considered this a good idea, and agreed with him to bring us a quart a
day.

"Don't you want some wegetables?" said he. "I've got some nice corn and
some tomatoes, and I could bring you cabbage and peas."

We had hardly expected to have fresh vegetables every day, but there
seemed to be no reason why old John should not bring them, as he had to
come every day with the water and milk. So we arranged that he should
furnish us daily with a few of the products of his garden.

"I could go to the butcher's and get you a steak or some chops, if you'd
let me know in the morning," said he, intent on the profits of further
commissions.

But this was going too far. We remembered we were camping out, and
declined to have meat from the butcher.

John had not been gone more than ten minutes before we saw Mr. Ball
approaching.

"Oh, I hope he isn't going to say we can't stay!" exclaimed Euphemia.

"How d'ye do?" said Mr. Ball, shaking hands with us. "Did you stick it
out all night?"

"Oh yes, indeed," I replied, "and expect to stick it out for a many more
nights if you don't object to our occupying your land."

"No objection in the world," said he; "but it seems a little queer for
people who have a good house to be living out here in the fields in a
tent, now, don't it?"

"Oh, but you see," said I, and I went on and explained the whole thing
to him,--the advice of the doctor, the discussion about the proper place
to go to, and the good reasons for fixing on this spot.

"Ye-es," said he, "that's all very well, no doubt. But how's the girl?"

"What girl?" I asked.

"Your girl. The hired girl you left at the house."

"Oh, she's all right," said I; "she's always well."

"Well," said Mr. Ball, slowly turning on his heel, "if you say so, I
suppose she is. But you're going up to the house to-day to see about
her, aren't you?"

"Oh, no," said Euphemia. "We don't intend to go near the house until our
camping is over."

"Just so,--just so," said Mr. Ball; "I expected as much. But look here,
don't you think it would be well for me to ask Dr. Ames to stop in and
see how she is gettin' along? I dare say you've fixed everything for
her, but that would be safer, you know. He's coming this morning to
vaccinate my baby, and he might stop there, just as well as not, after
he has left my house."

Euphemia and I could see no necessity for this proposed visit of the
doctor, but we could not well object to it, and so Mr. Ball said