' than of gettin' her man a decent meal o'
victuals. Do I know what sort of mule Cunnel Dillingham has? Well, I
guess! That ain't no ornery mule, Billy Dillingham ain't. You see, him
and the Cunnel has lived so long together 't they've growed alike.
After the Cunnel's daughter quit home an' married Jabb, Cunnel up an'
sold the old place. Thought he'd go into truck-farmin'--him the
laziest man in the state. Farmin' pays, course, 'specially here in
Annyrunnell. Why, my crop o' melons keeps my family all the year round
an' my yuther earnin's is put in the bank. Cunnel's got as big a patch
as mine an' you cayn't just stop melons from growin' down here in
Annyrunnell! No, sir, cayn't stop 'em! Not if you 'tend 'em right.
They's an old sayin', maybe you've heard. 'He that by the plough would
thrive, Himself must either hold or drive.' The Cunnel won't do ary
one. He leaves the whole thing to his crew o' niggers an', course,
they're some shiftlesser 'n he is. They're so plumb lazy, the whole
crowd, 't they won't even haul their truck as fur as Jimpson's, to
have it loaded on a boat for market, an' that ain't further 'n you
could swing a cat! Losin' his old home an' losin' his gal, an' failin'
to make truck pay, has made him downhearteder'an he was by natur'--and
that's sayin' consid'able. Must ye go, boys? Got any melons? Give ye
as many as ye can carry if ye want 'em. Call again. Yes, the cream's
wuth five cents. Not this time, though. Lizzie'd be plumb scandalized
if I took pay for a mite o' cream for breakfast--such a late one, too.
We had ours couple hours ago. Eh? About Billy? Well, if he war mine,
which he ain't, an' if I war asked to set a price on him, which I
couldn't, I should say how 't he war a fust-class mule, but not wuth a
continental without the Cunnel--nor with him, nuther. If you take one
you'll have to take t'other. Call again. My respects to the lady owns
the house-boat an'--Good-by!"

As the lads thanked their talkative neighbor and hurried down the
fields, Jim exclaimed:

"Was afraid this cream'd all turn to butter before he'd quit and let
us go! But, we've learned a lot about some things. I'm thinking that
Ottawotta Run is the business for us: and I fear--Billy isn't. There
must be other mules in Anne Arundel county will suit us better. Mrs.
Calvert won't want him as a gift--with the Colonel thrown in!"

Mrs. Bruce met them impatiently.

"Seems as if boys never could do an errand without loitering. T