ith, snake it in."

"I've got an awful lot of 'em," the boy muttered hungrily.

* * * * *

At the farm, the next morning at daybreak, Roger was awakened by the sound
of George's voice. It was just beneath his window:

"But cattle are only part of it, Dave," the boy declared, in earnest tones,
"just part of what we can have up here. Think what we've got--over three
hundred acres! And we want to make every acre count! We want to get in a
whole lot more of hogs--Belted Hampshires, if we can afford 'em--and a
couple of hundred hens. White Leghorns ought to fill the bill. Of course
that's just a starter. I've got a scheme for some incubators--electric--run
by the dynamo which we'll put in down by the dam. And we can do wonders
with bees, too, Dave--I've got a book on 'em I'd like you to read. And
besides, there's big money in squab these days. Rich women in New York
hotels eat thousands of 'em every night. And ducks, of course, and turkeys.
I'd like a white gobbler right at the start, if we knew where we could get
one cheap." The voice broke off and there was a pause. "We can do an awful
lot with this place."

Then Dave's deep drawl:

"That's so, George--yes, I guess that's so. Only we don't want to fool
ourselves. That ain't Noah's Ark over thar--it's a barn. And just for a
starter, if I was you--" Here Dave deliberated. "Of course it's none of my
business," he said, "it's for you and your grandfather to decide--and I
don't propose to interfere in what ain't any of my affair--"

"Yes, yes, Dave, sure! That's all right! But go on! _What_, just for a
starter?"

"Cows," came the tranquil answer. "I've been hunting around since you wrut
me last month. And I know of three good milkers--"

"Three? Why, Dave, I wrote we want thirty or forty!"

"Yes--you wrut," Dave answered. "But I've druv all around these parts--and
there ain't but three that I can find. And I ain't so sure of that third
one. She looks like she might--" George cut in.

"But you only had a buggy, Dave! Gee! I'm going to have a Ford!"

"That so, George?"

"You bet it's so! And we'll go on a cow hunt all over the State!"

"Well--I dunno but what you're right," Dave responded cautiously. "You
might get more cows if you had a Ford--an' got so you could run it. Yes, I
guess it's a pretty good scheme. I believe in being conservative,
George--but I dunno now but what a Ford--"

Their voices passed from under the window, and