Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-14
CHAPTER X-Coontinued.

CHAPTER X-Continued.
kind of hard work. amt it?' says l.
watching their front hair get damp and
stick to their foreheads.
Work. says Van. This is recrea-
ton. man."
"All right 1 says "Heave ahead and
recreate. I've got to work myself
So I went in and swept out the dining
room. Once in while through the open
window. I'd get a sight of 'em laying
into the cucumber beds. with the sun
blazing down. 1 grinned. When the
boots been on one leg too long it s kind
of nice to see somebody else's corns get
pinched.
When they come into dinner they was
just stopping over with JOY Gardening
was more fun than a barrel of monkeys
But noticed that when Van got up from
the table he riz kind of STEADY by
jerks" as if he had kinks in his back
and Martin moved his shoulders slow
and easy. and said "Ouchr' under his
breath when he reached too far.
They didn't seem to be in any real
hurry to get back to work. either. Stayed
on the porch. and smoked two cigars in
stead of one. had to chuck out hint
about getting them seeds covered uI
quick afore they'd leave their chairs
Then they went and could see the hoes
moving, but they moved slower.
They turned in right after supper.
which was unusual. Next morning
didn't hear word about gardens The
conversation was pretty limited and dole
full. being separated with grunts and
groans. so to speak. When Van Brunt
dropped his napkin he hollered to me tt
come and pick 1t up. and Hartley fed
with his left hand and kept the right in
his jacket side pocket. They didn't Seem
to enjoy that meal half so much as I did
We'll" says I. to brighten things up
eat. pretty nigh. by this time Started
on your corn yet? No? Well you
mustn't lose no time. It's late in the
season now. Come along with me and
I'll get you going
I headed for the door as I spoke. They
looked at each other again.
IT'S pretty cloudy for planting. isn't
it," asks Hartley 1--WE might be caugh,
in the rain. you know"
Rain your granny" says I. "Them
clouds is nothing but heat fog. It'll burn
right off,
"Wait till we finish our cigars. skip
per-" says Van.
NO" says T. "You can smoke and
plant at the same time. Smokell drive
away the mosquitoes
The hoes was laying by the beds and ]
handed 'em one apiece. They took 'em
not with what you'd call enthusiasm. but
more the way the boy took the licking
believing twas more blessed to give than
to receive The cucumber beds was be-
gun beautiful. the first hills rounded ur
fine and lovely. But the tail-end ones
looked like the pauper section of the
burying ground. more useful than orna-
mental. l showed 'em how to plant the
corn and went away. leaving 'em leaning
on their hoes, with kind of halo Of mos
quitoes around their heads MY talk
about smoke was more or less sarcastic:
the mosquitoes on Horsefoot Ozone was
smoke-cured and fireproof.
I got the breakfast work done about 10
o'clock. and then twas time to go after
the pig and the hens. I took the skiff
oars out of the barn and then walked
around by the gardens to see how things
was getting on. There laid the hoes by
the places where the corn hills was 10
tended to be, but there want any corn
hills nor any Heavenly gardeners either;
not sign Of 'em. hailed once or twice.
but didn't get any answer. Then l went
on down to the skiff. And there they
was. sprawled out in the shade of the
pines. as comfortable as you please.
|. Hello. skipper" says Van Brunt. turn
ing over on one elbow. We've been
waiting for you. We're going with you
after the livestock
fou are! says L. 'Got your farm
ing done SO early?"
moo" he drawls. mot precisely The
fact is. Sol. Hartley and 1 have decided
that agricultural labors are not"
''Labors?" SAYS 1. showing the skif into
the water. Thought twas recreation -
Its a painful condition. not a theory.
with u.s. just now. Martin and 1 are con-
WINGED that what we need is sea voy-
age. Come on, Martin
Hartley got up pretty average gingerly.
and they climbed into the skiff. I pushed
off and begun to row.
well" / says. after a minute or two.
''it amt for me to suggest anything. but,
just for greens-like the old woman
stewed the burdock leaves-Td like to
the dew. and not icicles on 'em. you'd
better be getting the rest of them seeds
into the ground. What's the present
standing of that cucumber bet?"
Van didn't open his eyes. You win
it," he says. lazy; !,
l stopped rowing and looked at him
over my shoulder.
"Meaning-what?" says I.
Just that. You win the bet. Like
wise you cultivate the cucumbers. Mar
nominated you for Secretary of Agricul-
ture. We resign"
I'd been expecting it. And I'd made up
my mind what to say. But l hated to say
it. Thinks I. ''Tll wait till l get back to
Ozone
So 1 didn't answer. but went to rowing
again. The tide was going out fast and
twas a hard pull. three. of us in that
little skiff. but by and by we reached the
main. And there was Scudder's hired
Hello" says I. where's Hubby Ann
Mrs. Scudder. mean?''
''She couldn't come" said the boy. But
fetched the hens and things. Here
they be-
He had the hens-a dozen of EN-
damned into one lath coop. The door of
ton.
Handle 'em kind Of careful says he.
'"That button undoes itself sometimes
Where's the pig?" says Hartley.
Here he is
We could hear him. He want in a box
at all. as he'd ought to have been, &C
cording to contract, but setting in the
sand with his hind legs tied together with
string. He was whirling in circles with
seemed to be mainly squeal Little he
was and thin-'peared to me to be thin
as Mates milk of human kindness-but
the Heavenlies fell down and worshiped
him like he was a hog angel.
"Humphw says I. us that the dear %
That's the dear says Van, patting
him at long distance.
Well. he weighed four pound and cost
six dollars, so that's dear enough for any
body.
loaded the critters into the skiff-the
pig fairly sung psalms while l was doing
it-and then the Twins climbed aboard.
''AI right, skipper" says Van. ''Shove
off,
"Just minute" says I. What am 1