked Bob. + +"From Italia. My fader, he-a da contracdisto and I learn-a da mase +and-a da carpendero." + +"Well, why didn't you stay in Italy?" asked Bob. + +"Oh," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "there no-a da mon in-a da +Italia and too-a much da hard work." + +So asking questions and listening to Tony's answers the three reached +the house, where Bob quickly explained the matter to his aunt. She +came out and asked Tony to stay and have dinner with them. He was +given a basin and towel and after he had made his toilet his +appearance was decidedly improved. + +"He says he doesn't want a job," remarked Joe Williams to his wife, +when they were alone after dinner, "if he has to sleep in the barn." + +"Well, I don't blame him," said Bettie. "What's the matter with our +south room? Your father and mother are moving to town to-morrow, and +you know we won't have use for all the rooms in the house. The south +room has a separate stairway leading from the small sitting room on +the first floor. We could give him those rooms and make him +comfortable. I rather like his appearance," she added. "Of course, +Italians are foreigners and they're about as awkward in our country +trying to speak our language as we would be if we were in their +country trying to speak Italian. How much does he want to work for +us?" + +"He didn't say, but I'll ask him," and they adjourned to the porch. + +"How much money would you want, Tony?" asked Joe Williams, "to work +for us, say by the month?" + +"Where I-a da sleep?" asked Tony quickly. + +"In that room up there on the second floor, at the end of the porch." + +"And where I-a da eat?" he asked again. + +"Why, with us, of course," said Joe Williams. + +"Then I stay-a da mont and do-a da work, and when I get-a da through, +we make-a da barg. If you like-a my work and I like-a da place, then I +stay, but if you no-a like me and I no-a like you, then I go." + +"All right," laughed Joe Williams, "that's a bargain, Tony. Do you +want to begin work right away?" + +"Yes, I no like-a da loaf," said the man, shrugging his shoulders. + +"All right, come around here and I'll show you what we want done," he +said and took him around behind the house, showed him where to dig out +and build a new entrance to the cellar under the washroom and put in a +flue for the heater. + +Bob was much interested in the making of the trench for the new water +system, and while his uncle went to town for the pipe and some pipe +tools for laying it, Bob, at Brady's direction, plowed two deep +furrows, six feet apart, outlining the two edges of the trench. He +plowed each furrow a foot or more deep, so as to outline the edges of +the trench and keep the top as narrow as possible. The contractor's +foreman and his gang quickly drove their iron bars into the earth +three feet six inches deep and about three feet apart and loaded the +holes as they went. When they had fifty charges in place, the foreman +connected up the battery, and when the men were out of the way he +raised the rack bar of the battery to its full height and shoved it +down hard. Up came the earth and a neat open trench four feet deep and +one hundred and fifty feet long lay open before them. + +By the time his uncle had returned, over half the length of the trench +had been made and was ready for the pipe. + +Dynamite certainly is a quick means for doing a hard job, thought Bob, +and he immediately decided to learn more about its uses. + +Bob was surprised and pleased to see how quickly and easily Tony could +lay out and execute a piece of work. It was no time at all until the +excavation was done, the wall was cut through for a door opening and +the forms made for concrete steps to lead down into the new cellar. +Fortunately, they found that the foundation went down low enough to +give them the five-foot head room they needed for the hot-water +heater. The hardest work was to connect the flue opening to a flue in +the old chimney, which they found had been built up solid with +masonry. This made it necessary to take the plaster off back of the +chimney and cut a groove. Either by instinct or accident, Tony located +a flue, and before the end of the week they not only had the doorway +and flue completed, but had laid a cement floor on the cellar as well. +Tony showed Bob how to mix the concrete and put it in place so as to +get a smooth surface, and explained why it was necessary, in building +steps and other concrete work, that it should all be put in at one +time and smoothed off as soon as it became sufficiently hard so it +would not crack. + +The morning after Tony's arrival, Bob's grandparents said good-by to +the old homestead and were taken in the auto to town. Bob's uncle +drove the car, and, as it got under way, Bob overheard his grandmother +remark: + +"Too many new-fangled notions, Joe. You'll surely go to the poorhouse +before you're through." + +"All right, mother," he laughingly replied. "If we do, we'll go on +rubber tires and perhaps over concrete, and the road won't seem so +rough." + +Thomas Williams and his wife had spent their entire lives in the +country and moving to town did not mean for them a regular town house +and lot, they'd be too cramped to end their days that way. They had +purchased a comfortable house, surrounded by a four-acre garden and +orchard, all in good repair, and here, as compared with the farm, the +work would be light indeed. + +After making his parents comfortable in their new home, Joe Williams +drove out to meet his new purchases, which were being delivered that +day. He met the cavalcade two miles out and accompanied them home. + +[Illustration: ONE-HALF THE HERD, HE WILL EARN HIS INITIAL COST IN +THREE YEARS] + +"Looks like a circus parade, Aunt Bettie," declared Bob, as they stood +on the hill back of the barn and saw them winding up the lane. First +came the team of black Belgian mares, then the ten Holstein cows, with +the bull leading his herd, then a wagon with the five Berkshire sows +in a pen, on top of which were the incubator and brooder, and on top +of these again the coops with the white leghorn and white rock +chickens. Then came another wagon with the bee hives, and following +this the small flock of Southdown sheep, looked after by a fine collie +dog, and last of all came Joe Williams in his new auto, smiling like +the king he felt himself to be. + +It was an impressive sight to see this procession of fine-blooded +stock arrive at the farm, and the eyes of both Bob and his aunt were +glistening when they looked at each other as the procession came up +the new road into the barnyard. + +"Well, what do you think of them, Bettie?" called her husband, jumping +from his auto and kissing her. "Almost like a circus procession. Hey, +Bob, show them where you want your bees. Better take them right over +to the orchard and set them up where you intend to keep them this +summer." + +"I've got a place already fixed for them," he replied. Then as Tony +came near he called, "Do you understand how to talk to Italian bees, +Tony?" + +"Yes, I know-a da bees and-a da bees know-a me--no-a sting," said +Tony. + +"All right," said Bob, "come with us," and they climbed up on the +wagon and drove across the meadow to the new apiary. + +They placed the hives on the cinder foundation Bob had made for them +under the trees and when they were all placed they looked very +attractive in their white paint. + +"I'm sorry I didn't buy them myself," said the driver of the wagon, +who had been a farm hand for the former owner. "They're the greatest +honey-makers I ever saw. But I didn't have any place to take them, so +I had to let them go. You're a lucky boy--you got them for a song, but +do you know how to handle them?" he inquired. "You'll have to look out +for them now very carefully, or you may lose them. The spring is the +time they require watching so they don't starve." + +"I've been reading up a lot about them," said Bob. "But what's in that +box?" he asked, as the driver unloaded his last piece--a large box +like a tool chest. + +"These are your things for handling them, Bob--a smoker, a veil, some +tools and a lot of extra parts and things. If you want me to, I'll +come out the first nice warm day and help you look them over. I'm not +afraid of them. Call up my sister on the 'phone, 770, and tell her +when you want me. My name's John Adams." + +"Yes, I will," said Bob, "and I'll pay you for your time, too, for +while I've read some, I've had no actual experience with bees." + +"Well, to-night, after sundown, take the blocks from the entrance and +let them fly around in the morning. You may lose a colony or two until +you learn how to handle them, but you needn't worry; they're good +breeders and will soon make up for that--but be sure and keep the +hives cool in hot weather, then they won't swarm so quickly." + +When they got back to the house all the new cattle and other stock had +been put away, and the men were ready to return home. That night +before setting the new chickens at liberty, Bob caught and killed the +two remaining Dunghill roosters. + +It was a tired but happy family that went to bed at ten o'clock that +night, instead of the regular hour of nine. + +It seemed to Bob that he had just closed his eyes when bedlam broke +loose. His first thought was of the new stock, then of the dynamite, +but as he sat up in bed he realized it could not be either of them-- +so, throwing up his window, he looked out. + +In the moonlight he could distinguish many of their neighbors, who +were armed with everything from sleigh bells to horse fiddles, and the +racket they made in the stillness of the night seemed greater than any +noise he had ever heard. As he raised his window, a shout went up, the +neighbors thinking it was Bob's uncle, but seeing their mistake they +redoubled their efforts and kept the racket going for a half hour or +more. Then his aunt and uncle appeared, and invited the party into the +house, where the lamps were already lighted. + +Congratulations were extended, a hasty lunch was set out, the cider +barrel tapped and a general good time enjoyed for an hour or more. + +Many of the boys had been former pupils of the bride and they were +happy that she had chosen to come and live among them. + +Joe Williams disappeared for a moment and when he returned he carried +a large bottle of wine with a long blue ribbon tied to it. + +"Boys," he said, when the cheering had stopped, "you all know that +with the exception of cider, I never drink anything." + +"Oh, don't let that worry you, Joe, we're not so modest," they +shouted, but he only held up his hand for silence. + +"This bottle of wine was given to us by a very good friend for a +certain purpose. We had intended to wait until later to use it, but I +don't know any better time than just now, when our friends are all +here to carry out our plans, so come out into the yard a moment," and +they all adjourned to the front yard. + +Here Joe Williams and his bride stepped over to a young apple tree and +handing her the bottle, he tied the ribbon to a limb. + +"Now, boys, Bettie and I've decided to give our farm a name and sell +our produce under that name--a sort of a trade-mark or standard of +merit, so now while you're all here, we'll perform the ceremony." + +Taking the bottle firmly in both hands, the bride stepped back, +stretching the ribbon tight, then with a light shining in her eyes +that was not a reflection of the moon, she called in a clear voice, "I +christen you 'Brookside Farm,'" and sent the bottle crashing against +the tree amid the cheers of the crowd. + +When silence had been partly restored, a man was seen mounting the +steps of the porch, and holding a stout stick in his hand, he placed +one end of the stick against his lips and there floated out upon the +stillness of the night the old familiar air, "Home, Sweet Home." When +he had finished there were many shining eyes in the crowd, but only +Bob recognized in the disappearing figure his new friend Tony, whose +natural artistic nature had been responsible for such a fitting +tribute. + +When the boys had all gone home, Bob's aunt called him to the kitchen. + +"Take this up to Tony and thank him for me for the very fine touch he +added to our ceremony," and she handed him a plate heaped high with +cake, alongside of which his uncle set a large goblet of their rare +old elder-berry wine--a mark of distinction conferred by his uncle +only upon honored guests. + + + + +XII + +THE DAIRY HOUSE + + +While his uncle planted the oats Bob and Tony laid the water pipe in +the new trench, the plumbers put in the new fixtures and laid a sewer +to the new cess pool. A couple of sticks of dynamite prepared the hole +for the latter, which was later walled up by Tony with large loose +stone and covered over with a concrete slab--later on when they built +the new house they would put in a concrete septic tank, but for the +present this cess pool would answer. After laying the water pipe, they +borrowed a scoop from Brady and gathered up enough dirt to fill the +trench. + +Tony and Bob now built the concrete enclosure around the spring. An +inch pipe connection for a future water trough was put in each field +crossed by the trench, and a valve placed on the line well under +ground to prevent freezing. + +By using a section of two-inch pipe set vertically over the valve, +they could open and close the valve with a long-stemmed wrench. + +By the end of the week all was completed, and there was running water +in the house. + +Saturday arrived and they had found no one to look after the pit. They +were discussing the matter and wondering whom they could get, when +Alex Wallace came over to see Bob about some sand they needed to build +a new wall under their barn. + +"You don't happen to know of any one we could get to look after our +sand pit, do you, Alex?" asked Joe Williams, as Alex came up. + +"Would it be heavy work, Joe?" asked Alex. + +"No, it would be an easy job--just taking a ticket from the drivers of +the trucks for every load they take away, and making concrete fence +posts between times. + +"Then I've the very man for you," replied Alex; "my father's brother, +Duncan Wallace. He's a Scot, like my father, and was a stone-cutter, +but the stone dust got into his lungs and he came to the country to +see if he couldn't get better. He isn't very strong, but he could do +any kind of light work." + +"How much would he want to work for us, Alex?" asked Joe Williams. + +"I'm sure I don't know," he replied. "I'll bring him over this evening +and you can talk to him yourself. I want to get a couple of loads of +sand, Bob," he said, addressing the latter. "How much will you charge +me?" + +"Fifty cents a yard, Alex--cash or work," replied Bob. "If you'd +rather work it out than pay the money, we'd be glad to have the work. +You can do the work in your spare time." + +"What would the work be?" asked Alex. + +"The first job," said Bob, looking inquiringly at his uncle, "is +digging a row of fence post holes along the main road to fence in our +property. We want to put in concrete fence posts and a wire fence +along the main road. After that's up we'll have lots of other fencing +to be done." + +"How much will you want an hour for your time, Alex?" asked Joe +Williams. + +"Well, about thirty cents," replied Alex. + +"All right, we'll put you down for thirty cents an hour, you to work +as many hours as will be required to pay for whatever sand and gravel +you get. Of course, you can do the work whenever you have the spare +time. We'll stake out the post holes and show you the size we want +them dug. You must always let us know when you're going to work, +though, so we can keep account of your time and give your credit." + +"All right," said Alex, "when can I get the sand?" + +"Monday morning," said Bob, "and your uncle can keep account of how +much you get." + +On Monday morning Joe Williams took the new team and went to town for +a wagon-load of Portland cement. The few bags they had in the shed +were all used up in the repairs around the spring and cellar. As it +had been decided at the conference with John White, the banker, on +Saturday, to build a new concrete dairy house and ice house, equipped +with running water, it was necessary to lay in a new supply of cement. + +Bob looked up the cement bulletins on the handling of concrete, and +found that cement should be put in a shed piled on planks raised above +the floor, and that the shed should have a tight roof. The only +building that would answer these conditions was the wagon shed, and +after considering the matter, he decided that by moving the wagons +around a bit he could get a space at one end near the door that could +be used for this purpose. + +He got some old timbers eight inches thick, and six feet long, and +laid them on the ground four feet apart, and on top of these he put +some two by ten plank, and by the time his uncle returned with the +first load he had a platform ready to receive the cement. + +"It's very important, Uncle Joe, to keep the cement dry and up from +the ground so it won't set before we use it, for the first bag in, you +know, will be the last bag out, and cement costs too much to lose any +of it." + +As soon as dinner was over, Joe Williams went back to town for another +load, hauling it up the new road, same as the first load. + +"I tell you, Bob, it's a lot easier to bring a load up the new road +than it was up the old one. If the main road wasn't so rough, I could +haul even more. I can see that John White's argument for concrete +roads is a good one. I'm going to talk it up to the farmers around +here and see if we can't get them together and build the new road this +summer. I was talking to one of the County Commissioners to-day and he +says they are in favor of it, but they want the owners of the +adjoining farms to ask to have the road built. The Commissioners are +politicians, you know, and don't want to do anything that will lose +them votes. It's going to take three days to haul out the cement we +require for the new dairy house with such rough roads. By the way, +Bob," his uncle continued, "John White wants you to come to town with +me to-morrow and show him the kind of a dairy house we're planning to +build. He says he's anxious that it shall be a model that can be +copied by other farmers. I told him you didn't have much of a drawing, +but he said that he was sure if you took in the sketches you have, you +would be able to explain the construction to him so he could +understand it." + +The next day as they drove along they talked of the improvement on the +farm and the profit they ought to be able to earn with the new +equipment. Bob was the optimist and his uncle the pessimist in these +discussions, but optimistic Bob was not without his pencil and +memorandum book and usually had the better of the argument because of +his uncle's disinclination to take the time to figure out the +advantages and disadvantages of the schemes. + +As soon as they arrived in town, Bob went around to the First National +Bank to see the president, while his uncle stopped at the supply yard +for another load of cement. + +"Hello, Bob," greeted the banker, as he entered. "I hear you've put on +some help at the farm to build some of those modern buildings you've +been telling me about. Thought I'd like to know what you're doing. Got +your plans with you?" + +"They aren't very much of plans, Mr. White," explained Bob. "I'm not +much of an architect, but maybe you can understand them." + +"Bring them into the directors' room, Bob, where we can look them over +without interruption," he said, and Bob for the third time was +privileged to occupy this room. + +"The first thing I want to know," said the banker, "is how you found +the size dairy house you needed. Did you figure it out, Bob, or just +look up some catalogs and pick one out that pleased you?" + +"No, Mr. White," replied Bob, "Aunt Bettie and I decided first on the +size of the dairy herd. We thought that twenty cows would be as many +as we would be able to take care of on a farm of the size of ours, if +we do general farming. We have used a twenty-cow herd as the basis of +our calculations. We found by reading the recommendations in the +Government's bulletins, that in order to keep a dairy of good milk +cows, it would be necessary to take care of five calves and five +yearling heifers, and an old and a young bull in order to keep the +herd up to maximum production. We figure that a herd of twenty +Holstein cows ought to average two hundred quarts of milk daily. This +would mean ten twenty-quart cans to take care of the milk, and, +allowing for the ice, would require a trough nine feet by two feet six +inches by two feet. If we separate the cream, of course, it wouldn't +require such a large trough. But we used this as a basis of the dairy +requirements. Then we found by looking up another Government bulletin +that it would take about twenty tons of ice to take care of this milk, +but we need ice around the farm for other things, too, so we decided +to make the icehouse large enough for thirty tons. Aunt Bettie and I +read all the bulletins we could get from the Government and then we +looked up the different ones sent out by the Portland cement +manufacturers, but we found they didn't exactly agree; besides, we +felt that if we could build the icehouse inside of the dairy, the ice +wouldn't melt so fast, so we've decided to make a combination building +like this," he said, as he laid his plans before the banker. "We're +going to put this building back of the woodshed where it will join the +new cow barn." + +"But isn't a twenty-cow herd pretty large for one man to handle, Bob?" +asked the banker. + +"No, Mr. White, you can get a two-unit milking machine now that will +milk twenty to twenty-five cows in one hour and give a ninety-eight +per cent. efficiency." + +"How much will that cost, Bob?" + +"We can get a complete two-unit outfit consisting of pump, air tanks, +two milking units, installed in the barn, complete for $450." + +"But you've only ten cows, now, Bob. Wouldn't that be too large for +them?" + +[Illustration: THE ELECTRIC MILKER SOON PAYS FOR ITSELF] + +[Illustration: COMFORTABLE SANITARY STALLS OF CONCRETE WITH WOOD +BLOCKPAVING ON FLOOR. RUNNING WATER AND PLENTY OF SUNSHINE ASSURE A +HEALTHY AND CONTENTED HERD] + +"No, Mr. White, the outfit is designed for from ten to twenty-five +cows, and will do the milking twice as fast as by hand." + +"That's right, Bob; put in machinery and cut down help. Let's see, +that would save at least two hours a day for one man at, say thirty +cents an hour, or $219 per year. You say the complete outfit costs +$450, which amount at six per cent, interest would mean $27, or a +saving of $192. Quite a saving, Bob." + +"Have you laid out a general scheme for all your buildings?" asked the +banker, much interested. + +"Yes," replied Bob. "Aunt Bettie and I have figured out the size and +location of all the new buildings we'll need for the farm. Here they +are on this drawing," and he produced his general layout. "Of course, +you know, Mr. White, we won't get them all at once, but we want to +build each one as we go, so that it will be part of a definite scheme. +Aunt Bettie says we mustn't make any mistakes in the placing of our +buildings." "What does your Uncle Joe say about all these plans?" +asked the banker. + +"Well, Uncle Joe isn't very much interested just now, Mr. White. He +thinks we're planning to spend too much money, but Aunt Bettie says it +isn't so much the amount of money we spend, as the way in which it is +spent that requires the planning." + +"That's right," said the banker. "Do your thinking first and your +building afterward, and then you won't have a lot of mistakes to work +with all your life. I like the way you've laid these buildings out, +Bob. You must have read a lot to get this idea. Where did you say the +new hen house is to go?" + +"Over here behind the cow barn. You see, Mr. White, our present +buildings are all built facing the wrong way. We don't get the right +exposure. Besides, Aunt Bettie and I think that the new house should +set out where the old barn is at the present and the new barn should +be out in the orchard back of the smokehouse. The trees in this +orchard are old anyway, and it is about time they were cut down. That +would make a good layout for all the buildings and have them +conveniently connected. You see the new driveway comes up in the yard +between the house and the barn, where it ought to be. That will make +the general entrance to the house toward the barn and a garden +entrance toward the main road." + +"That's right, Bob; I'm glad to hear you talk about gardens. I think +the finest thing on a farm, outside of making a profit," he added +smiling, "are flowers." + +"Well, the flowers are Aunt Bettie's idea," said Bob. "She says +they've many nice gardens in New England, and that she wants to have +one out here, and, of course, you know that'd be the southwest +exposure, and just the place for a flower garden." + +"What's this dotted line for, Bob?" asked the banker, pointing with +his lead pencil. + +"Oh, that's the water supply pipe from the spring on 'Old Round Top'," +said Bob. "You see, we're planning to carry the water into all the +buildings, so it won't be necessary to take the stock out to water in +the winter. Of course, when we build the cow barn, we'll put in +individual water bowls for each cow. Aunt Bettie and I are reading up +on dairy barns now and when we come to build that we don't want any +mistakes. We want it just as good and practical as it can be made, yet +not too expensive." + +"After you get the dairy house up, Bob, what's the next building +you're going to build?" + +"We want to build the hen house next, Mr. White," said Bob, "but it's +a good deal of work for just Tony and I, working by ourselves, even +though we do get up early in the morning. Besides, it'll soon be +planting time and Uncle Joe will need me in the corn field." + +"I was thinking of that, Bob," said the banker thoughtfully, tapping +the table with the end of his pencil. "I wonder why it wouldn't pay +your Uncle Joe to put on a man to help him and let you look after the +buildings." + +"Oh, but he couldn't afford that. Besides, I like to work at planting, +too," replied Bob hastily. "Yes, that's so," said the banker, "but I +think I told you, Bob, I want to see your Uncle Joe's farm a model +one, and I don't want him to spend three or four years in fixing it +up. Of course, the other farmers won't do theirs quite so quickly; +they don't have sand pits on their farms, but there's so much to do to +get these old farms on a paying basis that I want to see your uncle's +farm finished up completely by the end of this year." + +"But I'm sure Uncle Joe couldn't afford to go ahead with all the +buildings, Mr. White," replied Bob in alarm, "and while Aunt Bettie +and I would like to see them put up and have all the improvements made +without waiting so long, it would cost a lot of money." + +"Have you any idea, Bob, what these buildings will cost?" asked the +banker a moment later. + +"Not exactly, Mr. White, although we've made up some figures, using +the prices given in the bulletins, and trying to figure out the cost +of the concrete work ourselves. We think that the dairy house will +cost $450; the hen house $1000; the cow barn $1500, and the main barn +$2000. Then there's the new piggery and the concrete feeding floor +that goes with it. The barn, of course, will have one or two silos--we +haven't decided yet which will be best--and we want to put in a manure +pit with a carrier system. And I want to make some concrete shelters +for my bee hives. Then, of course, we'll need some equipment, such as +a corn harvester and machine for filling the silos--these will cost +about $500. We ought to have a new machinery shed to keep all the +farming implements in, and I've been telling Uncle Joe we also need a +shop with a forge for blacksmith work and some iron-working tools for +making repairs to the farming implements, also a small carpenter shop. +I want Tony to make some new bee hives for me during the winter. Say, +you ought to hear Tony play, Mr. White," said Bob suddenly. + +"Why, what does he play?" asked the banker. + +"A flute," said Bob. "You just ought to hear him. He plays the nicest +music I ever heard." + +"Does he sing, too?" inquired the banker, interested. + +"Yes, but it's in Italian and I don't understand what it's all about, +except it's mostly about a bull fighter--he calls him a Toreador. You +ought to hear him when we're out back of the barn some morning. He not +only sings, but he acts it, too. He sticks the pitchfork into the +straw stack, like as if it's a bull, and makes you believe he's +killing it with a sword." + +"That's from the opera Carmen," laughed the banker, at Bob's +description of the Toreador Song. "Well, I guess he must be a man of +some education if he can sing that. You better keep him around the +place, Bob, if you can. But, coming back to the question of buildings, +I think I'll speak to your Uncle Joe and see if we can't manage some +way or other to let you work on the buildings so you can get them +pushed along. As I told you, I want to see all your buildings up +within a year." + +"Oh, you don't mean it, Mr. White. You don't mean the new barns and +all." + +"Yes, everything, Bob," he replied. + +"That would cost a lot of money," said Bob, frightened at the idea of +spending so much. + +"You seem to forget, Bob, that I told you the First National Bank was +back of your Uncle Joe, and as long as we don't worry, he shouldn't. +Besides, if your Uncle Joe doesn't make good, I'll charge it off to +profit and loss against my 'Constructive Banking' scheme; but I'm not +going to worry about that feature, Bob--I know your Uncle Joe is going +to succeed. You go ahead with your dairy house and I'll drive out in a +few days to see how you're coming along. Give my regards to your Aunt +Bettie," he added, as he waved good-by to the departing boy. + + + + +XIII + +VISITORS + + +The building of the dairy was the most interesting thing Bob had ever +undertaken, and they had not proceeded very far until he began to +realize what a valuable helper he had in Tony. Many times when he was +at a loss to know how to proceed, Tony was ready with suggestions and +seemed to know just what to do. + +They made a careful list of all the material they needed, and a rough +sketch of the doors and windows with all sizes marked on them; also +the other equipment they would require. These Bob's uncle bought in +town at a planning mill and hardware store. The most important of all +was a seven cubic foot self-charging gasoline-driven concrete mixer of +a type that Bob and Tony had decided would be the best for their use. +The machine selected was not the cheapest one they could have bought, +but it was the one that required the least amount of labor to operate +and was a substantial, well-built machine, guaranteed for one year. + +"Father says it always pays to buy a good tool, even if it costs a +little more," Bob had advised his uncle when the latter questioned his +selection, but his uncle had finally given in and the mixer had been +purchased. + +Bob was sure his uncle had had a plain talk with John White, the +banker, for now, instead of objecting each time materials and tools +were bought, he had readily consented. + +"I want you to keep an account of all the material, time and money you +spend, Bob, so when we're through we'll know exactly what each +building costs," his uncle admonished. "I'm going to give all the +bills for materials to you so you can check them up and see if we +receive everything we order; then you can make a record of what it +costs. John White said that when we're through he wants a detailed +cost of the work, to know exactly what each building has cost us, and +I think it's a good idea myself." + +At the end of three weeks the dairy house was fully completed, +including the painting, which Bob and Tony also did. Every day or two +John White had driven out to the farm in the late afternoon to see how +the work was progressing. A stranger might have thought that the +building was being erected for him from the interest he took in +everything that was done. + +"I want to get posted on farm building construction, Bob," he +remarked, one day when the building was nearly completed. "You see, +I'm going to preach the gospel of modern buildings among our farmers +and loan them money for their improvements, and I want to see how the +thing is done. I want them to get rid of the continual cost of up- +keep, to say nothing of the loss of time spent in repairing old +buildings, time they could use to earn good American dollars. How soon +are you going to start the hen house you were talking about?" + +[Illustration: SMALL, SELF-LOADING, KEROSENE-DRIVEN, CONCRETE MIXERS +MAKE THE WORK EASY--TWO MEN CAN MIX AND PLACE MORE CONCRETE THAN EIGHT +WORKING BY HAND AND THE CONCRETE WILL BE BETTER MIXED] + +"We could start it this week," said Bob, "but Uncle Joe is talking +about planting the corn." + +"Don't you bother your head about that, Bob; your Uncle Joe and I've +had a talk and have worked that out all right. If the sand pit holds +out, your Uncle Joe pays the expenses, and if it doesn't hold out, I +guess I'll be stuck," he laughed. "I want to see you devote all your +time to getting these buildings up. Next year you can spend all the +time you want raising crops." + +"But won't that make a lot of work for Aunt Bettie?" said Bob, +considering the matter. "She's pretty busy now, Mr. White." + +"I was thinking of that, too. It isn't fair that your uncle should +have all the help on his end. I only wish we knew where we could get a +good woman to help her." + +Tony, who was standing near, was listening closely to what was being +said: + +"Mr. Bob, I have-a no told you that I got-a da wife who live in-a da +city, and I know she like-a da come and work for-a your Aunt Bettie. +We got-a no-a da kids, and she like-a da country, like-a da me." + +"That's a fine idea," said the banker, turning around quickly. "Where +is she now, Tony?" + +"She in Pittsburgh, wid her brud." + +"Send for her right away, Tony," said the banker. + +"All right, Mr. White, but I have no-a da mon." + +"Oh, that's so, Tony. Well, we'll take care of that." + +The banker left and returned a few minutes later and handed Tony $25. + +"This is on account of your work, Tony." + +"All right, I send-a da letter to-night," and Bob thought he saw a +happy look in Tony's eyes as he thrust the money into his pocket and +started to work again. + +"Bob," said his aunt one morning, a few minutes after he had brought +the mail up from the R. F. D. box on the main road, "I've some good +news for you. We're going to have company; my two nieces who live in +New England are coming to see us. One is Edith Atwood, my brother's +daughter, who lives in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the other is Ruth +Thomas, my sister's daughter, who lives near Wallingford, Connecticut. +Ruth is eighteen and Edith will be eighteen in September. They +finished high school last year and are both anxious to see our farm." + +"When will they get here?" asked Bob, not pleased at the news and +wondering what the coming of two girls might do to upset their plans +for the improvement of the farm. + +"They were not supposed to come before June," replied his aunt, seeing +that Bob was not pleased, "but Ruth was so anxious to get into the +country while we were planting that she persuaded Edith to come now. +They'll be here on Saturday." + +"That'll be day after to-morrow," exclaimed Bob, "the day I was +planning to start work on the new hen house." + +"Well, you needn't stop on their account, Bob," replied his aunt. +"I'll drive in and get them. I know how anxious you are to get the hen +house started, now that you have Tony to help you." + +All day Bob kept turning over in his mind the invasion of his domain +by two girls. Now, why couldn't the visitors have been boys instead of +girls, then he could have enlisted their services in the construction +of the new buildings. What could he not do with two willing boys to +help him? Why must these visitors be girls instead of boys, he +thought. They would probably sit around the house all day, reading +magazines, or want him to leave his work to drive them about in the +car. He felt sure the best part of the day, the evening hour they all +spent together in the sitting room, discussing their plans, would now +be spoiled. + +The next day he took the tractor with two trailing wagons and began +hauling sand and gravel from the pit to the site of the hen house. The +operator of the steam shovel loaded the wagons for him and this saved +much time for two shovelfuls made a load. By noon they had brought up +twenty loads, enough to make a start on the foundations. He again +appreciated the convenience of having the water piped to this +building, the same as to the dairy house, for a short hose gave them +all the water they needed, when and where they needed it, and with the +cement stored in the wagon shed near by they had all the materials +they required to begin work. Bob took his tape line and with Tony +holding the ring against the fence that divided the south field from +the barnyard, measured off fifty feet and drove a peg. Then going +eighty rods along the fence, measured out fifty feet again and drove +another peg. He was careful to keep the tape line as nearly square +with the fence as possible. They now stretched a line between the two +pegs and coming within a few feet from the first one, set up a batter +board three feet long, and at right angles to the line--the same as +they had done with the dairy house foundations. Then they measured off +two hundred and fifty-two feet along the line and set up another +batter board in the same manner. This done, they put in two other +batter boards at right angles with the first, but eighteen inches back +of the line. They drove two nails in these boards, exactly two hundred +and fifty feet apart. They then placed another line parallel to and +twenty feet away from the first one with similar batter boards, and +located the other end of the cross lines on the boards. With a ten- +foot pole and using the six, eight and ten method, they squared the +lines, and located the ends of the buildings. + +Bob then marked under the line with heavy black pencil the letters "B. +L."--meaning building line. This done they drove other nails in each +batter board six inches outside of the building line to locate the +outside of the footing, and removed the lines to these nails. From +these new lines they measured back twenty inches and drove other +nails, locating the inner edge of the footings. + +Bob placed a large black letter "F" under each nail to designate the +edge of footings. They now took their picks and dug a small score in +the ground directly under all the lines, thus marking out correctly on +the ground the outer and inner edge of the footings. As the elevation +of the ground at the northwest corner was the highest, they set a +grade stake with the top six inches above the ground at that point and +from this stake set other stakes at ten-foot intervals in the center +of the footings all around the building, using the twelve-foot level +board and mason's level to establish the correct elevation. + +They took down their lines, wound them up carefully and laid them +aside for further use. Bob decided, in order to keep the frost from +getting under the walls, they'd have to place the footings three feet +below the finished grade. In order to throw the water away from the +buildings, it would also be necessary to make a fall of six inches on +the high corner. This would make the trench for the footings two feet, +six inches deep at that point, and as there was a drop of eight inches +to the southeast corner, the trench there would be one foot, ten +inches deep. Between the grade stakes they now dug out a section the +full width of the footings and about three feet long, and located the +exact bottom of the trench by measuring down three feet from the under +side of the level board as it rested on two of the grade stakes. + +They threw the excavated earth inside of the building to bring the +floor up to grade, and when the depth holes were completed they dug +out the sections between them, leveling the intervening space by their +eyes. + +Bob was so interested in the new building that he and Tony went back +and worked until dark, so as to have the excavation ready for footings +in the morning. + +"I'm going to scold you for breaking the Union rules, Bob," laughed +his aunt, when he came into the sitting room a few minutes after eight +o'clock. "You know we decided not to work after six o'clock." + +"Yes, I know we did, Aunt Bettie," said Bob, "but I was so anxious to +get the excavation done, ready for concreting to-morrow." + +"Well, I suppose if I could command the sun to stand still, like +Joshua of old, you wouldn't be willing to stop until the whole job was +done," she laughed. "How long do you think we could remain happy here +if we all began working from daylight until dark? Life would soon +become a burden, and you'd be the first one to leave for the city, +Bob. Besides, if we keep long working hours, we'll miss our pleasant +evenings together, and I'm not willing to give them up," she smiled at +him across the table. "I guess you're right, Aunt Bettie," he replied, +as he sat down in a chair, too tired to read. "I won't do it again." + +The next morning Bob had his chores and milking done by six o'clock +and by six-thirty he was out at the new hen house, where he was joined +by Tony. + +"Good-a morn, Mr. Bob," smiled Tony. "This-a the day we make-a da +concrete fast." + +"That's what we will," replied Bob. "Get some cement, Tony, and we'll +start the mixer going right away." + +While Tony was getting the cement, Bob filled his six cubic foot +measure with sand and gravel, and on top of these he placed one bag of +cement, then he started the engine and the elevator emptied the load +into the drum, which, as soon as he added the water, he set revolving. +When the concrete was thoroughly mixed, he threw the dumping lever +over and filled the wheelbarrow that Tony placed under the discharging +end of the drum. + +By the time Tony had dumped the three barrows of concrete into the +trench, Bob had another batch ready for the machine, and while this +was being mixed Tony leveled off the concrete in the trench even with +the grade stakes, set in the trench six inches above the bottom. + +By night the footings were completed. They now located and dug the +footings for the piers of the cross partitions and concreted them, so +as to give the cement of the main footings a chance to set up before +they began putting the forms on top of them. They could have saved the +forms below grade by making the excavation the exact width of the +foundation wall, but they felt this was poor economy, for the work was +uncertain and rough, and the extra labor caused by trying to fit the +forms to the sloping ground would more than offset the little saving; +besides, it took more cement to fill in irregular trenches than it did +ones of exact size. They had taken the forms they used for the dairy +house foundation, together with some new sections, and set them up on +the new footing, using wooden spreaders for holding them the right +distance apart and placing heavy wires through the hole in the forms, +the ends of which encircled a pin and were twisted up tight securing +the forms firmly together. + +The three-foot form sections brought the top of the forms just under +the line, which was now stretched between the nails marked "B.L." and +the outside of the wall was correctly located. They drove pegs into +the ground on both sides and braced the top of the forms to hold them +to the exact line. They had only twenty sections, each ten feet long, +enough for one end and four sections down each side, so Bob decided to +put in the forms at the north end and concrete them, and then remove +them to the south end. When the concrete there was sufficiently hard +they could set up the forms between the two ends thus finished. This +would provide three expansion joints on each side, which would be just +right. They had just completed the erection of the forms for the north +end and filled the hopper with a new batch, ready to be hoisted into +the drum, when Bob happened to look toward the barn and saw the car +come to a stop in the barnyard. By the time he had cranked the engine, +the occupants of the car had alighted and his uncle was starting for +the house, his arms full of suitcases. Bob noticed that one of the +girls who had alighted was of medium height and slender, while the +other was short and rather stout. + +"Is that your new hen house?" he heard the stout one inquire of his +aunt, as he stopped the engine on the mixer, and she looked over in +Bob's direction. + +Bob had again filled the drum and was watching the mixing of the +concrete a few moments later, when he heard someone behind him and +turned around. + +"We thought we'd come out and see how you're getting along, Bob," said +his aunt, smiling at him, while the two girls came forward as she +spoke. "I want you to meet my nieces, Bob. This is Ruth Thomas, and +this is Edith Atwood--and this young man, girls, is Robert Williams, +about whom I spoke." + +"What a fib, Aunt Bettie," laughed Ruth. "You know you've been talking +about him ever since we got off the train, and besides, you called him +'Bob,' not Robert." + +"May I call you 'Bob,' too?" she asked, looking up at him. "I like it +better than Robert. It doesn't take so long to say." + +"Of course," replied Bob, blushing. "I guess I wouldn't know who you +meant if you called me 'Robert,' for I've been called 'Bob' ever since +I can remember." + +"Is that concrete, Bob?" asked Ruth suddenly, as he stopped the engine +and brought the drum to a standstill. "What makes it so gray?" + +"The cement," said Bob, pleased to see her interested in his work. + +"Is it sticky?" she asked, as she put her fingers into it and stirred +around in the mixture. + +"Why, it's gritty, just like sand, Aunt Bettie," she said looking up. + +"Of course," said Bob. "That's because it's made of sand and gravel +and cement." + +"May I see you make some?" she asked. + +"Yes, in a few minutes," he replied; "just as soon as we empty the +drum. You'd better stand back a little so that you won't get splashed +when the concrete goes into the wheel-barrow," as Tony came forward. + +"And this is Tony, Bob's assistant, girls," said their aunt. + +"This is Ruth, Tony, and this is Edith." + +"I-a please to meet da young-a ladies," said Tony, more embarrassed +even than Bob had been, as he awkwardly placed the wheel-barrow under +the drum. + +As soon as the drum was empty, Bob measured out a charge of four parts +gravel, two parts sand and one part cement, and then started the +engine and dumped them into the drum, where he added sufficient water +for the mixing. + +"How do you tell how much water to put in?" asked Ruth. + +"Oh, we learned that by experience," said Bob. You see the mixer has a +tank on top that holds the right amount, but this may be varied if you +like. The concrete must be wet enough so that it quakes, but not thin +enough to run like water." + +"Let me put in the water next time, Bob, won't you?" she asked. "Say, +Aunt Bettie, may I help Bob mix his concrete?" + +"You better come to the house and help me," replied her aunt laughing. +"Bob and Tony, I'm afraid, would only find you in the way." + +"All right," said Ruth, "but on Monday I'll help you, Bob," and she +started for the house with her aunt and cousin, the latter Bob now +recalled had not spoken a single word, beyond the introduction. + +"I'm going to help Bob mix concrete on Monday, Uncle Joe," said Ruth +at supper that night. "I know how it's done. You take four parts of +cement, two of sand and one part of gravel, and put them in the, 'What +do you call it, Bob?'" + +"Drum," said Bob. + +"Yes, drum," repeated Ruth. "You see, Uncle Joe, I know how to mix +it." + +"You use only one part of cement, Ruth," corrected her cousin, "and +two of sand and four of gravel." + +Bob glanced up quickly at this clear statement of the facts, and for +the first time looked directly into the brown eyes of Edith Atwood. + + + + +XIV + +RUTH AND THE STRAW STACK + + +The Monday morning's mail brought them notice that the cement drain +tile had arrived in town. They found it cheaper to buy this from a +firm that made a specialty of tile rather than try to make them, and, +more important still, a letter had been received by Tony saying his +wife would arrive on the ten o'clock train; so it was decided that +work should be suspended on the hen house for the morning and that +Tony and Bob should take the car and drive in to meet the train, while +Joe Williams would take the team and bring out the tile and some new +seed corn that he was getting for the spring planting--a new variety +that John White had persuaded him to try. + +At eight-thirty work on the hen house was suspended, the car gotten +out and cleaned, Bob changed his clothes, and Tony, with as much of +the dirt removed as possible--smiling and happy--got into the car and +drove to the station. They arrived just a few minutes before the +train, Bob remaining in the car while Tony went around the station to +meet his wife, as she alighted from the train. + +[Illustration: EVERY BOY THAT RAN AWAY FROM THE FARM AND MANY THAT ARE +STILL THERE CAN TELL OF THE DAYS WASTED ON REPAIRS TO WOODEN FENCES +AND CLEANING OUT FENCE ROWS. YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND A PROSPEROUS FARMER +BEHIND A NEAT WIRE FENCE ON PERMANENT CONCRETE POSTS.] + +A few minutes later Bob's ears were greeted by the sound of animated +conversation in a foreign tongue, not a word of which was intelligible +to him, but every word of which seemed to please the speakers. A +little later Tony came around the corner of the station, a huge +suitcase under each arm, followed by a rather good-looking woman of +medium height, and, like Tony, a true type of sunny Italy. She was +dressed much better than Bob had expected to find her, and when Tony +said, "This-a my wife, Mr. Bob," he was surprised to hear her say in +very good English: "I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Williams," letting +her gaze fall as she greeted him. + +As soon as Bob had recovered from his surprise, he jumped down from +the seat, opened the door of the tonneau and helped her into the car, +an act of courtesy which the smiling eyes of Tony quickly +acknowledged. One of the suitcases was put on the empty front seat of +the car and the other was placed on end between Tony and his wife in +the tonneau, and then they started for the farm. + +While Tony and his wife carried on an animated conversation in +Italian, Bob was not without his own thoughts. He was trying to figure +out how Tony, who had difficulty in expressing his ideas in English, +should happen to have such a good-looking English-speaking Italian +wife. He was not aware that many of the American-born Italian boys and +girls receive high school educations, and, of course, he didn't know +that Tony, who had been born in Italy, should have met in the house of +a distant relative, a young woman who had had these advantages, and +who should have found in the good-natured Tony, with his foreign +manners, the object of her love. He was wondering, too, how she might +like farm work and how his Aunt Bettie might like her. + +He didn't have long to wait, for now that the roads were getting dry +and better, he made the trip in less than twenty minutes and they were +soon speeding up the new driveway to the house. He jumped out of the +car, and taking one of the suitcases conducted Tony and his wife to +his aunt, who had come out on the porch to greet them, and he noticed +that she was as much surprised as he had been when Tony blushingly +said: + +"This-a my wife, Mrs. Williams," and she had replied: + +"I'm pleased to know you, Mrs. Williams," extending her hand. "My name +is Maria Martinelli," she added. "Tony has been telling me what a fine +place you have here, and how kind you've been to him. I'm sure I'll be +very happy working for you." + +"Well, we do like Tony and I believe he likes us, and I hope you'll +like us also," Aunt Bettie replied. + +Tony now started for his room, the suitcases under his arms. + +"We haven't Tony's room very well fixed up yet," Mrs. Williams +continued, as Tony's wife followed him up the stairs, "but you and I +can take care of that in the next few days." + +Bob felt sure that his Aunt Bettie had already established pleasant +relations with her new assistant, and whistled merrily as he changed +into his working clothes. + +When he returned to the hen house he was surprised to see some one in +a brand new suit of funny-looking overalls sitting on the gravel pile +waiting for him. As he came near, the stranger arose and looked toward +him, but it was not until he got within a few feet that he recognized +in the figure before him Ruth Thomas. + +"Aunt Bettie said she'd let me help you with the concrete, Bob, so I +put on these. How do you like my farmerette clothes?" she, asked +smiling. + +"Well, you surprised me, all right," laughed Bob, as, for the first +time in his life, he saw a girl dressed in man's clothes. + +"What do you do first, Bob?" she asked, going over to the mixer and +pulling on the levers; "put in the water or the cement?" + +"Neither," said Bob, still trying to decide whether he approved of her +manner of dress or not. "We've all the concrete mixed that we need +until we finish setting up the forms at the south end." + +"Give me a hammer then, and I'll help drive the nails," she said, +coming round to where Bob was leveling up some of the forms. "All +right, drive a nail in there," he said, indicating the end of a brace +that leaned against the forms. + +Ruth took the hammer and tapped the nail gently, succeeding in +starting it, then she raised the hammer and struck hard. The hammer +descended squarely on the nail, but not the nail in the brace, but the +nail on her left thumb. With a cry of pain she dropped the hammer and +tried hard to keep back the tears. + +"You'll have--to--excuse--me, Bob, until--I go--to the house and tie +this up," she said, hesitatingly, "but as soon as Aunt Bettie puts +something on it, I'll be back," and as she disappeared Bob heard her +choking back her sobs. + +His sympathy struggled for a few moments with his humor, but the +latter got the better of him, and as soon as Ruth got well out of +hearing, he couldn't refrain any longer from laughing at the funny +figure she cut in her new clothes and the abrupt ending to her +ambition to help build the hen house. + +He found that he couldn't get along very well with the forms by +himself, so he decided to knock off until after dinner. He was +crossing over to the barn, where he met Ruth still dressed in her +overalls, her thumb tied up, coming into the barnyard with her cousin +Edith. + +"We thought we'd like to look over the barn until my thumb quits +hurting," called Ruth. + +"All right," said Bob, and he conducted them into the thrashing floor +where he explained how a barn was built and where the hay was kept and +how they fed the different horses and cattle from the thrashing floor. +Most of the mows were now almost empty and the barn had the appearance +of great size. + +"I'm going to climb up into the hay mow," said Ruth, as she started +for the ladder. + +"Why do you want to go up there, Ruth?" asked Edith. + +"Oh, I want to see what the place looks like," replied Ruth, as she +nimbly climbed the ladder and stepped off into the mow. + +"Come on up, it's fine up here," she called. + +Bob quickly followed her and a moment later Edith joined them. + +Pausing there for a few minutes, they climbed over into another mow +and looked out through a window on the side of the barn. + +"Why, we can get on the roof from here," said Ruth. + +"Yes," said Bob, "we can." + +"Let's go out then," she said. + +"But you might slide off," warned Bob. + +"No danger of that," replied Ruth; "we've got our sneakers on." + +So he crawled through the window and standing on the roof first helped +Ruth and then Edith through. + +"It isn't as steep as it looks from the ground, and I'm going on up to +the top," said Ruth. + +Bob helped Edith up and they sat on the ridge for several minutes +looking out over the farm, Bob pointing out to them the places of +interest, and telling them the story of how the new dam and ditch came +to be built. As they sat there, they noticed their uncle coming up the +lane and that he had already reached the foot of the hill. + +"Why, there comes Uncle Joe," shouted Ruth, as she started running +down the side of the barn toward him, on which side a lean-to was +built, and beyond which stood last year's straw stack, the top about +even with the roof of the lean-to. + +"Come on, Edith, I'm going to jump off the roof on to the straw +stack," she shouted, and before Bob could stop her she had jumped and +landed on the stack. + +"It didn't seem so difficult, Bob," said Edith, and she also started +running down the side. "I guess I can make it, too," she called, and +leaped on to the stack, where Bob joined them a moment later. + +The three stood waving their hands and shouting to their uncle. +Suddenly Ruth exclaimed: "I'm going to slide down the side of the +stack," and moved over to the side nearest to her uncle, who, seeing +her intention, stood up in the wagon and shook the whip at her, +warning her not to do so. Ruth only took his warning as a dare, and +throwing her arms high over her head with a loud shout started to +slide down the side of the stack. Now the stack had furnished feed for +the cattle all winter and they had eaten under the edges, so that it +was like a huge toadstool. From his position in the lane, her uncle +saw what Ruth could not see from the top--that there were cattle under +the edge. As Ruth came noisily down the side her shouting caused a cow +standing under the edge of the stack to come running out. The two met +just at the edge of the stack, Ruth landing squarely on the cow's +back, her back to her head. + +With a snort and a plunge, the cow started to race across the +barnyard, and it was hard to tell which was the more surprised--Ruth +or the cow. In her eagerness to get rid of her unexpected burden, the +cow threw her hindquarters from side to side, as she ran--a motion +that seemed to be exactly timed with Ruth's endeavor to fall off on +that particular side, as each sudden change threw her into a vertical +position again. + +So with her hands on the cow's back and rolling from side to side she +managed to maintain her seat, until the cow, seeing she was unable to +get rid of her burden, ran for a black walnut tree, which stood near +the old pump. She ran close against this tree and Ruth came shooting +from the cow's back, much like a big frog jumping into a pond, landing +unhurt on all fours on the soft litter of the barnyard. + +Edith and Bob were still standing on top of the straw stack rocking +with laughter at the ridiculous figure cut by Ruth, while their uncle +stopped the team and hurried up the bank as fast as he could go. He +was the first to get to Ruth as she picked herself up and began +brushing off the dust. + +Then Bob slid over the side of the stack to make sure there were no +more cattle in the way, and a few minutes later was joined by Edith. +They hurried forward together to where Ruth was standing and found, +with the exception of a bruise on her chin and a rent in one sleeve, +where it had rubbed along the ground, she was unhurt and laughing as +merrily as the rest. + +"Say, Ruth," said her uncle, seeing she was uninjured, "next time you +want to ride one of the cows, let me know and I'll get you a saddle, +or maybe you'd rather try one of the horses." + +"Oh, I didn't get hurt a bit, Uncle Joe," she laughed, "and it really +was lots of fun." + + + + +XV + +NEW METHODS + + +The next week was a busy one on Brookside Farm. All were deeply +engaged with their several occupations. Saturday brought the first +interruption to the work when John White, the banker, paid them a +visit. He appeared in his large touring car, instead of his usual +runabout. Mrs. White, their daughter, a girl of fourteen, whom Bob had +seen in the bank talking to her father; and two young boys, about +Bob's own age, and whom Bob did not know, were with him. + +They arrived shortly after three o'clock in the afternoon. Bob and +Tony were setting up the pre-cast concrete sections, forming the walls +and partitions of the hen house. The party alighted, and, led by Mr. +White, came over to the hen house to inspect the work. This was the +banker's custom on his visits to Brookside Farm. + +"Hello, Bob!" he called. "Come over and meet Mrs. White," and Bob +stepped forward and was introduced. + +"This is my daughter Alice, and this is my sister's son, Edward Brown, +and his friend, Herbert Potter--and this is Bob Williams, the boy I've +been telling you about." + +Again Bob extended his hand in greeting, but it was accepted rather +indifferently, he thought, by the other two boys, which did not aid in +establishing friendly relations. In fact, Bob felt that they rather +held themselves above him. + +Mrs. White was a large motherly woman. She had light hair and blue +eyes and had not talked long before Bob discovered that she had a deep +interest in her husband's business, for the questions she asked were +such that he knew the banker must have been explaining to her about +the work being done on Brookside Farm. + +The banker now left them to go around the other side of the building +to speak to Tony, while Bob explained to Mrs. White and the boys how +they made the pre-cast slabs and set them in place on the wall and +braced them, to hold them in line, until the concrete studs were cast +to form the permanent supports for the roof. + +"You know, Bob," said Mrs. White, "this is the most interesting thing +I've ever seen in my life. Just think of being able to dig your +buildings out of the side of the hill. I think it's all perfectly +wonderful the way you're making use of your 'Hidden Treasure,' as Mr. +White tells me you call the undeveloped resources of your farm." + +Bob now got his drawing and explained to her the manner in which the +hen house was planned to get the southern exposure; also the +arrangements for feeding the chickens, gathering the eggs, the system +of ventilation adopted which would prevent draughts and keep the hen +house well ventilated in both winter and summer. Also the feed and +incubator house and how each could be extended from time to time by +simply building on to the ends. + +Mrs. White asked a great many questions and Bob felt sure she was not +talking just to be polite, but was really interested in the work they +were doing. It gave him much pleasure to know that the time he had +spent in reading up on farm work was producing results. + +Bob's Aunt Bettie and the two girls now came out to greet their +guests. Introductions followed, and a few minutes later the party +adjourned to the house, all except Bob, Tony and the banker. No amount +of urging on the part of Bob's aunt could persuade the banker to leave +the hen house, the construction of which interested him so much. + +"I like your idea, Bob," he said, "in making your buildings of pre- +cast standardized sections. I can see where this type of construction +would have great advantages in the winter, and, at odd times, when a +farmer isn't busy he can make up some sections and let them harden, +and, whenever he gets enough for a building, he can put them together +quickly. Where did you get the idea for this kind of work?" + +"Well, partly from the bulletins and partly from Tony, and the rest I +just thought out myself. You see, Mr. White, the bulletins say a wall +of a building is always dryer, warmer in winter and cooler in summer, +if it's hollow, and besides it only takes about half the material. +Then, you see, there's an advantage when you want to put in +ventilation to use the hollow wall for that purpose. While Tony and I +have been working on the hen house, I've been turning over in my mind +the design for the cow barn. These hollow walls are going to be of +great service for ventilating that building?" + +"Can you construct your cow barn with the same size units that you +made for the hen house?" + +"Yes, Mr. White, we figured that all out before we started our dairy +building, and we expect to use the same construction on all our +buildings, even on the silo. Of course, in that case, we'll have to +make the sections curved, but Tony says that won't be a difficult +thing to do. You know, Mr. White, Tony understands drawings, and has +been able to give me some good suggestions--particularly on how to +handle and make forms. He says he started to learn the carpenter trade +when he was only ten years old, and he can file a saw or sharpen a +plane so they'll cut fine." + +"Well, I'm very much interested, Bob, in the way you're getting along +with this work. As soon as you get this building up to the roof, I'm +going to ask your Uncle Joe to let me give a party at Brookside Farm +some Saturday, and have all the farmers around this section come and +see what you're doing. We'll probably have to wait until they get +their plowing done and their corn in. You know," he added, "they +didn't have a tractor to do their work for them like you did, but I've +a notion that I've made some of them jealous, and there'll be a number +of tractors running in the county next spring, if I don't miss my +guess. How'd you like to have a little help, Bob, when you go to put +up the cow barn?" + +"What do you mean, Mr. White?" + +"Well, I've been thinking for some time that the way to get the other +farmers around here interested in concrete work and get them buying +sand from your pit, Bob, would be to have them send some of their boys +over here to learn how cement work is done, for while anyone can +easily learn how to use cement, still it must be understood to use it +correctly. Of course, they'll have a good deal of work to do, but +after planting their oats and corn, they might be able to take a few +days off and come to help you." + +"We won't be ready to start the cow barn that soon," said Bob. + +"But couldn't they be making up these pre-cast sections, as you call +them, or dig out for the foundations and put in the concrete +footings." + +"Oh, yes, we could do that, but Aunt Bettie and I haven't decided +definitely on our plans yet." + +"Couldn't you hurry them up a little so we could get the cow barn +under way? It seems to me if we could get the farmers' sons here to +Brookside, and get them interested in concrete buildings, they could +then show their fathers how the work is done, for," he added laughing, +"it's easier to teach a young dog a new trick than an old one. +Besides, Bob, don't lose sight of the fact that it will be profitable +for you." + +"How's that?" asked Bob. + +"You agree to pay them for their labor in sand and gravel, and once +you get them using concrete, they'll come back for more. Since you +were in to see me last, I've been thinking the matter over and I +believe you can manage it so you can get what help you need in this +way, except, perhaps, one or two carpenters when you come to the heavy +work of the cow barn. It will be to their advantage to learn how to do +the work. I was talking to the two boys we brought out with us to-day +to see if I couldn't get them to help you, but they said they didn't +want to be mussing around with farm work. I told Edward, my nephew, +that he didn't understand enough about farms to know what was good for +him, or he'd be glad to help you. Well, I must go and see your Uncle +Joe. Think over what I've been telling you about having the farmers' +boys help you and I'll think it over too and see how it can be +managed. Of course, you wouldn't want them all here at one time. I +think if they came two or three at a time, it would be better. We +could work out a schedule of dates, and know when each boy would come +so there would be no break in the working force. You'd better see if +you'll have tools and forms enough to keep them all working, Bob, and +if you don't, your Uncle Joe ought to get you a few more." + +Left to himself, Bob began to turn over in his mind the possibilities +and advantages of having more assistance, and getting the cow barn +started earlier than he had anticipated. Now that it would only +require a little more than another week to complete the hen house, he +decided that with double the number of forms they were now using, and +keeping Duncan Wallace casting sections, instead of fence posts, as +they had originally planned, they could probably get enough made for a +good start on the cow barn by the time the excavations and footings +were in place. + +At four-thirty Bob quit work as usual and went to the house and +cleaned up to do his milking. Just as he was finishing his last cow, +his Aunt Bettie and the girls, accompanied by their visitors, came +into the yard to see him milk. Bob explained that as soon as the new +cow barn was finished, the milking would no longer be done in the +barnyard, but in the barn, and instead of milking by hand, they would +install automatic milking machines. He could then take care of twenty +cows easier than he could now take care of ten milked by hand. + +"How do you like the new Holsteins?" asked the banker, as he watched +Bob finish off the last cow. + +"They're fine, Mr. White. This one's name is Spot. She's my favorite; +she's a three-year-old and gives twenty quarts of milk each day. +That's better than any of the others, although two of them come pretty +close to her. When we get the new barn and can, regulate their +feeding, they'll all do much better." + +"Why, do you know how much milk each cow gives?" inquired Mrs. White, +surprised. + +"Certainly," said Bob, "we not only know, but we set down every day +how much we get, so we can keep a record. If you'll come down to the +dairy house, I'll show you how it's done. Of course, we don't measure +each cow's milk separately every day, or weigh their cream every day, +but every time I milk, I keep the milk of one cow in a separate pail, +so it may be weighed. For instance, I'm taking note of Spot's yield +to-day." + +"This is very interesting, Bob," said Mrs. White. "I didn't think you +went into farming so scientifically." + +"They don't on some farms," replied Bob, "but Aunt Bettie and I keep +books here on Brookside Farm. We want to find out what pays the best." + +"That's right," said the banker, "working and figuring go hand in +hand, and if you keep that up Brookside Farm will soon be paying a +good profit." + +"Will you let me see your books after supper, Bob?" he asked. "Your +Aunt Bettie has invited us all to stay and have supper with you." + +"Yes," said Bob. "I'll be glad to." + +"Did that one cow give that much milk?" asked the banker's wife in +astonishment, as she saw the huge pail Bob had gotten from Spot. + +"Yes," said Bob proudly. + +"Why, I had no idea one cow could give so much milk," she replied. + +[Illustration: EXTRA PROFITS ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS A FARMER GETS +FROM A HERD OF WELL-BRED DAIRY COWS. THERE IS A SATISFACTION IN HAVING +SPENT HIS TIME CARING FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE WORTH WHILE] + +"That's why," said Bob, "it doesn't pay to keep common cows. They eat +as much as a purebred and don't give nearly as much milk. Besides, +their milk isn't as rich as Holsteins. If you come along to the dairy +house, I'll show you how we separate the milk and get the cream." + +"May I carry one of the pails, Bob?" asked Ruth. + +"You'll have to be careful, Ruth, if you carry it," admonished her +aunt. "If you and Edith don't go racing, you may carry it between +you," she continued, as the two girls picked up one of the largest +pails and started off for the dairy house. + +When they arrived, Bob weighed the milk given by Spot and made a note +of it in his record book, setting down the date and name of the cow; +then he weighed the balance of the milk, and under the heading of +"Herd of Ten Cows," he set down the total amount given by all. "You +see," said Bob, "in this way we have an individual record of milk +taken every ten days from each cow, and a daily record of the ten +taken together. It doesn't make so much bookkeeping and is close +enough for all practical purposes. When we get our electric lights in, +Mrs. White," he continued, as he started the separator, "we're going +to put an electric motor on the separator. Then I can be doing +something else while the milk's going through." + +"Listen to that, Ida," said the banker, addressing his wife. +"Everything on Brookside is going to be run by power and every person +on the farm will be multiplied by two or five before Bob and his Aunt +Bettie get through, and besides it won't be such hard work." + +"No," laughed Bob, "when the power does the work, you don't notice it +so much." + +"That's so," said the banker's wife; "you must be tired, Bob, at the +end of a day, with all the activities you have around here." + +"Oh, one gets used to it, Mrs. White. I've gained ten pounds since I +came here." + +He put the cream he had gotten in a cream can and placed it in the +trough. He opened the icehouse door and put some more ice around the +cans. + +"How'd you happen to get the old ice in the new dairy, Bob?" asked the +banker. + +"Well, we figured if we left it in the old icehouse, over half of it +would melt during the summer and we wouldn't lose anything like that +much by transferring it, so we put it on the wagon and hauled it over. +Of course, when this ice was cut, the cakes were made all kinds of +sizes, which gave us some trouble in piling it up. Next year we're +going to cut the ice in twenty-two by twenty-two-inch sizes. I don't +know whether I told you or not, Mr. White, but the floor of the +icehouse slopes toward the center, so each cake helps to support the +other as we take them out." + +"Just listen to that, Ida. See how Bob has figured out all these +things. Who would have thought of that?" + +"I didn't," confessed Bob. "That was in one of the farm bulletins on +icehouse construction." + +"Somebody else worked it out, but you used the idea," said the banker. +"Often a man who can utilize another's idea can develop it to greater +profit than the one who first created it. It's my opinion, Bob, that +it's the little things in life that are carefully managed that make a +success of the big things." + +"What do you do with your skim milk, Bob?" asked Mrs. White. "We feed +that to the calves, and what's left over to the pigs, and some of it +occasionally to the chickens." + +"Do you make butter, Bob?" asked Mr. White. + +"We used to," said Bob, "but now we sell all our cream to the creamery +and buy our butter." "What, buy your own butter?" + +"Yes, Aunt Bettie says it pays better to buy butter from those who +make it in a big way than try to make it ourselves. We get the butter +when we deliver the cream and in that way we don't have the extra work +to do. Of course, we could make our own butter, and would do so if +there was no creamery, but the money that goes for a pound of butter +is less than we get for a pound of butter fat, and we save the time +Aunt Betty would have to devote to it." + +Bob now opened the refrigerator and showed them how they kept their +eggs, butter and fresh meat. + +"My, what a nice-looking lot of things to eat," said Mrs. White +admiringly, as she looked into the white-enameled refrigerator. "See +the crates of nice white eggs and freshly-killed poultry." + +"Of course, we aren't killing much poultry now," said Bob. "We won't +get started on that until the hen house is finished, but we're killing +off a lot of the common chickens to get rid of them. They're bringing +thirty cents per pound now." + +"We'll wait supper till you get your shower and change your clothes, +Bob," whispered his aunt, as the party came to the house and Bob +disappeared. The favorable comments made by the banker and his wife on +his work raised his thoughts above the level of mere clothes. He cared +not that his ready-made suit compared rather poorly with the tailor- +made clothes of their boy visitors. He decided that as he was going to +be a farmer, he would wear the kind of clothes that belonged to +farmers, and wouldn't try to ape others in the matter of dress. + +After supper was over, Bob and his uncle, with the banker, adjourned +to the sitting room, where they spent a half hour in going over their +system of cost-keeping. + +"This is a fine system, Joe," said the banker. "I'm glad to know +you're taking such an intelligent interest in your farm." + +"Well, it was pretty hard, John, for me at first to understand keeping +accounts and all that, but Bettie and Bob were so insistent that I +finally made up my mind that I was going to learn what it was all +about. I think now I've a pretty fair idea how to tell whether a +thing's paying or not; besides, since we got it started it don't take +over five minutes a day. Before the summer is over, we'll have our +work pretty well systematized. I'm beginning already to find out that +a lot of things we've been doing on this farm all our lives have been +unprofitable and also that many things we've neglected entirely can be +made to pay a good profit." + +"Nothing like figures, Joe, to tell you where you're at," laughed the +banker. "Next thing for us to do, Joe, is to see that we get our +farmers all awake and in line for a new concrete road to town. We must +build that road this summer. I want you to be able to haul your +produce easily." + +When Bob returned to the porch, he found that the boys and girls had +gone for a walk, from which they did not return until the banker and +his wife were ready to leave. It did not add to his pleasure to see +the easy manner in which they walked along, arm in arm, on their +return to the house, or the rather overlong hand-shaking when they +finally parted. He decided he didn't like those boys--especially +"Eddie" Brown. + + + + +XVI + +RUTH AND JERRY + + +"I'm goin' to start planting the corn this morning, Bob," said his +uncle at breakfast on Monday morning. "I ought to get the ten-acre +field finished by Wednesday evening. As soon as that is planted, I +guess I had better take the tractor and haul out some more cement. +John White and I made arrangements on Saturday, when he was here, to +go ahead with the rest of the buildings. There'll be a considerable +amount of cement required for these, and I don't want to stop planting +corn to bring it out, and after that you know we'll be pretty busy. I +wish you would figure up how many barrels of cement it will take +approximately for each of the buildings, Bob; also the rolls of +galvanized wire and steel bars for reinforcing so that I can get these +ordered at the same time. You'll want some window frames and +ventilators, gratings and other things for the cow barn, too. I think +you'd better make some sketches and a list of just what you want. Then +we can get bids, and see where we can buy the cheapest. You'd better +get some catalogs, too, Bob, on cow stable fittings, such as +stanchions, sanitary water bowls and manure carriers. Of course, we'll +want to build the silo, too, at the same time, and you better make a +list of the materials required for that. You and your Aunt Bettie can +talk over the details and arrange the matter between you." + +[Illustration: GOOD SEED WELL PLANTED LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR A +PROFITABLE CROP] + +"All right, Uncle Joe; we'll take care of it," said Bob, "and have the +list ready for you in a few days. Of course, we don't want to knock +off during working hours to make up this list, unless we have to, but +when it comes to putting on the roof of the hen house, Tony can carry +on the work by himself, if necessary, while I complete the drawings of +the cow barn and silo and figure out the quantities." + +"Don't forget that I'm here," said Ruth, "and I'm going to help build +the rest of the buildings, even though I did hurt my thumb the first +time I tried. I've been practicing out in the woodshed and I can hit a +nail on the head nearly every time now." + +At the mention of her nail-driving ability, Bob could not refrain from +smiling. + +It was probably nine-thirty that morning when Bob, busy at work on the +hen house, looked up and saw Ruth dressed in her farmerette clothes, +talking with their uncle at the far side of the field where he was +planting oats. It was fully an hour later when he looked up again and +saw Edith standing near him. At first glance she seemed abashed, but +he noticed that the corners of her mouth were tucked up in a roguish +laugh. + +"Anything happened, Edith?" he asked. + +"Not yet, Bob, but," she replied laughing, "there'll be something +happen to Ruth in a few minutes, if you don't come and rescue her." + +"Why, where is she?" + +"Come, and I'll show you," said Edith, and Bob turned the concrete +mixer over to Tony and they went over to the old orchard, back of the +smokehouse. + +In almost the exact center of this three-acre plot, a tree had decayed +and fallen several years before, and a young apple tree had been +planted to take its place. This tree was now about five inches in +diameter, and forked about five to six feet from the ground. In the +crotch of this small tree, a foot dangling on either side, sat Ruth, +balancing herself as best she could while Jerry, the new Southdown +buck, was prancing back and forth, jumping alternately at one foot, +then at the other, as she let them hang down within his reach. + +"How did she get up there?" asked Bob, as he took in the situation. + +"I don't know," said Edith, "but she must have been up there a long +time, because I've been hearing her shouting for at least a half hour, +but I thought she was with you and Tony working on the hen house." + +"Oh, Bob, come over here and drive Jerry away," cried Ruth, hearing +them. "I've been sitting in this apple tree holding up my feet until +they're ready to drop off." + +"How did you happen to get up there, Ruth?" called Edith laughing, +while she and Bob stood outside the fence enjoying the situation and +watching Jerry jump time and again for a dangling foot. + +"I went up to see Uncle Joe--say, aren't you going to help me, Bob?-- +and was taking a short cut through the orchard and forgot all about +Jerry--confound that sheep," drawing a foot up just in time--"when I +saw him I started to run, and he ran after me. This was the only tree +small enough for me to climb, so I got up here and Jerry has been +keeping guard ever since. Whenever I let a foot dangle down he strikes +at it. Come on, and drive him away, Bob. I'm so tired I can scarcely +keep from falling." + +"All right," laughed Bob, "I'll get him away," and vaulting the fence +he ran over to where Jerry was standing, took him by the wool on the +back of his neck and held him with one hand. + +"Now, slide down, Ruth--he won't hurt you. All he wanted was someone +to pet him." + +"I tell you he's cross, Bob. He would have butted me if I hadn't got +up into the tree." + +"He was only trying to play with you, Ruth. Now, come down and I'll +prove you're wrong." + +But no sooner had Ruth placed her cramped feet on the ground than +Jerry broke loose, and with head down, went charging after her, as, +letting out a scream, she dashed for the house as fast; as she could +go. The gate, opening into the yard by the smokehouse, was too far +away, so she changed her course and headed for the fence between the +orchard and hen house, near the spot where Edith was standing. She had +placed her right foot on the second board of the fence just ready to +jump, when Jerry arrived just in time to take advantage of the +opportunity presented. With one strong butt he hoisted her clear of +the fence, landing her on all fours on the soft, plowed ground on the +other side. She jumped up quickly, spitting out a mouthful of the soft +earth she had scooped up. Bob and Edith were doubled up with laughter. + +"Oh, you two probably think it's very funny," snapped Ruth, "sitting +up in an apple tree for a half hour, with Jerry trying to knock your +feet off every time you let them hang down, to say nothing of his +butting me over the fence. Well, laugh if you want to, but it's not so +funny if you're IT." + +"Perhaps you'd better come into the house, Ruth, and get rested," +suggested Edith, "or maybe you'd like to help Aunt Bettie plant the +garden." + +"You help her yourself, if you want to; I'm going to help Bob and Tony +build the hen house," she declared suddenly. "I was coming over to +help you, Bob, when Jerry treed me in the orchard, and if it hadn't +been for him, I would have been there an hour ago." + +"All right," laughed Bob; "I'll be glad to have you help me now, +Ruth," and he helped brush the dirt from her clothes. Edith caught a +merry twinkle in his eye, as they left her to go back to the concrete +mixer. + +"What can I do to help, Bob?" asked Ruth, when they arrived at the +work. + +"I think I'll let you be the engineer, Ruth, and run the mixer. That's +an important job," he added, winking at Tony. He instructed her how to +start and stop the engine, and which levers to use in filling and +emptying the drum. She was still busy with the mixer when the dinner +bell rang. + +"I'd like to get a turtle, Uncle Joe," said Ruth at dinner. "How can I +catch one?" + +"Get Bob to shoot a ground squirrel for you and bait a couple of +hooks; then set some lines in the new pond. Perhaps you can catch one +that way." + +"Is that what you bait turtle hooks with?" asked Ruth. + +"Ground squirrels make the best kind of bait," said her uncle. "If +there are turtles in the pond, you'll get one of them with that." + +"Let me shoot the squirrel myself, Uncle Joe," said Ruth. + +"I won't have time to go hunting squirrels this afternoon, but perhaps +you and Bob might be able to find one on the fence down back of the +barn. You can take my shotgun, Ruth, but be careful that you don't +shoot yourself instead of the squirrel." + +"Oh, I know how to shoot, Uncle Joe; don't worry," she declared. + +"Let's go as soon as we get our dinner, Bob," she said +enthusiastically. + +When they had finished, Bob got two turtle lines and hooks from the +woodshed and the double-barrel gun and four shells. They went down +along the fence back of the barn toward the pond. When they were +almost at the foot of the hill, near a chestnut tree, they saw a +ground squirrel sitting on the top of a fence post. + +Bob handed the gun to Ruth and explained to her how to operate it, and +much to his surprise and admiration, she quickly raised the gun to her +shoulder and fired-the squirrel tumbling off the fence. + +"How did you happen to do that?" he asked, lost in admiration, for it +was a neat shot. + +"Throw your hat up in the air and I'll show you," she said. + +As he hesitated, she asked. + +"You're not afraid I'll hit it, are you, Bob?" + +"No, I'm not," said Bob, and with that he threw his straw hat high +into the air and it came down with a nick in the brim and two holes in +the crown. + +"Where did you learn to shoot, Ruth?" he demanded, looking at his +damaged hat. + +"Oh, I learned that long ago," she replied, pleased that at last she +had won his genuine admiration. "I've two medals for shooting. My +brothers are both crack shots and they taught me. I usually shoot with +a rifle, however." + +"That's fine shooting," said Bob. "I couldn't do nearly as well as +that myself," he admitted grudgingly. + +"Now, show me how to bait the hook," she said, picking up the +squirrel. Bob took it and showed her how to prepare and put it on the +hook. + +They then went along the pond until they came to some small thorn +bushes that grew on the bank. Bob showed her how to cast the bait by +whirling it round and round and then let it fly out into the water. +She tried several times until she got the knack of doing it, then +threw in both lines and tied them fast to the thorn bushes. + +"How long'll I have to wait before I catch a turtle, Bob?" she asked, +as they started for the house. + +"Maybe an hour and maybe not till to-morrow morning, and maybe as long +as a day or two--it just depends," he replied. + +About three o'clock in the afternoon, he noticed that Ruth, who had +gotten tired running the mixer, had gone to the house. A little later +he saw her with Edith passing through the barnyard in the direction of +the pond. + +It was perhaps a half hour later when he heard shouts in the direction +of the pond and someone calling his name. He dropped his tools and +rushed across the plowed field, when he saw Edith hurrying toward him +as fast as she could walk over the newly-plowed ground. She was waving +her hand to him, motioning him to hurry. + +"What's happened to Ruth now?" he asked breathlessly, catching up to +her. + +"It isn't Ruth this time," she replied. "It's Duncan Wallace." + +"Why, what's the matter with him?" he asked eagerly, surprised that +the staid old Scotchman should have gotten into trouble. + +"Well, it was this way," said Edith, between breaths, as they started +in the direction of the sand pit, "when Ruth and I went down to the +pond the first line we pulled out had a turtle on it, and while I held +it by the tail, Ruth took a forked stick and pried the hook out of its +mouth; then she thought it'd be good sport to take it down and show it +to Duncan Wallace, and when she got near she held it up by the tail +and showed it to him. + +"'What's that you have there Mister--Miss--?' + +"'A turtle, Mr. Wallace,' said Ruth, laughing over the fact that he +did not know whether she was a boy or a girl. + +"'Oh, a turtle, is it? Well, let me see it.' Then he took the turtle +from her, Bob, and laid it on the shovel he was using to screen sand. +He held the shovel so that the turtle's head was not very far from and +on a level with his face. Then, much to my disgust, he began spitting +tobacco juice in the turtle's eyes, forcing it to draw its head into +the shell. It didn't seem to like it very much, for all of a sudden it +reached out its head and grabbed Duncan Wallace by the nose, and, oh, +Bob, you should have seen him dance and heard him swear; he swore +something terrible," she said laughing heartily. "It was the funniest +thing, Bob, I ever saw in my life--neither Ruth's ride on the cow the +other day nor her experience with Jerry this morning could compare +with the way that old Scotchman hopped around, waving his shovel in +one hand, the turtle dangling from his nose, and swearing like a +pirate." + +"Well, how did you get the turtle off?" asked Bob, laughing in spite +of his fears for the Scotchman's safety. + +"We didn't get it off," said Edith; "that's why we got you here. Ruth +tried to shake it off, but his nose bled terribly. He was sitting on a +pile of sand holding on to the turtle when I left," she replied. + +When they reached the pit they found that the desperate Scotchman, in +his struggling to free himself from the turtle, had pulled a large +piece out of the end of his nose. Ruth, after first putting her turtle +in a water barrel, was doing her best to stop the flow of blood and +comfort the still swearing Scotchman, whose feelings were becoming +more aggravated each minute by Ruth's uproarious laughter. + +"If a girl comes around here again dressed up in boy's clothes, +carrying a turtle, I'll throw them both into the pond and drown them," +he declared savagely, as he got up from the sand pile and started for +his home. When he had disappeared, Bob and the two girls sat down on +the sand pile and laughed until they cried. + + + + +XVII + +FILLING THE INCUBATOR + + +Shortly after the new stock had been delivered at Brookside Farm, Bob +and his aunt put the new Leghorn chickens in the old sheep shed back +of the barn, and the white Plymouth Rocks in a small pen near the +cider mill, so as to keep the two flocks apart. They saved all the +eggs from each flock and as fast as the common hens on the farm showed +a disposition to set, the eggs were supplied to them, until the +incubator house was finished. + +The incubator was a modern machine of five hundred egg capacity. After +a conference, they decided to send to two well-known poultry farms +specializing in white Leghorns and white Plymouth Rocks for additional +settings of eggs, in order to have new blood for the next year. They +got fifty eggs of each breed from the two breeders, making two hundred +eggs in all, and took three hundred eggs from their own stock. A +careful record of the different eggs was made, so they could keep the +chicks separate after they were hatched. + +Before the eggs arrived, the incubator was cleaned and tested. + +"Won't you let me help you with the eggs, Bob?" asked Edith, as he was +getting ready to place the eggs in the incubator. "I've been reading a +lot in the bulletins about chickens, and I would like to help you look +after them." + +"I don't think it would be such a hard job, Edith," he replied, "if +you understand how to regulate the heat and keep the eggs turned. Of +course, it will be necessary to look after them carefully." + +"I already know how to regulate the temperature, and turn and cool the +eggs." + +"Do you know how to test them?" asked Bob, "to tell which eggs are +fertile?" + +"Yes," replied Edith, "that's easily done. You can use a candle and an +old shoe box by removing one end and cutting a hole a little larger +than the size of a quarter in the bottom of the box, located so that +when it sets over the kerosene lamp, the hole in the bottom will be +opposite the flame. Of course, you'll have to cut another hole in the +box, so that the heat will escape, and the eggs are tested with the +large ends up. This is done so the size of the air cell may be seen, +as well as the condition of the embryo." + +"How do you tell when an egg is fertile?" asked Bob. + +"That's easy," said Edith. "The infertile eggs, when held before the +small hole when the lamp is lighted inside the box, will look +perfectly clear, same as a fresh one, while the fertile ones will show +a small dark spot, which is known as the embryo. Of course, you have +to learn to tell whether the embryo is living or dead, but that's easy +to learn." + +"I think I could take care of an incubator all right," she continued. +"The first thing you do is to see if it is running steadily at the +desired temperature before filling it with eggs; then you must fill +the whole tray at one time and not add fresh eggs to a tray after it's +once started. The eggs must be turned twice daily after the second and +until the nineteenth day. The eggs must also be cooled once daily from +the seventh to the nineteenth day, depending on the weather." + +"Do you fix the lamps first, Edith, or turn the eggs?" asked Bob. + +"Oh, you must turn the eggs before you fix the lamps," she replied, +"and, of course, the machine must be cared for at regular hours, just +the same as your dairy cows, and the lamp and the wick must be kept +clean at all times--otherwise you would not get a uniform heat." + +"When do you test the eggs?" asked Bob. + +"On the seventh and fourteenth days; after the eighteenth day you must +not open the machine until the chicks are hatched." + +"If you'll look after the incubator for us, Edith, it'll save me a lot +of time--particularly now when we want to start work on the new cow +barn." + +"Will you let me run it all myself, Bob?" she asked, her eyes +sparkling in anticipation. + +"I don't see why you can't do it all yourself. You understand it just +as well as I do; besides, I've had no actual experience myself." + +They carefully filled the incubator with the eggs, making a record in +a special book of the different breeds and the different breeders. + +"How are you going to mark them, Bob, to tell them apart?" asked +Edith. + +"Oh, that's easy," said Bob. "You punch small holes between their toes +and make a code of the marks, so you can tell which is which. + +"You can make ever so many combinations." + +"Doesn't that hurt them?" asked Edith. + +"No, not if it's done when they are very young--though the hole is a +very small one, it never closes up, and you can always tell, by +referring to your code, the age and breed of each chick. Later, of +course, when they grow up, we'll put numbered aluminum bands on their +legs, but when they're small the holes are better. + +"Just think, Bob, five hundred little chicks for me to look after. +Won't it be perfectly splendid?" + +"You won't get five hundred, Edith. If we get sixty to seventy per +cent, hatched, it will be as much as we can expect. Unless, of course, +we have especially good luck and you might get as high as eighty or +ninety per cent." + +"What will we do with the eggs that are not fertile?" she asked. + +"Oh, we'll boil those and feed them to the young chicks after they're +hatched; they make good chicken feed." + +"How many of the chicks do you suppose we can raise in the brooder?" + +"If we hatch 300 to 400 out of the 500 eggs, we'll be doing fine, and +if we can raise sixty per cent of the full hatch, it's considered +very good. Of course, considerable will depend on the way they're fed +and cared for, but with good care, you ought to average that many. +We'll have to raise these in one of the new pens we've just built for +the laying hens, because our brooder house will be one of the last +buildings we'll put up, and we may not get it ready until late fall. +When the chicks are large enough, you can put them in colony houses +out in the orchard." + +"I hope we can raise more than sixty per cent, Bob. Won't it be fine +to have so many chicks? When we get these hatched, are we going to +hatch more?" + +"Yes," replied Bob, "Aunt Bettie thinks we should hatch at least 1000 +to 1500 eggs in order to have a good pen of layers this fall. Of +course, you know half the chicks will be roosters, and these we will +dispose of. The white Plymouth Rocks we can caponize and easily sell, +and the white Leghorns we will either have to kill and sell as +broilers, or it may be we can sell them to the farmers around here to +improve their flocks. So you see, if we have 1000 chicks, we can't +count on over 500 hens." + +"What would you do, Bob, if you had 1000 hens?" asked Edith. + +[Illustration: A WELL MANAGED FLOCK OF POULTRY WILL RETURN GOOD +PROFITS AND CAN EASILY BE CARED FOR BY THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN] + +"Don't you remember the hen house is made so it may be extended? Of +course, by the end of the summer, when the chicks have grown up, Mr. +Brady will have taken so much sand from the pit that Uncle Joe will be +willing that we should go ahead and complete our buildings, and one +person can care for 1000 hens almost as easy as 500. A 1000 hen flock +is about the right size. Aunt Bettie and I didn't exactly deceive +Uncle Joe, but we thought we'd educate him a little at a time." + +"I heard him tell Aunt Bettie the other day he was going to let her +have all the money that they made from the dairy and poultry," said +Edith. + +"Well, if he does," said Bob, "Aunt Bettie will make a lot of money-- +almost as much as Uncle Joe, outside of the sand pit." + +"How would that be, Bob?" + +"Because it is possible to make very big profits in these if they're +properly looked after," said Bob; "but of course, the chickens will +have to pay rent for the houses, based on their cost and use of the +land they occupy--the same as cows do for their stable and pasture, +and all the labor and feed Uncle Joe supplies will be charged up +against them. I've been reading the story of a successful poultry and +dairy farm in one of the bulletins. They kept twenty cows, the same as +Aunt Bettie is planning to do, and it stated that in addition to the +milk, cream and butter used by the family, they sold almost $2400 +worth of butter, and they got almost as much more from their poultry. +The bulletin didn't say, of course, how much it cost to produce it, +but with our system of cost-keeping where we charge up labor, feed and +rent and credit them for whatever they produce, we'll be able to tell +almost to a cent just what they earn." + +"Won't you let me keep the cost-accounting system for the chickens, +Bob?" asked Edith. "I'm sure I'd like very much to look after them all +myself. I think that farming, if done intelligently, is the most +interesting business that one can engage in." + +They were standing on opposite sides of the incubator, and Edith was +handing Bob an egg as she made this remark. Bob's hand closed over the +egg and fingers that encircled it. He held it for a moment, while he +looked into her eyes; then, as she blushingly withdrew her hand, he +stammered: + +"I'm glad, Edith, you like farming the same as I do." + +"Well, it is interesting, Bob, and I do like it," she said, looking at +him shyly. + +"What are you two doing in here with all those eggs?" asked Ruth, +bursting suddenly in upon them. "One would think you were in church, +you're so quiet." + +"Why, we're going to raise chickens by machinery," explained Bob. + +"Do you have a motor to run it?" she asked. "How do you make it go, +Bob? It must be terribly hot in here," she added, looking at them +questioningly. + +"Why?" asked her cousin, without looking up from the tray of eggs she +was filling. "Why, Bob's so red in the face. I never saw his face so +red before, except the time he ran down to the pond to take the turtle +off Duncan Wallace's nose." + +"You must have the room warm where you keep the incubator," said Edith +evasively. + +"Let me put the eggs in, Edith," said Ruth, "I know how to do things +like this," as she began mixing the Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks +together. + +"Oh, don't do that, Ruth; we must keep them all separate. We write the +names and dates on them and make all kinds of records, so we'll know +the chicks when they're hatched." + +"How can you tell from an old egg what kind of a chick you'll get. How +do you know you won't get black chickens out of white eggs." + +"Maybe we will," laughed Bob. "Anything is liable to happen on a farm +where you get girls off apple trees and turtles off Scotchmen's +noses." + +"Pretty near ready for dinner?" called her aunt, looking in for a +moment as they completed the work of filling the incubator. + +"We've just finished," said Edith. "Bob said I might take care of the +incubator and keep the record of the chicks, if you were willing, Aunt +Bettie." + +"Yes, Edith, I'd be only too glad to have you do it," replied her +aunt. + +"Thank you, Aunt Bettie. I like farming better every day," and she +gave Bob a shy glance, as he closed the door of the new incubator +house. + + + + +XVIII + +THE NEW IMPLEMENTS + + +When Joe Williams purchased Brookside Farm from his father, the +equipment of farm implements which his father turned over to him was +meager; indeed, the few that answered the name of implements were so +old and had been so badly neglected, by being exposed to all kinds of +weather, they were practically useless. + +After a conference with John White, the banker, Joe Williams sent for +Mr. Patterson, the representative of the Farmers' Harvester Company. +The three spent a half day together going carefully over their full +line of farm implements, selecting from the list such new machines as +they felt were best suited to their requirements. + +A tractor, disk and harrow had already been delivered to the farm, and +left there after the spring plowing, but no arrangements for the +purchase of them had yet been made. After having seen the advantage of +these implements, and heard them favorably commented upon by his +neighbors, Joe Williams decided they must remain at Brookside. + +He now selected a new riding corn planter, one not only capable of +planting corn in rows, but also in hills, and as a companion to this +machine, he selected a horse-drawn cultivator. After considerable +discussion, he decided to purchase a side delivery hay rake and a +windrow loader, chiefly on account of the speed with which hay could +be gotten in with this combination. He could then leave his hay out +until it was just right and get it in quickly ahead of storms. With +these two machines, he also bought the latest improved mowing machine. +Then he picked out a substantial reaper and binder. The erection of +the new silo made it necessary to select machinery for filling it, and +a corn binder, with a bundle elevator, was finally selected on account +of the saving in labor. A blower type ensilage cutter with the +necessary pipe for filling the silo and leather belt for driving it by +the tractor, were selected. Then a new grain drill with fertilizer and +grass-seed attachments was added. + +"I guess that's about as many implements as I can afford to buy at one +time," remarked Joe Williams. + +"Now, look here, Joe," said John White; "why do a thing half? You know +you'll be short a number of things if you stop here; besides, you've +left out a lot of low-cost tools that you ought to have to make a +complete equipment." + +"Why, what more do I need?" asked Joe, surprised at the banker's +statement. + +"Well, for one thing, you ought to have a first-class manure spreader; +it will do the work much quicker, and save you many backaches--now +that you've decided to fertilize heavily. Then you should have a good +power-driven corn sheller and a small mill for grinding corn meal and +buckwheat flour. You also ought to have a one and a half horsepower +kerosene engine, mounted on a portable hand truck." + +"What would that be for?" asked Joe Williams, looking up. + +"Well, you'll have a lot of places to use it--such as running the +washing machine, turning the grindstone, corn sheller, or the cream +separator, if the electric system breaks down, and other small jobs +around the farm, where a portable engine will be very handy to save +work and increase speed." + +"We'll have the engines on the tractor that we can use," protested +Williams. + +"That's all right, Joe," said the banker, "but it's too heavy for many +of the light jobs, and it would not pay to consume the amount of +kerosene and oil necessary to operate it, so I think you had better +include the engine." + +"All right," said Joe. "Let's have it then along with the others." + +"What about your electric lighting plant, Joe, with the new buildings +coming along? You ought to look out for that." + +"Bettie and Bob have been looking up a lot of data on that subject and +they've decided on putting in a water-driving unit. It requires more +wire to bring the power up from the dam, but in the end will be +cheaper as it costs nothing to operate." + +"How many electric lights do you want to use?" asked Mr. Patterson. + +"We've figured that we ought to have about one hundred sixty-watt lamp +capacity for the complete farm; that would take care of the small +motor of the vacuum cleaner and sewing machine." + +"We don't make the outfit, Mr. Williams," said the agent, "but I'll +arrange to get a good one for you and will not charge you any +commission on it--taking such a large order as you are giving me, I'll +be very glad to arrange this for you." + +"Well, here's a catalog of the make they have picked out and if you'll +take it up with the manufacturers, I'll appreciate it," said Williams. +"We'll want a detail drawing showing how to make a foundation for the +wheel and generator. Bob's worked out an automatic starting and +stopping device. The wiring, of course, we'll do ourselves." + +"How about an auto truck, Joe; don't you think you ought to have a +good auto truck on the farm?" + +"Not with a team of horses and a good live tractor. Of course, an auto +truck would be an advantage in some respects, and I'll probably want +one next year, but I think we can get along without that for the +present. Speaking of making a complete outfit, Mr. White, Bettie gave +me a list of some other things she wanted." + +"What are they?" asked the banker. + +"Well, for one thing, she thinks we ought to tear down the old cider +mill because it's too slow to operate. In former years, when labor was +cheap, it answered very well, but the modern machines are much quicker +and better." + +"I think you ought to have that, Joe," said the banker. "Have you +thought of a power saw for the wood lot and cutting up the rails of +your old fences? That's a 'Hidden Treasure' that you and Bob have +probably overlooked." + +"There's where you're wrong, John," laughed Williams. "I've overlooked +it entirely, I'll confess, but not Bob. He's figured out already how +many cords of wood we'll get out of those old rails." + +"I tell you, Patterson," said the banker smiling, "there's a boy who's +going to make things pay. I've plans for him myself that I'm not +saying anything about. I don't want to take him away from you, Joe, +but he's growing up and some day he's going to have a farm of his own. +If you get two years' work out of him at the rate he's going, I don't +think you'll have any complaint to make though. By the way, how about +a power washing-machine and mangle for the laundry? Don't you think +your wife will need those?" + +"She was speaking about them the other day," admitted Joe. "I guess +I'd better include them. Then, of course, we'll need some first-class +scales. Bob has been after me ever since he's been here to get a new +platform scale and a good steelyard, for weighing bulky stuff, and we +ought to have a new scale for the dairy also." + +"Those ought to be bought, Joe; you can't get far on a farm without +good scales," remarked the banker. "Now, let's see what all this is +going to cost. What do you make it, Joe?" + +"Well, I figure the items that Patterson's company is going to furnish +will come to $3000, and the other items that we have decided to get +will make a total of $5000." + +"This ought to give you a splendid outfit, Joe, and make it possible +for you to do the work of two or three men, and with less fatigue to +yourself." + +"Get these tools here, Patterson, as soon as you can," said Williams. +"We want the corn planter and cultivator first and the others just as +soon as possible." + +"I've a planter and cultivator in the Pittsburgh warehouse now, and +can have them here in three or four days." + +"That'll be fine," said Williams, as he signed the order for the +implements. + +"What discount will there be for cash on an order of this size, +Patterson?" he asked suddenly. "We'll allow you seven per cent for +cash on delivery, which is a little better than we ordinarily give, +but we'll throw off a little in your case for advertising, Joe. We'll +probably be troubling you some this summer sending your neighbors +around to see the tools working." + +"That'll be all right," said Joe smiling. "Let as many come as want +to. I think lots of them are getting jealous already, for I keep +mentioning to them whenever I see them how Brookside is prospering." + +"Well, thanks for the order, Joe," said Patterson, as he shook him by +the hand. "I don't mind saying this is the most complete order I've +ever taken for a single farm in your section of the country. Our +company ought to be proud to know they're going to have a farm so +fully equipped with their implements." + +"There's another thing I've had on my mind all day, Joe," remarked the +banker, "and that is what you're going to do when you get all these +new tools and your neighbors come over and want to borrow them. You +can't be unneighborly and yet you can't supply the county with tools." + +"That's where I'm one ahead of you, John," laughed Williams. "We +figured that all out last night. We decided that five years would be +the average book life of all our new tools and implements, which would +mean a depreciation of twenty per cent each year. Now, all we have to +do is to divide twenty per cent, of the cost by the number of acres +on which we use the implement, and we have the depreciation per acre. +We can work that all out and make a schedule of rates. What we propose +to do is to loan any tool we have, when we don't need it ourselves, at +the established rate plus breakage and repairs." + +"Ha! Ha! Joe, that's a fine idea," laughed the banker, "but I'll bet +you the price of the power-driven ice-cream freezer you forgot to +order, it was not your own idea." + +"No, it wasn't," confessed Williams. + +"Well, who's was it then?" eagerly asked the banker. + +"Bob's," said Joe Williams. + +"It sounds like King Solomon, Joe," said the banker, "for it's +certainly the best solution of that troublesome problem I ever heard. +No one can rightfully refuse to pay for the actual use of a tool, even +though he can't afford to own one, and five years ought to be a fair +book value average. So Bob thought that out," he chuckled. "Joe, I'm +getting prouder of that red-head, freckled face nephew of yours every +time I see him, and you don't want to forget when you come to settle +with him that his ideas are worth something to you as well as his +labor. Let's go out and see what he's doing on the new cow barn," +continued the banker, and they walked over to the new building. + +"Hello, Bob! How are things moving this morning?" + +"Pretty good, Mr. White. This cow barn's going to be some building +compared with the hen house. Tony and I staked it out and started the +foundations. Where are those boys you were going to send me?" + +"That's why I came out to see you to-day," replied the banker. +"There'll be six here to-morrow. I couldn't get them two at a time, so +I thought you had better take them when you could get them. Each boy +is to stay a week, Bob." + +"I don't think Aunt Bettie can take care of six boys at once, if they +all stay overnight." + +"Only two will stay at night, Bob. I told them the working hours would +be from seven to six; that will give them time to get home. You had +better arrange your work so you can take full advantage of their +help." + +"We've plenty of work, Mr. White. I could use a dozen boys right now," +replied Bob. "We ought to have the timbers for the roof brought out, +Uncle Joe. Couldn't you take the big tractor and the wagon and bring +out a load this afternoon, while you are waiting for the corn planter +to come?" + +"It wouldn't pay to run the tractor for just one wagon, Bob," said his +uncle, "when it can haul two wagons at once." + +"There's something we forgot," said the banker; "you should have a +good substantial truck around this place, one that will haul a real +load, and I know where you can get a good one at about half price. +Henry Smith, the man from whom you bought the auto, Joe, took it in +trade for a motor truck recently. Call him up on the 'phone and tell +him you want it--tell him you would like to have him put in a short +tongue for a motor hitch. The truck has been used for hauling lumber +and is just right for your work." As they were speaking, they saw +Edith rushing across the barnyard waving her hat and shouting. She was +more excited than Bob had ever seen her and had evidently been running +for quite a distance, for she was so out of breath she could scarcely +make herself understood. As she neared them, she exclaimed: + +"The bees, Bob--they're swarming!" + +"There, Bob, now you've a real job on your hands," laughed the banker. +"If I weren't so afraid of them myself, I'd like to see you put them +into the hive." + +"Well, I've never done it before, Mr. White," he replied, "but I think +I can manage it." + +"Perhaps you better take Tony along to help you," suggested his uncle. + +"No, I'll take care of them myself, Uncle Joe," he replied, and +started for the house to get his veil and smoker. + +When he arrived at the apiary, much to his surprise, not one but three +of the colonies had swarmed. One had left the hive and alighted on an +apple tree nearby, the second was just getting ready to leave, and the +third was hanging outside in a way that showed they would soon be on +the wing. + +Bob was so intent on his work that he was not aware that anyone was +near him, until he heard a voice say: + +"Won't you let me help you, Bob; I'm not afraid of being stung." + +He looked up quickly, and there was Edith--her head concealed in a +quickly constructed veil. She was wearing a white cotton blouse and +she also had on a pair of kid gloves with the fingers cut off. + +"Aren't you afraid you'll get stung, Edith," said Bob. + +"I'm like yourself, Bob; I've never handled bees before, but I think +they're the most interesting thing we have on the farm. I've been +reading many books about them recently. Won't you let me help you?" + +"Yes, if you're not afraid, I'd be glad to have you," he replied, "for +there's going to be two more swarms soon." + +They brushed off the swarm into a small box and carried it over to a +new hive. As soon as the queen had entered, they left it there and +went back to watch the second one. + +They were just in time, for the swarm that filled the air was starting +to settle and they, too, were soon gathered and put into a new hive. +By this time the third one was out and they saw it was getting ready +for a long flight, for it kept getting higher and higher, despite the +racket they made, and started off. It flew for quite a distance before +it settled on the limb of a shell-bark hickory tree in a field on the +adjoining farm. + +"Of all the places for them to pick out," said Bob, as he and Edith +came up and saw where they had finally settled, "but nevertheless I'm +not going to lose that swarm, if I can help it; though it's going to +be pretty hard climbing that tree. Every time I climb a hickory tree, +I think of Jim Black." + +"Why, who was he?" asked Edith. + +"Oh, he was the meanest man in the country. They say he'd wear out a +pair of new overalls climbing a sell-bark hickory tree to get the wool +out of a robin's nest," laughed Bob. + +"He must have been pretty mean if he'd do that," said Edith. + +After considerable work, Bob managed to get up over the rough jagged +trunk and finally succeeded in cutting off the limb on which the bees +were hanging. With the end of the limb in one hand, he worked his way +back to the trunk and then gradually on down to the ground, where +Edith took the limb from him. After putting the bees into a box they +carried them back and put them into a new hive. + +Shortly after the bees had arrived at the farm, Bob had purchased ten +new sectional hives and a supply of ready-made combs to aid them in +rapid honey-making. Much to his surprise he found two of these hives +had been set up and had colonies working in them. + +"I wonder when those hives got bees in them, Edith?" he inquired, +surprised to see he had two more colonies than he knew about. + +"That's a secret," she laughed. + +"What do you mean--a secret?" he asked. + +"Well, yesterday when you were in town two colonies swarmed and Aunt +Bettie and I didn't know what to do with them, but Tony overheard us +talking about it, and what do you suppose he did?" + +"It looks as though he hived them," replied Bob. + +"That's just what he did. He wouldn't put on a veil or gloves, either, +but just went over to the limb, scraped them into a box, carried them +over and put them in the hive. He even picked up the queen and held it +up and showed it to me. I was afraid to get too close for fear I'd get +stung, for I didn't have a veil on. He said he understands bees and +that they never sting him." + +"That's fine," said Bob. "I'd lost them if it hadn't been for Tony." + +"Yes, I think they would probably have gotten away," said Edith, "so +you'll have to thank Tony for saving them for you. I think your hives +are too hot, Bob. The trees don't shade them from the afternoon sun. +Why don't you design a concrete apiary, a sort of an umbrella, and +keep them cooler, then they're not so apt to swarm. You could make it +so it could be closed up in the winter, too, then you wouldn't need a +cellar." + +"I'll do that to-night," said Bob, "because we can't afford to lose +any bees, they're too valuable this time of the year, just when the +honey-making season's opening." + +"I think, Bob," said Edith, on the way back to the house, "that the +bees and the chickens are the most interesting things you have on the +farm. I really believe I could manage both myself after a little +while," she continued, smiling at him, as they walked along. + +"I think myself you could, Edith," he added, looking full into her +eyes in an understanding way, and then they both became suddenly +silent and didn't speak again until they reached the house. + + + + +XIX + +THE STORM + + +Joe Williams found that they had enough fence posts made to erect a +section along his property fronting on the main road. That there might +be no dispute about the line, he had a surveyor come out from the town +to set stakes giving the dividing lines. In order that his neighbors +would all be satisfied, he invited them over and showed them just +where the stakes would come, referring to the original survey of the +property in order to establish the monuments. When they were all +satisfied that the lines were right, he had the monuments re- +established by iron pipe put deep into the ground until such times as +he could put in monuments of concrete. + +The farm fronted on the main road for a distance of twelve hundred +feet. There were now two entrances--the old main entrance at the lane +on the west side of the farm, and the new road to the sand pit over +the breast of the old dam, near the eastern border. There was a small +corner of about an acre and a half between the new pond and the road-- +sort of triangular shape piece. + +As soon as the holes were all dug, Bob got his sketch, showing the +placing of the fence posts and the location of the two gates at the +entrance to the property; also sketches for two extra large posts, one +on each side of the driveway. These posts were ornamental and made +specially strong by steel rods, not only to support the gates, but +with two bolts placed near the top for attaching a sign, for it had +been decided that there should be a sign, cast in concrete for +permanency, and painted white with deep blue letters and border. The +sign was to be fifteen inches high and twenty inches long and contain +the words: "Brookside Farm, Joseph Williams, Proprietor." + +Tony had made a set of forms for these posts, which were to be cast in +place, though the other posts had all been pre-cast at the sand pit +and were set up in the holes as they were dug. The old rail fence had +been moved back and the fence row thoroughly grubbed out before the +wire fence was strung. When the wire was finally put in place and the +old rails hauled away, it gave a very neat appearance to the entrance +of the farm. + +Between this fence and the new ditch, and lying between the two +entrances to the farm, was a field of about seven acres which they +decided to plant in potatoes, as this field was the most fertile of +all on the farm. + +"What will we do with the little corner down by the pond, Bob?" asked +his uncle that evening as they sat around the table for their daily +conference. + +"I've a suggestion to make for that," said his wife. + +"Well, what is it, now?" asked her husband smiling. + +"Build a little cottage there for Tony and Maria. When we get through +with our concrete work, Tony can then make fence posts, apiaries and +other standard concrete sections at the pit and we can sell them; +besides, he can keep account of all the sand and gravel that is taken +away, and, of course, if he lives there, he'll always be on hand when +we need him. You remember what John White said about other farmers +putting up concrete buildings, and that each time they erected one we +could sell them the materials. It will make Tony and Maria happy, and +keep them where their services will be most available." + +"That's a good idea, Bettie," said her husband. "How much would such a +house cost?" + +"I don't know, but I think we ought to make them comfortable in a +house that would cost not much over $1000 to $1500. It should be of +the bungalow type and will help to give our farm a very artistic +look." + +"What were you and Maria doing down around the pond the other day?" +asked her husband, suddenly remembering that he saw them there. + +"Oh, we were planting slips for willow trees. When they grow up, if we +trim them, it will enhance the appearance very much." + +"Oh, that was it?" added her husband, winking at Bob. "I saw the young +willow trees, but didn't know who planted them." + +"Now, you're only joking," said his wife. "You knew all the time what +we were doing." + +"Fine idea, although I must confess I didn't quite understand at first +what it was, but I see now: we're not only going to have prosperity at +Brookside, but beauty as well," and coming over to the side of the +table where she was sitting, he kissed her. + +"What are you and Ruth so busy at, Edith?" asked her uncle, looking +across at them. + +"We've so many bulletins, Uncle Joe, that I am indexing and filing +them on a shelf, so we can get them just when we want them," said +Edith. "You see, information, unless it's used, is of no value, and if +we don't arrange our information so it's easily available when we need +it, it will be of little service to us." + +"I'm glad the old job's done," said Ruth, "for Edith has been making +me write all the names and numbers in a book and it's been a terrible +job, Uncle Joe--a good deal worse than running the concrete mixer." + +At nine o'clock the family retired and had been in bed but a short +time when a severe thunderstorm broke over Brookside Farm. Bob had +seen many storms in his eighteen years, but never one so violent as +the one which now burst in fury upon them. Peal after peal of thunder +followed the bright flashes of lightning, as they struck all around +them. The house fairly rocked on its foundations and the storm was so +severe they all got up and dressed. Bob had never been frightened by a +storm before, but as the heavy claps of thunder followed each other +almost as fast as he could wink, he shivered a little at the thought +of what would happen if the lightning should strike the house. The +whole family assembled in the sitting room wondering what might +happen. Bob walked over and stood beside Edith, who was looking out of +a window. Involuntarily she leaned against him for protection, and he +caught and held her trembling hand. They were standing thus looking +out at the storm, when suddenly a brighter flash than any of the +others, followed immediately by a loud clap of thunder, almost stunned +them. Edith swayed and would have fallen to the floor had Bob not +caught her in his arms. Though stunned himself, he managed to keep her +from falling, and had scarcely recovered from the shock, when as he +looked out through the window he saw the barn was in flames. + +"Our barn's been struck," he shouted, and they rushed to the window to +look, and sure enough the barn was in flames. + +Joe Williams reached for his hat to start out in the storm, but felt a +detaining hand on his arm. + +"Joe," said his wife quickly, "there's not an animal in the barn, and +besides there's scarcely any hay or grain left, and what other things +are there, certainly are not worth your risking your life. About the +only thing you'll lose will be the harness and some small tools," and +catching him firmly by the arms, as she felt him pull away, she +continued: + +"I'm not going to let you risk your life for those things. There are +no other buildings near by that the fire can damage. The rain is +coming down in torrents, and it will prevent the flames setting +anything else on fire. Let's all go out on the porch and watch it +burn," she added, and while the storm continued unabated, they huddled +together at the end of the porch watching while the barn slowly burned +to its foundations. + +"For how much did you have it insured, Joe?" asked his wife, as the +fire died down. + +"Five hundred dollars," said her husband. + +"Well, it's a loss, I know," she said, "but it's lucky it burned now +instead of later in the season, when it would have been full of grain +and implements. I'm glad we've been keeping the live stock in the +fields lately." + +"Well," said her husband, "there's no use of crying over spilled milk +or burned barns, so I say we all go back to bed, for the fire's nearly +out and this rain would soon put out any new place it might start up." + +"I think it's perfectly splendid, Uncle Joe," said Ruth, now that the +lightning had ceased flashing; "this will give Bob and me a chance to +build you and Aunt Bettie a new barn." + +"All right," said her uncle; "you'll probably have a chance now, Ruth, +to show us what you can do with a real building." + +Hay making soon arrived and now that the barn had been burned, it was +necessary that the hay should be cut and stacked in the field to be +brought to the new barn later. It was fortunate, indeed, that the +implements did not arrive until the week following the destruction of +the barn and that the ones already delivered had been in the wagon +shed out of danger--consequently they were all saved. + +[Illustration: THE SIDE DELIVERY RAKE FLUFFS UP THE HAY AND LETS THE +SUN DO ITS WORK QUICKLY] + +[Illustration: THE SELF-LOADER MAKES POSSIBLE THE QUICK STORAGE OF +PROPERLY CURED HAY AND SAVES TONS OF MAN-LIFTING POWER] + +While Joe Williams was sorry to lose his barn, yet in a way he was +glad, now that it was gone, for it had always been an eyesore, +standing there between the house and the main road. While his wife, +too, felt sorry for the loss, she was secretly happy that she could +now carry out her plans and build a new house where the old barn had +stood, giving it the prominence it should have. Her husband was sure +this had been in her mind when they located the dairy house, for he +saw it was in the right place to be a part of the group of buildings. + +Ruth was in the hay field every day now, helping her uncle with the +work. This work seemed to delight her more than anything she had found +on the farm. She was very busy driving the hay rake one day when John +White's runabout drove up into the barnyard. The banker, however, was +not in the car. His nephew, Eddie Brown, and his chum, Herbert Potter, +were the occupants. Bob, with Tony and four of the neighbors' boys, +were putting the finishing touches on the cow barn and saw them +coming. He was not particularly interested in them; they did not like +farm work any more than he liked them, and their coming always annoyed +him. He was evidently not to be bothered with their society, however, +for they went into the house, and a few minutes later he saw them +going over to the hay field, where Ruth and her uncle were working. + +Bob was so busy with his work that he had practically forgotten them +until he looked over and saw Edith at the apiary examining the bees. +With her was Eddie Brown, and Bob smiled as he noticed that Eddie was +standing at a safe distance from the hives. + +It was perhaps a quarter of an hour later when Bob again looked over +into the hay field and saw the two boys with pitchforks turning hay, +in a portion of the field that was swampy and full of elderberry +bushes. He was still watching them when he saw Eddie use his fork to +strike at something in the air and a moment later his friend Herbert +did the same thing. Then as he and his helpers watched, the boys +seemed to be striking all around them with their pitchforks. Suddenly +Eddie and Herbert fell to the ground and began to roll, and Bob saw +his uncle stop the team, jump from the mower and rush over in their +direction. + +There was no further doubt in Bob's mind what was going on. As soon as +his uncle had gotten near them, he took a bundle of hay and struck in +all directions as he rushed in and got one of the boys by his legs and +started to drag him out. + +Ruth, not to be outdone by her uncle, stopped her horse and rushed +back and grabbed Eddie Brown's legs and started to pull him away. She +no sooner had hold of his legs than she snatched off her straw hat and +began waving it frantically around in the air, then turned and rushed +for the house as fast as she could go. + +Bob looked to see what had become of Edith, and noticed her leaning +against a tree near the apiary. Even at the distance he was from her, +he could tell she was enjoying the situation as much as himself. + +There was no question of what had happened. The boys had stirred up a +nest of swamp bumble bees, and instead of running away from them had +stopped to fight them. It suddenly occurred to Bob that his uncle +liked these two boys about as much as he liked them himself, and he +figured it was perhaps for this reason his uncle had forgotten the +existence of the bumble bees, that he doubtless located when he ran +the mower over them. Perhaps it was also for this reason he would not +let Ruth rake there, but instead set the boys at work with forks. + +As he watched, Bob saw them all go down to the brook where his uncle +dabbed wet clay on the stings and where a few minutes later Edith +joined them and escorted them back to the house. + +Ruth was so badly stung that she was ill and her aunt put her to bed +at once. The boys sat on the porch for a while, the picture of +distress, listening to Edith narrate the story of the fight. Both of +Herbert's eyes were swollen tight shut and Eddie was able to see out +of only one of his. After sitting restlessly on the porch for a half +hour, they got into their car and started for home. + +"What are you laughing at, Tony?" asked Bob, as they watched the car +disappear down the lane. + +"The boys no-a like-a da work, and-a the bees they no-a like-a da +boys." + +"I guess that's about right," said Bob; "we probably won't see them +again for some time." + + + + +XX + +GOOD ROADS + + +As the Fourth of July approached, John White, the banker, and Joe +Williams, proprietor of Brookside Farm, held a number of conferences. +It was finally decided to celebrate the Fourth with a picnic on the +farm. + +"I don't think we'll make it exactly a day of rest though," said the +banker, "for I notice your wheat is just about ready for cutting, Joe. +Why not use the tractor to draw your new binder instead of the team." + +"I'll have to do that anyway, whether I want to or not," smiled Joe. + +"How's that?" asked the banker. + +"Well, we have two of the finest little Belgian colts you've ever +seen," he replied. + +"Indeed!" exclaimed the banker. "They will be worth money to you." + +"Yes," said Joe Williams, "those colts will easily bring from $150 to +$250 by next spring." + +"Now, you can see why it pays to keep good stock, Joe," said the +banker. "No farmer should waste feed on horses that weigh less than +1600 pounds--from that on up to 2000 pounds is the coming horse in +this country. Look what a difference there is in their capacity for +work and a large horse really eats little more than a small scrub." + +After some discussion it was decided that the County Commissioners +should be invited to the picnic, also a representative of the Portland +Cement Association, to tell them about the making of concrete roads, +and that Mr. Patterson, too, should be included in the invitation. + +Shortly after moving to town, Bob's grandparents had gone for an +extended visit to their relatives and had just returned to their new +home a few days before the picnic, so on the morning of the Fourth, +the first to arrive at Brookside were his grandparents. Bob was not +only delighted to see them, but fully enjoyed their surprise at the +changed appearance of the farm. Of course, the loss of the barn was +one of the things that made the farm look different, but the neat wire +fence, with its self-opening gates at the main road, the new buildings +which were fast taking shape, and the replacing of the old pond with a +field of fine growing corn, all helped to give the farm a changed +look. + +Bob's grandmother had evidently changed her mind regarding the son's +trip to the poorhouse. Her rest from farm labor and the long visit +among old friends had rekindled her interest in all things. She was as +eager as a child and listened keenly as Bob took them from building to +building and showed what had been done and explained the details and +new devices; also the other buildings that were contemplated. His +grandmother was delighted, most of all with the dairy and hen house. + +"I tell you, Bob," she said, "you've certainly made the work light for +a woman on this farm, and I'm glad now that Joe has been able to put +in a modern farm equipment. I suppose the next thing you'll be doing +will be to put up a new house and barn." + +"Oh, yes, we've arranged that already, grandmother," said Bob. "You +see, when the lightning struck the old barn we didn't have our plans +made or anything, so after John White and Uncle Joe talked it over +they decided to get Mr. Brady, the contractor, to help them out with +the buildings. It would have been a pretty big job for Tony and me to +get them all up this summer." + +"You've really accomplished wonders already, Bob, with the dairy +house, hen house and cow barn," said his grandmother. + +"These are the contractor's tools and materials over here, grandma," +said Bob; "he says he's going to have all the buildings finished by +September first." + +"Not the new house, Bob?" + +"Well, it may take longer for that building, as the house will have to +be plastered and painted, but he has agreed to have the barn up by the +first of September and the house not later than the first of November. +They're all going to be of concrete and fireproof, too, like our +smaller buildings," he said proudly. + +"They must be costing a good deal, Bob." + +"Not so much, grandma; the contract price for the barn is $2000 and +the house $4500." + +[Illustration: THE ELECTRIC-DRIVEN LAUNDRY PERMITS THE WIFE TO KEEP +PACE WITH HER TRACTOR-DRIVING HUSBAND AND BANISHES BLUE MONDAYS] + +"My, Bob, that's a terrible amount of money to spend for two +buildings." + +"Yes, but wait till you see all we're getting out of the farm this +year, grandma. Now, come over and see the laundry we've fitted up in +the old wash house. Of course, we'll have a real laundry in the new +house, but this will give you some idea of what it will be like," he +said, as he opened the door and showed her in. "This is the washing +machine and wringer, and this is the mangle." + +"Why, what's the mangle for?" she asked. + +"Oh, that's the machine for ironing the clothes," answered Bob. "They +all run by electricity, too. The waste water from the pond runs a +turbine water wheel and that's connected by a belt to an electric +generator, a machine for changing mechanical energy to electrical +energy, you know; and all we need to do is to throw this switch over +and the wheel starts turning down at the pond and we have current. Of +course, at night we take the current from the storage batteries for +lights, after we shut down the wheel, but these motors require too +much current to use the batteries for them, economically." + +"Why, do you have electric lights in the house, Bob?" she asked. + +"Not in the house, grandma--only in the new buildings, and the +laundry. We didn't think it would pay to put the lights in the house +for only a few weeks in the summer, when we'll soon have our new house +finished, but, of course, there'll be electric lights in the new +house." + +"Well, Bob, it's certainly wonderful the way things have changed in +such a short time. I was admiring your bees as we came up the new +drive. The white hives certainly look nice sitting over there under +the green trees, and such a lot of white chickens, Bob. I never saw so +many in one place in my life before. How many have you now?" + +"Almost 1000, grandma," he replied proudly. "Edith mostly looks after +them and the bees." + +"What will you do with so many, Bob?" + +"Oh, we'll sell a lot and keep some for laying. Just wait till you see +our books next spring--you'll see how it pays." + +At eleven o'clock the neighbors began to arrive in automobiles, +buggies and wagons; each brought a full basket with them. Bob's aunt, +Maria and the two girls were as busy as bees in the kitchen preparing +coffee and lemonade, and Bob's nose detected the odor of fried +chicken. + +Joe Williams had taken the tractor and binder and gone to the wheat +field and was busy cutting his wheat. As fast as the farmers arrived, +they adjourned to the field to see the tractor work. As the wheat +field was not far from the meadows, they all had a chance to see Bob's +apiary, where Tony was busy hiving a colony of bees that had swarmed +that morning. + +At twelve o'clock Joe Williams stopped the tractor and came over to +join his guests. Lunch was served under the trees surrounding the +house. As soon as they were all assembled, the baskets were opened and +Bob's aunt and the girls served the hot coffee, lemonade and fried +chicken. When the dinner was finished, John White, who was accompanied +by his wife, Mr. Patterson and a strange gentleman, arose and said: + +"We have gathered here at Brookside Farm to renew old acquaintances +and make new ones, and I know no better day on which to strike a blow +for liberty from hard work than the day on which we celebrate our +National Liberty. + +"Before going into the details of how you may gain that liberty, we +are going to sing 'America'; then after that we're going to sing a new +song composed by one of the young ladies living here at Brookside +Farm--Miss Edith Atwood. She has made copies of the words so you can +all help sing it; you'll find the tune easy and perhaps familiar to +some of you. Let's stand while we sing 'America'," and as they arose +Tony stepped forward with his flute and led off with the tune. + +"Wait! wait!" exclaimed the banker; "you're all free men, singing your +National Hymn. Don't be afraid to sing out--there isn't a third of you +singing. Now let's get together and ALL sing--sing like the free men +we are and intend to remain. All ready!" and he led off with a fine +baritone voice. + +There was not a person there who did not sing his best and it was +surprising how many good voices there were among them. When they had +finished and seated themselves, Ruth passed around the copies of the +new song. Much against her protest, she was wearing a dress to-day. + +"Now we'll try the new song," said the banker, "but first we'll have +Tony play the air through so that you may learn the tune. All ready-- +now let's have the song," and as Tony started the air again they sang: + +OH, HAPPY, HAPPY FARMER (Tune, "Oh, Mother Dear Jerusalem") Oh, do you +know the joy that comes from living on a farm, When you have power to +do your work, and steam to keep you warm? + +Oh, happy, happy farmer, his life is free from care--An auto in his +garage, and good roads everywhere. + +They sang it with a will--not once but three times. + +"That's a good song," said the banker; "one with a sermon, and that's +the kind that lasts. I hope you'll all remember it. I want to +congratulate Miss Atwood on the happy thought so ably expressed by the +song. + +"Now I want to talk to you men for a few minutes. Some of you were +here last spring when we made Joe Williams doubly happy while he was +away getting married, by doing his spring plowing by power. You have +seen his tractor working this morning in the wheat field, and you can +all judge of the advantage of the use of power by the acreage he cut +since morning. Most of you have also looked at the new concrete +buildings that Joe Williams has erected here at Brookside, and you +must all admit that they are well designed and well-built, permanent +buildings. Of course, the cow barn is not quite finished, and the main +barn and the house will not be finished until fall, but the work has +proceeded far enough so you can get a good idea of what it's going to +mean to Joe Williams and his goodwife to have these conveniences to +work with. Just look out into the barnyard there at that array of +machinery; it looks almost like machinery hall at the State Fair, and +I want to tell you men that there's not a piece of machinery in that +whole lot that you should not have on your own farms, and you can get +them just the same as Joe Williams got his, if you want them. It +doesn't pay to work with poor tools, any more than it pays to get a +half crop where you could get a full crop if you managed rightly. Good +tools reduce labor and increase speed so that you can accomplish a +great deal more with less work than with a poor outfit. Not one of you +could drive by that new fence, with concrete posts, on the main road +this morning, without realizing the permanent nature of it, and +without wishing you had your own farm fenced in the same way. + +"I don't suppose you men appreciate the fact that the wire fence on +concrete posts costs only $2 per rod, which is $1 a rod less than a +five-board-high fence with chestnut posts would cost. Did you ever +stop to figure up how many actual hours you spend each year cleaning +out your fence rows? Compare that time with the labor spent on +producing potatoes and figure out how many more bushels you could have +raised this year if you had spent that time looking after them rather +than looking after your fences. Speaking of that, did you ever see a +finer field of corn in your life than the old pond bottom is producing +this year? Do you know that the corn there is already forty per cent. +higher than the corn in the adjoining field, and that they are raising +four stalks to the hill in that field instead of three in the other +field--and that's a thirty-three per cent. increase right there. + +"Here's a hen house that will easily accommodate five hundred laying +hens. Do you ladies appreciate what that will mean to 'Aunt' Bettie +Williams this winter, selling eggs when all your hens have quit +laying? I want you ladies while you're here to talk with her; she'll +be glad to tell you about her plans. If any of you ever saw a better +dairy in your life, I'd like to have the address of it. You can see +what it would mean to you to have such a dairy house of your own, and +the whole thing, including the icehouse, cream separator, etc., only +cost $450. If you would like to get a similar equipment and didn't +have a penny and had to borrow the cost from the First National Bank, +and pay interest at the rate of six per cent, it would mean only $27 +a year, or the wool from four sheep. I want you all to see the herd of +Holstein cows before you go away to-night. One cow alone is averaging +twenty quarts per day from pasture land, which will mean nearly thirty +quarts per day when they are stabled and the feeding can be +regulated." + +[Illustration: WELL-BUILT CONCRETE ROADS BRING THE MARKETS AND YOUR +NEIGHBORS NEARER, INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE FARMS AND START AN +EPIDEMIC OF NEW FENCES WITH CLEAN FENCE ROWS] + +At the mention of this amount of milk, all the farmers looked at each +other. + +"How many cows does it take to give that much milk?" asked one of +them. + +"Just one," replied the banker, "and, besides this one, there are +several others that give almost as much. + +"While I wanted you to inspect the new buildings and see the cattle +and machinery--that is not the main reason I asked you to come to +Brookside to-day. We are fortunate to have with us Mr. Barth, of the +Portland Cement Association, whom I have asked to speak to you briefly +on the advantages of good roads." + +"It has been a great pleasure for me to be permitted to be a part of +this gathering here at Brookside Farm," said Mr. Barth, "particularly +as the subject I have to discuss bears directly on the possibility of +such gatherings. + +"Good roads, my friends, like good manners, commend themselves +wherever used. It is very noticeable along improved roads the tendency +of the farmers to improve the appearance of their homes and other +buildings. In fact, the presence of good roads seems many times to +stimulate latent self-respect into practical expression. Social +institutions, such as schools, churches and public amusements, are +more or less dependent in the country upon road conditions. Think what +it would mean to you to have a consolidated school where the more +advanced grades and even high school subjects could be taught, a +building containing an auditorium, where you could meet any season of +the year. I have attended many concerts and even listened to grand +opera singers, but I want to say right here I've never had my heart +stirred by music before as it has been stirred here this afternoon. +Think of the advantages to a community of being able to develop the +talent displayed here--what it would mean to you people yourselves to +be able to get together, especially in the winter, and sing. What a +great benefit and uplift it would be in any community. + +"Now, good roads make consolidated schools possible and give you these +advantages. + +"Take the benefits you now derive from rural free delivery of mail-- +the happiness and home comforts it has brought; nothing contributes so +much to its efficiency and regularity as good roads. + +"It is a matter of common observation that when any community has +passed from a condition dominated by bad roads to a condition which is +characterized by good roads, land values in that community advance. +The cost of hauling farm produce to market is probably not so much +increased by the grades as by the bad condition of the road surface. +The trouble with unimproved earth roads is that they are muddy for +many months in the year. + +"Do you know that you can haul six times as much over a good concrete +road surface as you can through average mud? Or putting it another +way, for the same load hauled one mile in mud, you can go six miles +over concrete. + +"The Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Agriculture has +collected much data that shows the waste of time and money by farmers +using dirt roads. + +"Why has Joe Williams put power all over Brookside Farm? I'll tell +you: for the same reason that you men are going to put it on your +farms next year--not because the work is made easier, but because it +saves time--lets one man do easily the work of three or four. That's +why. Do you want to spend six hours hauling a load from town to your +farm, or from your farm to town, when you can do it in one hour? +That's what they mean when they tell you about conserving man power. +Good roads and only good roads will do that for you. + +"Now, just a moment more and I am through. There are a number of +different materials for the construction of road beds, but in the +speaker's opinion none that will give the universal satisfaction of +well-placed concrete. In your community, roads should not cost over +$1.75 to $2 per square yard. One thing I would advise you not to do: +don't make your roads too narrow. Remember the sides should have well- +built shoulders, well graded away from the sides of the road bed. +Don't use less than a width of twenty feet--you'll always be glad you +had the foresight to make them wide enough. I thank you." + +"The next three speakers," said the banker, "you all know; they are +your County Commissioners. They are modest men, every one of them, and +don't like to make speeches, so I have promised to let them off with +just a short announcement. I believe Mr. Wilson has something to say +to you." + +"This has been the most pleasant day I have ever spent in our county, +barring none," said the speaker, by way of introduction. "If any one +had told me six months ago that we would have a farm within two miles +of our county seat, fenced with wire and permanent concrete posts, +with modern permanent fireproof buildings, all equipped with modern +power-driven machines and owned by one of the happiest farmers I have +ever had the pleasure of meeting, I should have been afraid that +someone would have awakened me, for I would have been sure it was a +dream. But right here on Brookside Farm are all these things, and I'm +told that when Joe Williams gets through with his improvements, there +will be even more than I have described. What's more, his books +already show that he is making a handsome profit from his farm this +year, and that, my friends, doesn't include the returns from his sand +and gravel pit. It has been fortunate for him that he had this sand +pit on his farm, but aside from that, the farm itself shows that it's +going to pay a big return on the investment. Of course, the sand and +gravel pit has helped him in getting his equipment quickly, and in +that he has been fortunate. But the thing I want to say to you men is +that the Commissioners are in hearty accord with the statements just +made by Mr. Earth, regarding concrete roads. We feel that you are +entitled to better roads, that the county will be greatly benefited by +the building of these roads. Of course, the state will pay half the +cost of these roads, the county one-fourth, but the balance of the +cost will have to be borne by you. I know there is no one here who +wants to spend six or even three hours in hauling a load the distance +he ought to be able to haul it in one hour if the roads were in good +shape. We're going to advertise for a bond issue for ten miles of new +concrete roads, six miles of the road will be from the new railroad to +town, going by this farm, and as soon as this is built we will extend +this road and others leading out of the town. One of our principal +reasons for selecting this particular road to start with is the fact +that we need sand and gravel for the construction of all these roads, +and, as a considerable portion of this sand and gravel will have to +come from the Williams pit, it will save a great deal of cost in +hauling by having good roads for the distribution of the material. I'd +like to know if there's a man present who is not in favor of building +these concrete roads. If there is, I'd like to have him stand up and +tell us why he is against it." + +After a moment's pause, during which he looked from one to the other, +Mr. Wilson continued: + +"I'm glad to see it's unanimous, and that the Commissioners have your +hearty support. There's just one other thing I'd like to say and that +is that the First National Bank has agreed to subscribe for the bond +issue and loan the county all the money we need to build these roads, +and you'll have to thank John White and his 'Constructive Banking' +idea for that. I'm sure you'll all be greatly benefited, as it will +bring your farms much nearer the market." + +"Three cheers for concrete roads," shouted Alex Wallace. + +The cheers were given with great applause. + +"That's fine," said John White as he arose, "but the improvement of +the roads is only the beginning of the work we should do. Each man +should plan to improve his own farm, and what's more each acre should +be made to produce the maximum amount. First put on plenty of manure, +second put on plenty of manure, and third put on plenty of manure-- +that's what makes the crops. + +"Now, I have an announcement I want to make. I have made arrangements +with the State Fair Commissioners to establish four prizes to be +awarded each year at the Fair. The first prize is a grain prize of +$25, and goes to the farmer whose grain produces the largest yield per +acre of ground planted. The second, a prize of $25 to the farm that +earns the biggest revenue during the year on the capital invested, the +third is a prize of $25 for you ladies and goes to the farm whose +dairy earns the most money per cow, and the fourth is a prize of $25 +to the farm whose poultry earns the greatest amount per hen. There +will be a set of rules governing all these prizes. No farm will be +eligible to compete for any of them that has not a regular system of +cost accounting and whose books cannot be examined and audited by a +public auditor. All book accounts must run from March first of one +year to March first of the succeeding year. I believe Mr. Barth has +something further to say to you." + +Mr. Barth arose and said: + +"Gentlemen, I represent, as you know, the manufacturers of Portland +cement, and I am authorized to say that the Association has also added +a prize of $25 to be awarded each year in this county to the farmer +who uses the most concrete on his farm during the year--the County +Commissioners to be the judges in each case." + +Whereupon John White arose and continued: + +"Now, before making a visit around the farm, I wish to call your +attention to a couple of things I'd like you to be sure and see. +First, take a look at the running water, especially the shower bath. +You men have no idea how it freshens one up at the end of the day to +take a shower. Why let the golfer alone enjoy all the good things when +you need them more? You should all have running water and a shower. I +also want to call to your attention that when the ditch was dug to put +in this water system, the ground was so hard that it was blasted out +with dynamite. If you will walk out to the orchard back of the +smokehouse, and take a look at the field of oats, you will see a strip +o>f oats more than a foot higher than the surrounding oats and eight +feet wide running across the field--that will show you what dynamite +does to the land. I would like you to go to the edge of the field and +take a look at those oats. Most of us think that dynamite is used for +tearing things apart, but here is a case where it is building up the +land and making it produce greater crops. You farmers who are going to +exhibit oats at the State Fair this year better look out for your +laurels, because I think Joe Williams has the prize winner right there +on that piece of dynamited land." + +The afternoon was spent in examining the buildings and new machinery, +and looking over the plans for the new house and barn. Bob had almost +lost his voice by the time the last of the farmers had gone explaining +to them the details of the work. + +There was not a prouder or happier boy in the state of Pennsylvania +that night than Bob Williams, for he felt that Brookside Farm was +destined to be a great success and he had been a part of the +redemption of the old homestead. + +They sat out on the porch in the twilight. While Tony played on his +flute they sang many songs. They were surprised how much talent they +had in their own family circle. Aunt Bettie and Edith both had good +soprano voices and Ruth a fair contralto. Bob sang tenor and his uncle +bass. It was Maria, though, that surprised them with a remarkable good +mezzo-soprano. + +They were all too happy to sleep, so they sang song after song until +the clock struck eleven. Then they sang "The Happy Farmer" song again +and went to bed. It had been a great day for Brookside Farm. + + + + +XXI + +FILLING THE SILO + + +While Bob and Tony (helped out by the neighbors' boys who came to +Brookside Farm to learn the handling of cement) carried on the +building work, Mr. Brady, the contractor, made rapid strides with the +construction of the house and barn. + +Joe Williams looked after the crops with occasional help from Bob and +Tony. Ruth, who found the greatest pleasure in the fields, deserted +Bob and his concrete mixer entirely for her uncle's machinery. She +soon learned to handle the big tractor and used it to cut the entire +field of oats. After acquiring the knack of using a pitchfork, it was +surprising the work she did and thrived on. She had one vanity, +however--that of having her picture taken nearly every day in her +farmerette clothes. Edith, who took these pictures, declared Ruth +spent her nights thinking up some new poses for the next day's +pictures. But they were a happy family, and many a summer evening, +when they all seemed too tired to move, Tony's sudden appearance with +his flute would start them all singing and cause them to forget their +bodily fatigue. + +"The corn in the back field looks as though it's about ready for the +silo, Bob," said his uncle one morning, "and I think we had better +arrange to start filling it to-morrow. It will give us a chance to try +out our new machinery. It's surprising how large the corn in the new +bottom has grown--I never would have believed it myself without having +actually seen it." + +"Don't you think, Uncle Joe, we should leave a small section of the +best of it standing, say three or four acres, for seed corn? We could +get $5 a bushel next spring for good seed corn, besides having our +own. Then, too, we ought to have some to exhibit at the Fair. I don't +think there'll be any corn like it in the county." + +"That's so," said his uncle. "It would be well to do that. We could +exhibit some on the stalks, too, and then people could see how fertile +Brookside Farm is. I've arranged to put on four men and three teams to +help us, Bob, because it will take seven to handle the outfit. It +ought not to take us more than three days to do the work--that would +mean fifty tons per day to haul and three horses on the binder." + +So the next morning at seven o'clock the new corn binder was started +in the bottom field and by the end of the third day the corn was all +harvested, cut to three-quarter inch length and placed in the silo, +without a break or delay. + +"There's one advantage in having the right kind of machinery to do a +job, Uncle Joe," said Bob admiringly; "you can cut the corn when it's +just right. If we had let the corn stand a few days longer, it would +not have been as good as it is now. We'll probably have the best +ensilage that will be put up this year." + +[Illustration: TRANSFERRING THE GREEN CORN CROP FROM FIELD TO SILO. NO +FARMER DOING WINTER FEEDING CAN AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT A PROFIT-MAKING +SILO] + +"What rate do you think we should charge for the corn binder and +ensilage cutter, Bob?" asked his uncle. "Some of the neighbors want to +hire it." + +"Why not use twenty acres as a basis and charge the same as we decided +for the other tools," + +"That looks pretty high," said his uncle. + +"No higher than it should be," replied Bob. "If we kept the machines +ourselves, Uncle Joe, they would be in good shape for five years, but +you know when you rent a machine out, they don't take care of it as we +do, so I think we ought to charge one per cent. of the cost of the two +machines per acre to each farmer who rents it." + +"But if you rent it to five farmers in a season, Bob, we would pay for +the machines in one year and still own the machines. Isn't that a +pretty high price?" asked his uncle. + +"But wouldn't the machines have done five years' rated work, Uncle +Joe? Do you know anybody who is renting them cheaper?" + +"It might be cheaper for some fellows to club together and get the +machines," said his uncle. + +"Well, then let them do it and in the meantime our machines won't be +worn out," said Bob. + +"All right," said his uncle; "Billie Waterson put up a silo and wants +to borrow our machines." + +"I'd make him agree to return them in good condition and pay for all +repairs necessary," said Bob; "don't forget that." + +"All right," said his uncle; "I think I'll let him have it on that +basis." + +As soon as the silo had been filled, the apple-picking was started. +They had been in a quandary to know just how to get this crop +harvested, as the trees were exceptionally full of well-developed +apples. Tony finally solved the problem by saying he could send to +Pittsburgh and get three or four Italian boys who would be willing to +work for a dollar or two a day, so they were engaged. All the apples +were carefully picked by hand and assorted in sizes, using a device +designed by Tony, where the apples were allowed to roll slowly down a +trough. As the apples dropped through the hole in the bottom of the +grading trough, they rolled down other chutes to the waiting crates. + +"I think we'll sell our apples this year, Bob, by the piece instead of +by the bushel," said his aunt, after inspecting the first that were +picked. "They look so fine I think we can easily get four to five +cents each for them if they are put in nice cartons and each apple +wrapped in paper. We can put our label on them and after we have +marketed them for a year or two, people will write in for their +supply. I know some firms in the mountains of Virginia who are doing +that now and selling all they can raise. We can keep the first and +second grade apples for sale and the third for our own use and for +cider making. I think perhaps the three best sellers would be the +Winesaps, Black Twigs and Albemarle Pippins. They look exceptionally +fine. I don't think I ever saw nicer apples than ours." + +When they had the apples all gathered, they found they had 500 bushels +of first and second grade apples of the three varieties and 63 bushels +of the third grade. Of these latter they kept 13 bushels for their own +use, and after making ten barrels of cider, they offered the rest for +sale in town, where they obtained 50 cents per bushel for them. + +"It will be better, Joe, to sell them off at a cheap price rather than +keep them and sort them all winter. Besides, we don't want to market +any but the best under the name of the farm." + +"We must hurry the work, Bob, on the root cellar to take care of our +apples," said his aunt. + +"All right, Aunt Bettie," he replied; "it's nearly finished." + +A few days after the cider-making had been completed, the new milking +machine arrived. The agent for the manufacturers sent a man to show +Bob how to erect it. When the machine had been completed and tried +out, they tested it out that night. Bob found he could milk his ten +best cows in just a half hour, or half the time it had taken before to +milk by hand. + +Milking by power certainly was a great idea and the cows didn't seem +to object at all to the change. Bob and his aunt were sure now that +they had not made any miscalculations on designing the dairy barn for +a twenty-cow herd; they felt they would be able to take care of that +number easily. + +"Let's go hunting, Bob," said Ruth one morning at breakfast a few days +later. "I'd like to shoot some real game." + +"All right," said Bob, "but we've only one gun between us. You see, I +don't own a gun and Uncle Joe has only one." + +"Oh, that reminds me," said his uncle, "John White gave me a package +yesterday to bring out for you and I was so busy I forgot and left it +in the automobile last night. I guess it's still there," and he winked +at Edith and Ruth across the table. + +Bob got up and went to the barn and came back a few minutes later with +a long package. When opened, he found, much to his delight, it +contained a double-barreled hammerless shotgun. Tied to the gun was a +card on which was written: "For my friend, Bob Williams, with best +wishes, from John White." + +"That was splendid of him to buy me a gun. I wonder why he did it," +exclaimed Bob. + +"Well, I guess he likes you, Bob," said his uncle, "and he feels +you're helping to do a good work in the county, so he just bought it +for you. It's the same gauge as mine, so you can use some of my +shells, although he gave me two boxes of shells already loaded," and +he handed over the shells to Bob. "And this is your belt," he said +laughing, and he handed Bob a very fine belt of buff leather. + +"We certainly can go hunting to-day, Ruth," said Bob, delighted with +his new present, and as soon as the milking and chores were done, they +set off back of the pond and through the woods, back of the "Old Round +Top." + +Bob had every confidence in Ruth's ability to shoot and did not fear +an accident from her gun. While Ruth couldn't do many things, shooting +was not one of them, for she had proven herself to be an expert shot +on a number of occasions. When they reached the woods they separated +and Bob went up the ravine while Ruth kept along the hillsides. They +had not gone very far when a chicken hawk flew over the ravine just +ahead of Bob and alighted on a tree. Here was an unexpected +opportunity of making a good shot and bringing home a trophy worth +while. So he took careful aim and fired, but the distance was either +too great or the aim was bad, for the hawk flew away. He continued up +the ravine until he came to a line fence which he followed up the hill +and joined Ruth, neither one having had an opportunity of shooting at +any other game. + +"Too bad you missed him, Bob; he was such a fine-looking specimen." + +"Did you see it, Ruth?" + +"Yes, it ran alongside of me." + +"What do you mean, it ran alongside of you?" asked Bob; "the last I +saw of it, it was flying." + +"Flying!" exclaimed Ruth. "Why it ran along the ground just like a dog +and had a big red bushy tail. I was sitting on a stump taking a rest +when you fired. It came sneaking up the hill toward me, all the while +watching you. It came up so close I could have put my hand out and +touched it. It stopped right in, front of me for a minute or two and +then ran off up over the ridge." + +"What are you talking about Ruth?" asked Bob. "The thing I shot at was +a hawk and it flew through the air. It didn't run along the ground at +all." + +"Oh," said Ruth, "what I saw must have been a fox, and, Bob, it stood +just in front of me for a minute or two before it turned and went +away." + +"If that's so why didn't you shoot it?" demanded Bob. + +"I was too excited. I never thought about shooting it." + +"Well, you lost an opportunity of a lifetime. You'll probably never +get a chance to get a fox as easy as that again." + +"Please don't tell the folks at the house, Bob, that I had the buck +fever--they'd never get through teasing me if they knew I'd let such a +chance go by." + +They hunted all the rest of the morning, but got only three grey +squirrels, of which Ruth shot two. + +A few days later, as Ruth was crossing the oat stubbles, she saw a +small black and white animal skipping along through the stubbles just +ahead of her. Thinking it was a kitten that had strayed from the +house, she rushed after it and was almost ready to pick it up when she +suddenly changed her mind and started for the house as fast as she +could go. + +The dinner bell had rung and as Ruth came around the side of the +house, her aunt and Edith, who were sitting on the porch, shouted in +unison: "Go 'way! Go 'way! Go out to the barn. Where've you been?" + +"I tried to pick up a kitten out in the oat stubbles," confessed Ruth. + +"Well, I guess you did, all right," said her aunt. "Wait until Edith +gets you some clothes and then go out to the old icehouse and change +them. Leave the clothes you have on out there, because you'll never be +able to wear them again." + +Ruth, who had been trying hard to control her feelings, now broke into +sobs, for she had only one farmerette suit and this meant the loss of +it. + +"It was such an innocent-looking kitten, too," she said. + +"Innocent nothing," said her uncle, who came in from the barn just +then. "Don't you know a skunk when you see one?" + +"No, I didn't, but I will next time," confessed Ruth. Edith then +appeared with the necessary garments and took them to the icehouse +where she left them and where Ruth later went and made the change. +That afternoon she was particularly depressed, for she had to wear a +dress instead of her favorite breeches, which seemed to depress her +more and more as the afternoon wore on. She gladly welcomed the +appearance of Eddie Brown and Herbert Potter, who drove out to see the +girls and to tell them they were about to leave to go to school. + +Bob was now working on a new piggery, which he and Tony had well under +way. The pens were to accommodate thirty pigs, and were built so they +could be extended from time to time, as they might decide. In addition +to the pen, they were constructing a large feeding floor, and now that +work on the main barn had been completed, Mr. Brady was pushing the +work on the new house, which was progressing rapidly. Bob was sorry it +was necessary to build this house so quickly, as he would have liked +to work out all the details for it, but he had to be satisfied with +the development of the plan, which he and his Aunt Bettie worked out +after a great many conferences. + +The house was to face the south and have a long porch running the full +width of the front with a return on the west end. The south front was +to face the flower garden and the west front would connect with the +drive, while the back of the house would open into the general +barnyard. + +They planned to build the woodshed and laundry between the new house +and the dairy, with a heating system and the fuel in the cellar. This +would prevent the cellar of the main house becoming too warm for +storage purposes. They had also decided to build the new machinery +house to take care of the implements with a good-size tool shed +adjoining--also a garage large enough to accommodate an automobile and +two motor trucks and an oil house at one end. They were also at work +on fifty concrete apiaries for the protection of the bees. The septic +tank was being built by Mr. Brady in connection with the house, but +the root cellar, corn crib, manure pit and the sheep barn were yet to +be completed by Bob and Tony; but the plans for them had already been +worked out. + +It had also been decided that they should build a sixty-foot +greenhouse for the growing of cucumbers and other vegetables under +glass, which they would try out that winter--also a half dozen cold +frames and a small mushroom cellar. + +The work on the piggery was to include a hog-dipping vat, a platform +and scalding vat. A garbage burner had been installed at the rear of +the dairy not far from the woodshed. + +The plans for the house included a cistern for the collection of rain +water in the cellar under the laundry. After these had been planned, +they decided that the old brick smokehouse was in a bad location and +too far away from the house. So this was abandoned and a new +smokehouse added in the rear of the dairy buildings. + +In order to get all the work completed, they had found it necessary to +let Mr. Brady build Tony's bungalow also, although they would much +have preferred to do this work themselves. + +They found that even with this help, they would have to let a number +of things go over until the next year--among them a bridge to carry +the lane over the new ditch, and some ornamental concrete work in +connection with the garden. + +They could work much faster now than formerly, as many of the +neighbors' boys were available for a few days at a time, and even +though the fall weather was upon them, they hoped to get all their +concrete work done before the December snows. + + + + +XXII + +THE FAIR + + +The State Fair, an event that had long been anticipated at Brookside +Farm, was scheduled to be held on September tenth that year. The +summer was not more than half over before Joe Williams decided that he +had, if any thing, a little better crops and stock than any other man +in the county; in fact, he was beginning to "feel his oats," as the +saying went, and wanted to show his neighbors just how good a farmer +he really was, so he took a great deal of pride in getting his +products ready to exhibit. + +First he decided to enter his team of Belgian mares and their two +handsome young colts; then his majesty, King Pontiac, the head of the +Holstein herd, and four of his best Holstein cows; then he selected +two handsome Holstein bulls and two heifer calves; two Berkshire sows, +one with a litter of ten fine pigs, together with two young Berkshire +shoats; then Jerry, the Southdown ram, and the best two Southdown ewes +and two good lambs; two breeding pens of white Leghorns and two of +white Plymouth rocks were then selected; also the best cock and hen +and the best cockerel and pullet, together with a dozen eggs laid by +each breed. Then he picked out two bushels of the finest corn that had +been raised in the bottom land and two bushels of oats and a dozen +each of the three varieties of apples, and two bushels of potatoes. +Then Bob selected two pounds of his best comb honey and Aunt Bettie +and the girls picked out five dozen of their choice jellies and jams, +and on the opening day of the fair this exhibition was taken to the +fair grounds. + +All work on the buildings was stopped and a number of neighbor boys +were engaged to help to take the exhibit to town. + +All the cattle had been carefully groomed for several weeks in advance +and were in fine shape for exhibition purposes, and attracted a great +deal of attention. + +When the awards had been made, Joe Williams found he had won first +prize in every class he had exhibited and in a number he had also +carried off second prizes and sweepstakes, while Bob won first prize +with his honey and Aunt Bettie five first prizes and four second +prizes on her jellies and jams. + +As soon as the exhibits were in place, Joe Williams went from one +exhibit to another and fastened white cards printed in dark blue +letters, containing the following words: "Grown on Brookside Farm, +Joseph Williams, Proprietor." + +"Say, Bob," said Alex Wallace, "if your Uncle Joe had won a few prizes +more there would not have been any left for the rest of us." + +"Oh, I don't know," said Bob, "there were lots of other prizes awarded +besides those Uncle Joe got. How many did you win?" + +"We got first and second on our Jersey cattle and first on our +Clydesdale mare and colt, but your Uncle Joe cleaned up all the prizes +on the grain." + +"Well, next year perhaps you can win them." + +"We're going to try for them all right. Father says Joe Williams +needn't think he can come back here from the West and annex the State +Fair. If he wins next year, he'll have to go some. We bought a tractor +to-day, Bob." + +"That's fine, Alex. When are you going to start your silo?" + +"Oh, pretty soon," he replied as he left Bob. + +Thursday was the big day of the Fair, and Bob, as a special reward for +his services, was permitted to go to the Fair each day; in fact, much +of the care of the stock depended on him, although he was unable to +stay in town overnight as he would have liked on account of taking +care of the milking. + +Whom should he meet early Thursday morning, as he was coming from +milking his cows that were on exhibition, but his father. + +"Why, hello, Bob. I was just looking for you. My, how you have grown. +I'd scarcely have known you." + +"How-do-you-do, dad; how'd you like to have a drink of good fresh +milk? 'Grown on Brookside Farm, Joseph Williams, Proprietor,'" he +laughed. + +"Fine," said his father, whereupon Bob handed him a glass of rich +milk. + +"Not as good as Gurney's, but pretty good at that," remarked his +father. "I've heard about the prizes you and your Uncle Joe have won +and couldn't help but come in and look you over, even, though I'm very +busy and it was hard to get away." + +"How did you leave mother and the rest of the family?" was Bob's next +inquiry. + +"Oh, they're all well, Bob. Your mother was sorry she couldn't come +with me, but it was hard for her to get away. How do you like +farming?" + +"Oh, I like farming very much and I want to be a farmer. You know, +there are lots of interesting things to do on a farm, dad." + +"By the way, I met a friend of yours, Bob--John White, of the First +National Bank. He was telling me all about the things you've been +doing on the old place. He says you even have a name for it." + +"Why, yes; didn't you see it on the exhibits? We're going to sell +everything under a trade name, just like thread and other things that +have names." + +"How much do you weigh now, Bob?" + +"I weight 137 pounds; that is 27 pounds more than when I went to the +farm, and I'm two inches taller." + +"I should say you have been growing, Bob. Has your Uncle Joe paid you +yet for your year's work? + +"No, he hasn't; but he will when he gets 'round to it. You see, he +hasn't sold his crops yet." + +"How much do you think he will give you, Bob?" + +"I don't know, but I think he'll be fair. Aunt Bettie will see to +that, if he should forget it himself. If you come along with me, I'll +show you how many prize winners we have," and he proudly took his +father from one exhibit to another, all the time telling him of the +permanent improvements they were making on the farm. + +"You must come out to the farm to-night and see the place. You have no +idea what it looks like with the old barn gone and nearly all the +concrete buildings up. You can see the big silo ever so far away. Of +course, the biggest change is the taking away of the pond. Just look +at that corn standing there--that's what we got out of the old pond +where you taught me to swim. We got over 10 tons per acre of ensilage, +after leaving several hundred bushels from the field from which to +select our seed. You can see for yourself what fine-looking corn it +is. Just look at those big ears there, and all that fifteen acres +raised before was muskrats and turtles." + +"You're right, Bob, it was a 'Hidden Treasure'." + +After the speed trials were over Bob milked his cows again, and with +his father drove out to Brookside Farm. + +"My, it certainly doesn't look like the old place, Bob," his father +remarked, when they came in sight of the farm. "What a fine fence; are +those stone posts, Bob?" + +"No, dad, they're concrete, but will last just as long as stone." + +Bob now stopped the car to give his father time to see all the +changes. + +"Why, the sawmill's gone too, Bob." + +"Yes," he replied, "we'll drive down that way and go in at the lower +gate." + +It was hard for Bob's father to understand the reason for all the +buildings and what conditions had made them different sizes and +shapes. + +He did not know until Bob explained to him that each building required +special designing to suit certain conditions. + +That night they sang the "Happy Farmer" song for him, and his father +sat up long after the others had retired, talking to his brother Joe. + +On the way home from the Fair on Friday afternoon, the animals from +Brookside Farm fell in behind those of the Wallace Farm. Alex Wallace +was looking after their flock of Merino sheep, in which there was an +old buck, and had with him their Scotch collie dog "Don." Bob was +looking after his flock of Southdown sheep, which he had driven close +behind Alex, so the boys could talk to each other back and forth as +they went along. + +After a while Alex got tired turning his head around to hear what Bob +had to say, for the noise of the clattering feet of the sheep on the +concrete road made it difficult for him to hear, so he left his dog +"Don" between the two flocks and came back and joined Bob. + +They proceeded thus for about a quarter of a mile when suddenly Jerry, +the Southdown buck of Bob's flock, started forward and all the others +followed, so that the two flocks became merged into one. As Bob rushed +forward to separate them, the two bucks stepped up to each other and +placed their heads together, when Alex, seeing Bob trying to separate +them, shouted: + +"That's right, Bob, take your big fellow away or mine will kill him." + +The remark angered Bob, whereupon he ceased his efforts and said: + +"Well, if you think that little runt of yours can kill ours, I guess +we had better let them fight it out." "All right," said Alex; "I'm +satisfied." + +So the two boys stood still while the two bucks placed their heads +together, then stepped slowly backwards until they were on opposite +sides of the road, where they stood looking at each other. The ewes +crowded back and left an open space between them and stood as intently +interested as the boys, waiting the coming battle. + +After the bucks had paused for a moment, they lowered their heads and +rushed at each other. Now, it must be remembered that a Southdown buck +stands very much higher than one of the Merino breed, which is rather +short in the legs and set close to the ground. Also that the Southdown +had been used to associating with sheep of his own size; consequently +when he lowered his head to strike, he did not take into account that +the Merino was so much lower than himself. This gave the Merino the +advantage, and, instead of the Merino striking his adversary on the +hard skull as the latter expected he would do, he struck him on the +point of the nose, breaking Jerry's neck. + +Both boys were horrified to see Bob's prize-winning buck lying dead in +the road, and while they looked at him speechless, Tony, who was +coming along behind with some of the cattle, rushed forward and +quickly turned him into mutton, while Bob with a heavy heart went on +to the farm with the others. + +It was not necessary for Bob to explain the fight to his uncle, who +came along the road shortly behind him and to whom Tony explained the +accident. + +"It's all right, Bob," said his uncle, as he drove up into the +barnyard. "I know just how you felt when Alex Wallace challenged you +to let them fight, and while I'm sorry Jerry is dead, still I think if +I had been there myself, I would have taken up his dare, just as you +did. You know Brookside Farm has a reputation to maintain, and, while +I don't believe in quarreling, still this was a case where I think you +were justified in letting them scrap it out. At any rate, we've had +such a profitable year at Brookside, I guess we can afford to charge +Jerry to the profit and loss account. He has not been exactly a gross +loss. Tony has turned him into mutton, and, as soon as I get the +cattle stowed away, I'm going back for him." + +As soon as the Fair was over and all returned to the farm, they +started in to dig their potatoes. Joe Williams expected a good yield +from the field, but he was surprised when he found that from the seven +acres he obtained 1400 bushels, which was considerably more than he +thought was possible. To lessen the work, a potato plow was used to +dig them, and they were graded by machinery in the field. + +The new concrete root cellar had been completed just a few days before +and the potatoes were taken there and put into bins. + +"Do you know what I think, Uncle Joe?" said Bob one evening at supper, +after the potatoes had all been gathered. + +"What have you thought of now?" asked his uncle laughing, for since +his crop had turned out so well and he had won so many prizes at the +Fair, Joe Williams was very happy. + +"I think if we would take our seven-acre potato field and put in an +overhead sprinkler system, and put plenty of manure on it next year, +we could increase the yield from 1400 bushels to 4200 bushels." + +"How could it be possible to get that many potatoes out of seven acres +of ground, Bob?" asked his uncle incredulously. + +"Well, I've been reading of a farm in New Jersey where they do that, +and they got $960 per acre for the potatoes, which were only one of +three crops raised on the ground the same year." + +"If that's so, Bob, why wouldn't it pay to plant the whole farm in +potatoes?" + +"Well, maybe it would, Uncle Joe, at least several of the fields. The +story of the farm I was reading about said they put on one hundred +tons of manure, worth $2.50 per ton, on each acre of ground." + +"What!" said his uncle; "$250 worth of manure on each acre. That +wouldn't be possible." + +"Well, that's what the paper said--plenty of water and plenty of +manure, and the crops take care of themselves." + +"That's right, Joe," said his wife. "Bob showed me the same article. +The farm averaged over $2000 per acre and I think it would be a good +idea to buy the outfit next year, Joe. The same as our growing of +vegetables under glass. I'm very much interested in growing vegetables +out of season--there isn't much work to do in winter and we can easily +take care of them, and in that way we may find we could make more +money on less ground than by doing general farming." + +"Well, it's worth looking into," said her husband. "All of our things +so far have panned out pretty good and I'm not willing to pass up +anything now without giving it a thorough investigation. By the way, +Bettie, don't you think we ought to put an orchard on 'Old Round Top?' +That's one field we can't very well plow." + +"What had you thought of planting, Joe?" + +"I thought peaches would be a good crop there--peaches ought to do +well on the south slope." + +"Well, you know a peach orchard doesn't live very long and it's rather +a fickle crop," she replied. + +"I tell you what I was thinking of, Uncle Joe," said Bob. + +"What's that?" asked his uncle. + +"Planting it with peaches with black walnut trees in between." + +"What do you want with black walnuts?" asked Bob's uncle. + +"Well, when the trees are grown, you have the walnuts, and when the +trees get older black walnut timber, which is very valuable. A hill +such as Round Top that isn't much good for anything else, would raise +good black walnut timber. Of course, you'd have to dynamite the holes +good and deep where you put the trees, so they'd have no trouble +getting good roots. Once they were well started, I don't think there'd +be any trouble with them." + +"I hadn't thought of that, Bob," said his uncle, "but I guess we had +better look into it. By the time the peach trees were dead, the walnut +trees would have a good start. How many trees will it take to plant +it?" + +"I figure if we took the whole twelve acres, it would require twelve +hundred peach trees," said Bob. + +"But that would be a good many peach trees to take care of, Uncle +Joe." + +"Yes, but we won't be building any concrete buildings by the time they +begin bearing, so why not plant it all in peach trees with the black +walnuts in between, as you say?" + +"I'll have Edith write to a grower to-night, if you wish, Joe, and +find what the peaches will cost," said his wife. + +"How about the black walnuts?" asked Bob. "Shall we plant the trees or +nuts?" + +"I think we had better plant nuts and let them grow themselves. We can +stick a lot of them between the peach trees and, of course, the peach +trees will be dead long before the walnuts get to be any size." + +Much to the regret of every one, two days later Ruth and Edith said +good-by to Brookside Farm and went back to their New England homes. +They had intended to stay a few weeks longer, but a telegram from +Edith's father saying her mother had been taken suddenly ill and +needed her, caused them to decide that they should return at once. +When Bob came back from an inspection trip with John White and the +County Commissioners over the new concrete road, they had packed their +trunks and were ready to leave for the afternoon train. He drove the +girls and their Aunt Bettie to town in the car and was particularly +depressed when he said good-by at the station--somehow or other they +had become part of the life at Brookside Farm, and now that they were +going he began to realize how much he would miss them. Even the good- +natured Ruth, in her impetuous way and ability to get into trouble, +had added much to the life on the farm. Edith was very quiet all the +way to the station, and Bob could not tell whether it was worrying +over the possible illness of her mother or her disappointment in +having to return so soon, or maybe, as he hoped, it was for another +reason she was silent--at any rate, she had little to say to him as he +bid her good-by, but just before she ascended the steps of the train, +when, for a second, they looked full into each others' eyes, he seemed +to feel that perhaps he was right in attributing it to that reason. + +So the girls went on their way and Bob went back to work. + + + + +XXIII + +CHRISTMAS AT BROOKSIDE FARM + + +One evening a few days before Thanksgiving, shortly after they had +moved into the new house, Bob sat before the open fire talking with +his aunt and uncle, when the latter said: + +"Bob, it's just a little over nine months since you came to live with +us and turned our farm upside down, digging after 'Hidden Treasure.' +Do you remember the Sunday we let the water out of the old pond?" + +"Yes, I do, Uncle Joe." + +"Do you remember the conversation you and I had that day?" + +"I haven't forgotten that either, Uncle Joe," said Bob with a smile. + +"Well, it's getting around kind of close to payday, don't you think, +Bob?" + +"Oh, I don't need any money, Uncle Joe. I received $250 for my honey +this fall, and I haven't spent very much yet." + +"That's no reason why you should not be paid just the same. You've +done your work. I don't know what you feel you've earned, but what +would you say if I gave you $540--that's at the rate of $60 per month +with board." + +"Do you mean to pay me in money, Uncle Joe?" + +"Of course, in money. I don't suppose you want to take it out in sand +and gravel, do you?" + +"No, Uncle Joe, of course not; but do you think I've earned that much +money, Uncle Joe?" + +"Yes, and more, but that's as much as I feel I can pay you, and if you +stay with us another year, and we prosper as well as we did this year, +what do you say to calling it $75 per month with board?" + +"That'll be splendid, Uncle Joe, and I'll be perfectly satisfied." + +"All right," said his uncle, "then it's a bargain, and here's your +check for the money," and he handed him a check already made out and +drawn to his order for $540. + +"Thank you, Uncle Joe," said Bob, looking first at the check and then +at his aunt and uncle in turn. "I hope you both feel I've earned it +all." + +"Oh, yes, you've earned it all right, Bob; don't worry about that," +said his uncle. + +"If I were you," said his aunt, "I'd stop in at Bush & Company, +tailors, and have a couple of nice suits of clothes made--a specially +good one for Sunday and another one for general dress-up wear. You +should have a new overcoat, too, and some other nice things. You're +nineteen years old now, Bob, and you've been working pretty hard this +summer, and not paying much attention to your clothes. We'll like you +just as well in your old clothes as we will in the new ones, but while +you're a farmer, that's no reason why you should not have some good +clothes, the same as other boys. You know, Brookside Farm has +established a reputation, and while I don't believe in wasting money +on clothes, I think we should all be dressed comfortably and be neat." + +"All right, Aunt Bettie, I'll be going to town to-morrow and I'll take +care of it." + +Time flew quickly at Brookside Farm, while they hurried to finish +their concrete buildings and get their new fences up before the ground +froze up solidly. + +After this was done, Joe Williams fixed up a lot of wire racks to take +care of his seed corn, and carefully winnowed out his prize oats for +good fertile seed. The chickens, too, claimed considerable of their +combined attention. + +Now that Edith had gone they both began to realize how much help she +had been in her quiet way and the many things she had done while +there. Bob kept hoping she might be able to return the coming year, +although the letters she wrote gave him no encouragement to hope. + +"Merry Christmas, Bob," called his aunt, as he came in from doing his +chores on Christmas morning, and she handed him a handsome gold watch +and chain. + +"Merry Christmas, Aunt Bettie," he replied. "Who is this from?" + +"That's from your Uncle Joe and me," said his aunt, "and a Merry +Christmas I think it should be, for I heard your uncle say yesterday +that you finished the last foot of wire fence and that all the +concrete work was done, except some garden furniture. + +"It has certainly been a busy year for you, Bob," continued his aunt; +"when I think of all that has been accomplished, it seems almost +inconceivable how we changed the old place in such a short time, and +how much more comfortable we are now than when I first came to the +farm in April. Do you know, Bob, one of the nicest buildings we have +on the farm is Tony's little cottage down by the pond. I am never +tired of looking at it." + +"It is a handsome building, Aunt Bettie, down there under those big +elm trees," said Bob, "and with the pond back of it, it has a very +homelike appearance." + +"What are you planning to do this winter, Bob, now that the concrete +work is practically all done?" she asked. + +"Well, I was thinking, Aunt Bettie, now that Brookside has shown its +earning capacity, that we might get the pipe ready for the overhead +irrigation system in the field over by the main road, and build a pump +house down near the pond. The more I read and think of intensive +cultivating, the more I believe there's a lot of money can be made by +this method. Of course, if we don't want to raise potatoes, we could +easily raise celery or other vegetables, and you know we can get four +crops a year off the ground instead of one, if we plant it right, and +fertilize it heavy enough." + +"We'll do no work to-day, Bob, for this is a holiday, so we'll just +have a good time. Did you get your new clothes from the tailor?" + +"Yes, I got them last night. Maybe I'll dress up to-day just to see +how they look," he added, smiling back at her. + +"Why are we having such a large table for Christmas dinner, Aunt +Bettie?" he asked a little later in the morning, as he passed through +the dining room and saw the table extended to an unusual size. + +"I didn't know but some one might drop in for dinner on Christmas," +said his aunt evasively. + +"Why, is there some one coming, Aunt Bettie?" he asked. + +"You just wait and see," spoke up his uncle, who came into the room. + +"All right," said Bob; "I guess I'll have to wait." + +"That reminds me," said his uncle, winking at his wife. "I forgot +something in town that I was to bring out. John White asked me to stop +around at the bank, so I'll have to go back--guess I'll have time to +get in and back again before dinner." + +"We won't have dinner to-day until 12:30, Joe," said his wife, "so if +you start now you ought to be back easily by that time," she added +smiling. + +When the new house at Brookside was planned, a small room had been +built on the first floor to--be used as a sort of an office. In this +room a flat-top desk with drawers had been placed and a bookcase to +contain all their bulletins and other information had been built at +one end in a convenient place. The set of books containing the cost +accounting system of the farm was kept in this desk. In this room Bob +also kept a small draughting board and his instruments. At odd times +he sketched new buildings and other things for the improvement of the +farm. He now went to this room and began work again on the designs of +some garden furniture, which they were planning to place on the +sloping ground in front of the house the following spring. He was busy +at work when his attention was attracted by the sound of an automobile +coming up the driveway. He looked out of the window as the car flashed +past; he recognized some of the faces, and rushed out to the porch to +great them. + +There was something very unfamiliar about the car as it came up the +driveway. As it drew near he saw the reason, for instead of the Ford +his uncle had taken to town, he was now sitting in a new seven- +passenger Buick. In the front seat, with his uncle, sat Bob's father, +and in the back seat was his mother, with his grandmother and +grandfather on either side of her. + +Bob had rushed out bare headed to greet them. He kissed his mother and +grandmother and shook hands with the others. + +"Well, what do you think of your Aunt Bettie's Christmas gift, Bob?" +asked his uncle, as they got back on the porch and turned around to +look at the new car. + +"What do you mean, Aunt Bettie's Christmas gift?" he asked. + +"The new car," said his uncle. + +"Is that her car, Uncle Joe?" + +"Yes, I just bought it for her--that's her Christmas gift. Isn't it a +dandy?" + +"Whee! It surely is," said Bob. "Does she know yet that you bought +it?" + +"No, that's a surprise that's coming to her," and they both ran into +the dining room where she was busy with the dinner, to escort her out +to inspect the car. + +Bob had never seen his aunt so happy as when she inspected the car and +his uncle insisted upon her getting into the seat, as he explained to +her the operation of the levers. Her eyes were bright with joy when +she got out of the car a moment later and went back to her dinner and +her guests. + +"It was very kind of you, Joe, to remember me in this way," and her +eyes were suspiciously wet. "I feel more than repaid for all the work +I have done to help you build up Brookside Farm." + +Christmas Day at Brookside was an event long to be remembered, for not +only had Bob the pleasure of explaining to his mother and father the +work they had been doing all summer and telling them of their plans +for the coming year, but during the afternoon a large auto truck +arrived at the house and unloaded a fine piano and victrola, the +latter with a dozen well-selected records. + +His aunt couldn't believe her eyes when this second Christmas present +arrived. The only satisfaction she could get from her husband was that +he and John White had talked it over and decided that they needed some +music at Brookside to brighten their evenings. After supper that +night, his Aunt Bettie sat down at the piano and began to play. + +It was only a few minutes before they were all gathered around the +piano singing. Naturally, the first song was Edith's "Happy Farmer"; +they were just in the midst of the song when the door opened and in +walked Tony and Maria. After a few minutes' interruption, they started +singing again--Tony and his wife joining in with the others. + +Once the singing started there was no stopping them and for several +hours they sang song after song. It was really the first time since +Brookside Farm had become a reality, that they had a chance to let +each other know just how happy they felt, as they gave vent to their +feelings in song. + +"I'm only sorry," said Bob's aunt, "that my own father and mother +couldn't have lived to see the happiness and joy that has come to us. +This has been the happiest Christmas Day I have ever spent." + +"Bob!" called his uncle. "Come here a minute. I almost forgot to give +you something. Here's a letter that John White asked me to deliver to +you." + +Bob took the letter, read it and then re-read it, his face a puzzle. + +What is it? "asked his uncle smiling. + +"I don't know," said Bob; "it's a peculiar kind of a letter, and I +don't understand it at all." + +"Let me see it," asked his father, and Bob handed him the letter. + +After looking at it a moment, he read aloud: + +"This is to certify that we have this day bought the sixty acres of +land adjoining Brookside Farm, on the east, for the sum of Eighteen +Hundred Dollars ($1800), to be held in trust for Robert Williams, and +to be turned over to him whenever he wishes to take possession. The +sum of $1800, the purchase price, to be paid to the First National +Bank at his convenience and draw six per cent. interest until paid. +The first payment of One Hundred Dollars ($100) on account, is hereby +acknowledged. (Signed), The First National Bank, John White, +President." + +"What does it mean, Uncle Joe?" asked Bob, looking at his uncle, who +was smiling across at him. + +"Well, it simply means this, Bob: John White wanted to make sure when +you got ready to buy a farm that there'd be one waiting for you. He +persuaded Bruce Wallace to sell him his sixty acres adjoining +Brookside on the east. He said he wanted you to have the land next to +Brookside. That was the only piece that had the proper exposure and +good water; besides this, he pointed out that the water from our pond +runs through this also, and that there is a place there where you can +have a pond of your own, if you want it." + +"What about the $100 on account, Uncle Joe?" asked Bob. + +"Oh," laughed his uncle, "that's your Christmas gift from John White." + +Bob was silent while he tried to realize the full purport of the +letter. Then he suddenly said: + +"I've no money to buy a farm, Uncle Joe." + +"He doesn't say that you have to take it up right away, or that you +have to pay for it by any particular time. You see, Bob, since the new +concrete road has been built, farms are soon going to advance in price +and he wanted you to have the advantage of buying yours at the +original price. He feels you are largely responsible for the +improvements that have been made in this section and that you should +benefit by them." + +"I guess we'll have to sing Edith's 'Happy Farmer' song again," said +Bob's aunt, as she seated herself at the piano and struck up the +familiar air, in which they all joined with a will. + + + + +XXIV + +COST ACCOUNTING + + +Shortly after Christmas, Tony came to Joe Williams and explained that +his brother, who was then visiting them, would like to stay at +Brookside and work. As Tony had given eminent satisfaction, and his +brother seemed to be a capable young man, he was engaged to look after +the dairy. + +In February Bob had taken two weeks off. He had gone to visit his +father and mother. When he returned he found that many important +events had occurred at Brookside Farm. + +"Who do you think is here?" asked his uncle, as Bob came into the +sitting room. + +"I don't know," said Bob; "unless it's Edith back again." + +"I believe you're pretty fond of Edith," said his uncle, eyeing him: +suspiciously; "seems to me you two were together a good deal last +summer, come to think of it." + +"Well, isn't she a nice girl, Uncle Joe?" "She certainly is a fine +girl, Bob, and I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it isn't Edith this +time--it's Joseph Williams, Jr.," said his uncle proudly, "three days +old to-day." + +"You don't mean it, Uncle Joe," exclaimed Bob. + +"Yes, sir, Bob; twelve pounds on the scale, and every inch a farmer. +We've produced some prize winners at Brookside Farm, Bob, but this one +heads the list." + +"That's splendid, Uncle Joe. May I see him?" + +"As soon as we get warm, Bob. I wouldn't go into the room until you've +had a chance to warm up some." + +A few minutes later Bob was conducted to his aunt's room and there was +not only allowed to see, but to hold in his arms, the heir of +Brookside Farm. + +"My, but he's little," said Bob. + +"Little!" exclaimed his uncle. "Why, he's a bouncing big boy." + +"Well, maybe it's the clothes that make him look so small." + +"Don't tell us that," said his uncle, "for we know better." + +"That's what you told me when I first came to the farm," laughed Bob. + +"That's right. I remember now you did look small, Bob, but you've +grown a lot since then." + +"Guess he'll grow too, Uncle Joe. Everything seems to grow fast on +Brookside." + +Then the baby asserted himself. + +"My, what a good pair of lungs he has, Uncle Joe," said Bob. + +"Just see what nice black hair he has, too," smiled his Aunt Bettie. + +"I tell you what," said Bob, after a moment's thought, "they'll have +to go some to get ahead of Brookside Farm." + +"This isn't the only thing that has happened since you left," said his +uncle. "You ought to go down to Tony's cottage and see what's been +doing there." + +"What?" asked Bob. + +"Oh, they have the finest little black-haired two-day-old girl you +ever saw," said his aunt. + +"You don't mean it," said Bob. + +"Tony's so excited," said his uncle, "that he forgets everything you +ask him to do." + +"Well, this is certainly fine news," said Bob. "I don't suppose I dare +go down and see her." + +"I think I'd wait a day or two if I were you, Bob, before going down." + +Bob and his uncle now retired to the sitting room and were talking +over the events that had happened while he was away, when Alex Wallace +dropped in to see them. + +"How's the new boy, Joe?" asked Alex. + +"He's fine, Alex--greatest prize winner at Brookside Farm." + +"Where have you been, Bob?" asked Alex. + +"I've been visiting my father and mother," said Bob. + +"I came over to see about the ice, Joe," said Alex. "I suppose, since +you've made the improvements at Brookside, we can't go down to the +pond and help ourselves any more." + +"You had better talk that over with Bob," said his uncle, as the baby +began to cry and he left them to see what was happening to it. + +"That's right," said Bob; "we pay for everything we get and charge for +everything that goes off the farm." + +"You don't mean you're going to charge for ice!" exclaimed Alex almost +incredulously. + +"Well, why not?" said Bob. "It's worth something, isn't it? The pond +cost us money and occupies ground that could be used for other +purposes." + +"That's so," said Alex. "I hadn't thought of that." + +"The pond has to pay rent for the ground, and ice is one of the things +it produces." + +"What does ice bring this winter?" asked Alex. + +"Fifty cents per ton on the water," said Bob, "and you cut it +yourself." + +"How can you tell how much it takes to make a ton?" asked Alex. + +"Oh, that's easy," said Bob. "You measure the size of the cakes, and, +when you know the thickness, you can refer to a schedule in one of the +bulletins and that will tell you exactly how much it weighs." + +"Well, I don't think my father will be willing to pay for ice," said +Alex. + +"Why not?" said Bob. "It's worth something." + +"Yes, but nobody charges for ice," said Alex. + +"Well, of course, if you know of any one who has nice ice to give +away, that's the place to get it," said Bob, "but if you want ice from +Brookside, you better let us know soon, because three or four people +are asking for the full cutting of the pond, and, of course, we want +to fill our own icehouse first, and after that--first come, first +served." + +"You had better hold it for us, Bob, until I find out." + +"You'll have to make up your mind whether you want it or not; there's +the telephone--call up your father and see what he says." + +After a few minutes talk with his father, Alex came out of the office +and said: + +"We'll take it, Bob. Put us down for the first cutting after you get +your own off. I think it will take a full cutting of the entire pond +to fill our icehouse. There's another thing I was going to ask you +about, too. Could we have Tony a while to help us with some concrete +work?" + +"What are you going to build, Alex?" asked Bob. + +"Oh, we want to make some concrete fence posts, and fence in our +property. Since father sold the sixty-acre farm to the First National +Bank we thought we'd improve the remaining hundred and forty by +putting up a wire fence on concrete posts." + +"You'd have to put up a shed and get some moulds and all that sort of +thing," said Bob. "Why not let us sell you posts?" + +"Will you sell us some?" asked Alex. + +"Surely," said Bob. "Tony has been making a lot of fence posts this +winter. We're going to make a regular business." + +"How much will they cost us?" asked Alex. + +"Seventy-five cents at the pit and you can haul them yourselves." + +"I'll speak to father about it and see what he says. He rather +thought, though, we'd make them ourselves." + +"Just as you like," said Bob. "The posts will cost you less if you +make them yourselves and you'll have the advantage, when the shed is +once up, you can make all kinds of things." + +"I think that's what we'd rather do. I'd like to work in cement +myself. I think it must be very interesting, and I'd like to get +father started so we can get some concrete buildings like Brookside +Farm. You haven't any idea, Bob, how nice your buildings look from +over at the turn of the road." + +"Oh, yes, I do. I often stop when I'm coming out from town to take a +look from that point." + +"How long do you want Tony?" asked Bob. + +"We'd like to have him two or three weeks," said Alex. + +"That will be all right--we can let him go." + +The next few weeks Bob spent sharpening up their tools, oiling the +machines and touching up the paint on those that showed wear. As soon +as this was completed, he began making fifty additional concrete +apiaries. The bees had paid so well the previous year that he decided +to increase their number to one hundred colonies. Another thing that +caused him to arrive at this decision was a letter from Edith, a few +days before, saying she had her mother's permission to return to +Brookside in the early spring and that she would again spend the +summer with them. + +"Do you know what day this is, Bob?" asked his uncle a few weeks +later, as they sat down to breakfast. + +"It's Thursday, Uncle Joe," said Bob. + +"Yes, Thursday, March first, and it will be just one year to-morrow +since you came to Brookside Farm. Your Aunt Bettie and I've been +talking it over and we've decided we should take our inventory to-day +and balance our books to-night, and see how much we've made or lost +during the year," he added smiling. "Bettie thinks it's better to take +inventory on March first instead of April first, so that all the labor +that goes on the spring plowing may be charged in the new year. As +soon as we have our breakfast, Bob, we'll go to the barn and take a +careful inventory of all the grain, live stock, poultry and other +products." + +It took them until four o'clock in the afternoon to make the +inventory, which was then laid aside until after supper, when they +would figure out the amount and compare the results with the previous +year. + +They had just sat down to supper when the door of the dining room was +suddenly opened and there stood Ruth and Edith, cheeks aglow and eyes +sparkling. + +"Where in the world did you girls come from?" asked their aunt, who +was the first to see them. + +"Oh, we came in on the afternoon train," laughed Ruth, "and we got +Henry Smith to drive us out. We wanted to surprise you." + +"Well, you certainly have," said their uncle, as they all crowded +around to welcome them back to Brookside Farm. + +"Where's your new farmhand, Aunt Bettie?" asked Ruth. "I want to see +him." + +Her aunt looked puzzled for a moment and then said: + +"He's around somewhere if you'd like to see him, but why are you so +anxious to see him, Ruth? He's Tony's brother, you know." + +"Oh, I mean Joseph Williams, Jr.," exclaimed Ruth excitedly. + +"Oh, he's asleep upstairs," said her aunt; "you may see him directly, +but you must have something to eat first." + +Their wraps were soon removed. A few minutes later happenings on +Brookside Farm were intermingled with happenings in New England, as +they asked and answered each others' questions. + +After supper was over and while the girls were inspecting the new +baby, Bob and his uncle sat in the office and figured out the +inventory. Bob was just completing the written statement of the +account, when his aunt and the two girls came into the office. + +"Have you the inventory finished yet?" asked his aunt. + +"Just finished," he said, laying down the sheet. + +"Then we're just in time," said Edith, "for that's why we planned to +reach here to-day; we wanted to know the result of the year's work, +and I'm sure it must be a good report." + +INVENTORY + + APRIL 15, MARCH 1, + ITEM 1916 1917 + +Farm, 125 acres............................$6,000.00 $6,000.00 +New Buildings.........................................20,000.00 +Cows: +10 head @ $175 .............................1,750.00 1,500.00 +8 head @ $60 .................................480.00 +Heifers, 5 head @ $50....................................250.00 +Bulls: +1 head @ $350 ................................350.00 350.00 +1 head @ $75 ..................................75.00 +Calves, 4 head @ $10...........................40.00 +Horses: +2 head @ $350 ................................700.00 600.00 +2 head @ $200 ................................400.00 +Colts, 2 head @ $200..........................400.00 +Hogs: +5 head @ $40 .................................200.00 150.00 +6 head @ $30 .................................180.00 +8 head @ $25 .................................200.00 +1 head @ $75 ..................................75.00 +Sheep, 12 head @ $20..........................240.00 240.00 +Chickens ......................................50.00 550.00 +Machinery and Tools...........................125.00 5,000.00 +Automobile....................................440.00 1,400.00 +Feed and Supplies.............................300.00 566.00 +Growing Crops (Labor and Seed).................80.00 150.00 +Cash..........................................110.00 3,725.00 +Bills Receivable...............................75.00 1,275.00 +Seed on Hand..................................600.00 +Ice ...........................................60.00 +Wood .........................................200.00 +Total Resources...........................$11,520.00 $43,366.00 +Mortgage and Bills Payable..................6,000.00 31,500.00 +Net Worth..................................$5,620.00 $11,866.00 +Gain for the Year...........................6,246.00 _____ + $11,866.00 $11,866.00 + +Her aunt picked up the sheet and read it over carefully and said: + +"The farm shows a gross earning of $12,420 for the new year, and after +paying the interest on the mortgage and loans of $1860; $2000 for +wages and $2214 for new furniture, piano, victrola and new automobile, +a total of $6074, it still leaves a balance $6346, as a net gain, and that +without counting the earnings from the sand pit. Our new buildings and +fencing cost us $20,000, and our new machinery and tools $5000. The +farm shows a profit of $124 per acre for the ground under cultivation. +If we do as well this coming year as we did last year, we ought to +have the farm free and clear, but, of course, we won't have to depend +on that as we have the earnings from the sand pit to help out, if we +want to use it for that purpose, but instead of paying off the +mortgage in full, I think we will irrigate the seven acres along the +main road and put that field under intensive cultivation." + +"We ought to do a great deal better next year, Uncle Joe," said Bob, +"as we won't have the buildings to bother with and I can devote all my +time to the work; then we ought to be able to do a great deal more +work, too, on account of the saving of time, due to having modern +buildings and all our power installed, which we didn't have for the +full season last year." + +They studied the inventory for some minutes, comparing the gross +earnings per acre of one crop with another, and were very much +surprised to find that in many cases crops they had previously thought +to be quite profitable showed up in the schedule rather poorly by +comparison with others. + +"Why, the oats seem to have earned only $21 per acre, while the corn +shows an earning of $44 per acre--more than twice as much as the +oats," said Edith. + +"You know, Edith," said her uncle, "that after the oats were taken off +we pastured sixty pigs in the oat stubble for the balance of the +summer. Of course, that must be credited up to the oat field, because +the crop made it possible to raise the rape and afford a good pasture +for them." + +"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," said Edith. + +"The apples paid well," said Ruth; "almost $140 per acre, and we were +just starting our new system of selling by mail." + +"Of course, last year we had an exceptionally nice crop," said their +aunt, "which was partly due, no doubt, to Bob's bees, and I think some +credit should be given to the dynamiting of the land. Next year I'm +sure we can sell every apple raised at a good price." + +"Did we make $430 out of pigs last year?" asked Ruth, looking at the +hog account. + +"That's what we did," laughed her uncle. + +"I had no idea so much money could be made raising pigs." + +"Well, that's probably due to two reasons," said her uncle; "first, we +started with a good breed, and, second, we took good care of them. You +see we use a well-lighted and ventilated piggery and were able to +average two litters in the year, which, of course, is just twice as +good as raising one. Then we were fortunate in having good litters. We +raised eight pigs per litter, which is beyond the average." + +"Of course, Uncle Joe, Brookside Farm is no 'average' farm, and we +ought to do better than average farming," she said. + +"Yes, Ruth, but it takes work and study to do that and the information +that is in the bulletins must be transferred into our heads if we're +going to work successfully." + +Hearing his wife chuckle, Williams looked up and said: + +"Well, now, Bettie, what are you laughing at?" + +"I was just thinking of our conference a year ago when we made up our +first inventory. _I_ was the school teacher then, but I've evidently +lost my position, for you are now the teacher of modern methods, Joe," +said his wife. + +"And why not? Haven't you a job now that's big enough for any woman, +looking after that son of ours?" + +"Well, I guess that will take some of my time, Joe," she laughed, "but +just the same I'm pleased to know you're so interested in scientific +investigation." + +"The potatoes paid $170 per acre," said Edith, "which is the highest +rate per acre of all." + +"The wheat averaged well, too," said Joe Williams, "a little over $41 +per acre. I'm sorry we didn't have a larger acreage in hay--this +statement shows an earning of over $50 per acre." + +"That's so," said Bob, "but the dairy has earned a larger amount than +any of the rest, for after deducting all expenses it shows a clear +profit of $2954." + +"The poultry made a good showing, too, I want you to observe," said +Edith; "$1373 isn't bad for a flock of chickens, I'd have you know, +and remember, we were only making our start last year. One person +could handle 1000 hens just as easily as 500, and the profit would be +relatively larger. I'm sure the poultry will beat the dairy this +coming year." + +"But look at Bob's 'Hidden Treasure' here," smiled Joe Williams; "$400 +worth of ice off that little pond, and to think we allowed the +neighbors to take away all they wanted for nothing in previous years." + +"Speaking of 'Hidden Treasure,' don't forget the $300 we got for cord +wood from the old rail fences, Uncle Joe," said Bob. + +"They've all made a good showing," said his aunt, "and I think next +year we can make the farm average $150 per acre or better." + +"It certainly is a good report," said Bob, "and I think we all should +be very happy that our combined efforts have produced such fine +results." + +"By the way, Bob," said his uncle, "when I settled with you last +November, I paid you up to only November first, so here's a check for +$225 for your wages to date. I figured it out at the new rate rather +than the old one. Hereafter, I'll give you a check on the first day of +each month." + +Bob took the check and looked at it. Then he discovered that he had +not one check, but two. + +"Why, who is this other check for, Uncle Joe?" he asked, handing back +the second one. + +"That's for you, too, Bob." + +"You don't owe me this money, Uncle Joe," he said, looking at the +check. + +"Yes, I do, Bob. Do you remember the day we let the water out of the +pond?" + +"But we took that into account when you paid me in November." + +"Oh, no, Bob, I didn't. I just paid you for your actual work then, not +for any ideas you furnished. This is for the suggestions you +furnished. It was you who suggested the draining of the pond and the +selling of the sand and gravel--and more than that, you saved me +several thousand dollars by advising me not to sell the sand pit to +Brady when I needed a little money so badly. Now, I'm paying you what +I think is yours by right." + +"I couldn't think of taking any money from you for that kind of work, +Uncle Joe," persisted Bob. + +"Your Aunt Bettie, John White and I have talked it over, Bob, and we +felt that one-third of the money earned by the sand pit should be paid +to you. Our records show that after paying Duncan Wallace and a few +other charges, the pit has earned a little over $9000, and one-third +of this, or your share, is $3000, so you must take the check for that +amount, Bob." + +"Why, that would more than pay for the sixty acres John White is +holding in trust for me," said Bob, realizing for the first time what +so much money actually meant. + +"Of course," laughed his uncle, "that's why he bought it. He and I +talked this matter over before Christmas and we decided that that was +the best way to arrange it. All you need to do now is to deposit this +check and draw one in favor of the First National Bank for $1700 plus +the interest, and then you can put up a sign on the sixty acres of +land adjoining Brookside, 'Robert Williams, Proprietor.' I have a +suggestion to make to you, Bob," continued his uncle, after they had +discussed the acquiring of the new farm for some time; "I think, now +that the buildings are all up, we could handle your sixty acres along +with Brookside for a year or two until you get ready to take the farm +over for yourself," and his eyes shifted from Bob to Edith, and back +to Bob again, as he talked. + +"I think that would be a good arrangement, Uncle, Joe; we could use +the land for pasturing, if we couldn't plant it all." + +"Let's go into the living room," said Ruth, "and have some music. Have +you seen Aunt Bettie's new piano yet, Edith?" + +"No, I haven't," said Edith. + +"Oh, you must see it, Edith, and play it, too," and they adjourned to +the living room and gathered around the piano, where for an hour or +more they gave expression to their joyful feelings in music. + +"I tell you," said Joe Williams, as they sang the "Happy Farmer" song, +"there's nothing like music to give anyone vent for their feelings. I +didn't list the piano in our assets, but I really think it's one of +the best we have on the farm, because it helps to bring us together +and keep us happy." + +"May I play the victrola a while, Aunt Bettie?" asked Ruth. + +"If you want to," said her aunt. + +"How much did you say the poultry brought us last year?" asked Edith +suddenly, as Ruth began playing. + +"I don't exactly remember," said Bob, "but it's in the book in the +office." + +"Let's go and take a look at it," she said, and they left the others +and adjourned to the office. + +Edith sat down in the chair at the desk. Bob opened the book at the +poultry account, and, sitting on the arm of the chair, their heads +close together, they began studying the figures. + +"I think it's perfectly splendid," said Edith, "the showing the +poultry made last year, and you know, Bob, we had a rather bad start +in the spring on account of not having the buildings erected." + +"That was your good work, Edith," he said, letting his arm fall +lightly across her shoulders. + +"I was never so happy as last summer here on the farm and I could +scarcely wait until I came back again this spring, Bob," she said, +looking up at him. + +Bob was silent for a few moments, and then suddenly asked: + +"Do you like the country well enough, Edith, to be willing to stay +here always, and be Mrs. Robert Williams?" + +After a short silence, Edith looked at him shyly and said: + +"Yes, Bob, I would," nestling close to him. "I don't know any place +where I could be happier than here and I've never met anyone with whom +I could be happier than with you." + +"I've loved you ever since I first met you, Edith," he declared, "and +I'm sure we'll be very happy together," and Bob leaned over and kissed +the inviting upturned lips. + +"Oh! Uncle Joe, just come here and see what's going on in your +office," shouted Ruth. "Bob's kissing Edith." + +"Have you been spying on them, Ruth?" remonstrated her aunt. + +"Spying on them, Aunt Bettie? How could I be spying on them when they +left the door wide open and the lights turned on? I couldn't help but +see them when I looked in." + +At Ruth's interruption, Bob and Edith had jumped up from the desk and +stood blushing in the doorway leading from the office to the living +room. Suddenly Bob took her hand and together they stepped out into +the room before the others. + +"Let me introduce to you the greatest 'Hidden Treasure' that was ever +found on Brookside Farm, the future Mrs. Robert Williams." + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Hidden Treasure, by John Thomas Simpson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HIDDEN TREASURE *** + +This file should be named 5870.txt or 5870.zip + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Charles Franks +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +https://gutenberg.org or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +https://www.gutenberg.org/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/5870.zip b/5870.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8237173 --- /dev/null +++ b/5870.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..db03605 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #5870 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5870) |