als of rest, for three quarters of an hour, the dark pile
of grain in the wagon-box rising gradually until it stood flush with the
top.

Good it was to look upon, cold and soft and yielding to the touch, this
heaped-up wealth from the inexhaustible treasure-house of the mighty
West. Charlie and Nels felt something of this as they viewed the results
of their labours for a moment before hitching up the team.

"It's A number one hard," said Charlie, picking up a handful and sifting
it slowly through his fingers, "and it'll fetch seventy-four cents.
But you can't raise any worse on this old farm of ours if you try," he
added, a little proudly. "Nor anywhere else in the Jim River Valley, for
that matter."

As they approached the Roney place, looking dim and indistinct in the
darkness, their voices hushed apprehensively, and the noise of the
sled-runners slipping through the snow seemed to them to increase from a
purr to a roar.

"Here, stob a minute!" whispered Nels, in agony of discovery. "Ve're
magin' an awful noise. Ay'll go und take a beek."

He slipped away and cautiously approached the house. "Et's all right,"
he whispered, hoarsely, returning after a moment; "dere all asleeb. But
go easy; Ay tank ve pest go easy." They seemed burdened all at once
with the consciences of criminals, and went forward with almost guilty
timidity.

"Thunder, dere's a bump! Vy don'd you drive garefuller, Sharlie?"

"Drive yourself, if you think you can do any better!" As they came
into the yard a dog suddenly ran out from the barn, barking furiously.
Charlie reined up with an ejaculation of despair; "Look there, the dog!
We're done for now, sure! Stop him, Nels! Throw somethin' at 'im!"

The noise seemed to their excited ears louder than the crash of
artillery. Nels threw a piece of snow crust. The dog ran back a few
steps, but his barking did not diminish.

"Here, hold the lines. I'll try to catch 'im." Charlie jumped from the
wagon and approached the dog with coaxing words: "Come, doggie, good
doggie, nice boy, come!"

His manoeuvre, however, merely served to increase the animal's frenzy.
As Charlie approached the dog retired slowly toward the house, his head
thrown back, and his rapid barking increased to a long-drawn howl.

"Good boy, come! Bother the brute! He'll wake up the whole household!
Nice doggie! Phe-e--"

The noise, however, had no apparent effect upon the occupants of the
house. All remained as dark and silent