evious night,
I set out for the farm.

There was a large field adjoining the road, with an open gate. At the
farther end, two carts were being loaded, but nearer the road, several
men and women were busily making the rows of hay into cocks. Close at
hand stood a tall, sparely built farmer with a cane in his hand and a
fox-terrier by his side. He seemed to be trying to hurry everybody
along, and there was an air of bustle and haste about the whole scene.
Although the sun shone hotly, threatening clouds were coming up, and it
would require a hard day's work to get all the hay carried by nightfall.

'Here, youngster!' he cried, as soon as he saw me, 'do you want a job?'

'Yes, please,' I answered.

'Fire away then. You will find a fork against the hedge. Go and join
those men,' and he pointed to the haymakers with his cane. Taking the
fork, I ran across the field and set to work with a will. But the sun
shone fiercely, and when twelve o'clock came I would gladly have lain
down in the shade of the hedge. The moment we had finished dinner the
farmer urged us to work again, and so we kept at it through the
afternoon, until the last load was carried at seven o'clock and we all
drew round the farmer for our money. He gave me a shilling for my day's
work, and I confess I walked back rather proudly to Mrs. Riddles'
cottage, feeling that I had made a beginning and earned my first
shilling.

There was no difficulty about sleeping that night. The bells were
ringing for service while I dressed the next morning. Having made my
appearance as decent as possible, I walked across some fields to a small
church. On the way home to dinner I noticed a stream which looked
extremely tempting. Mrs. Riddles had spread a clean but much-darned
tablecloth, and the roast pork was ready. During the meal, the rain,
which had been threatening since yesterday, began to fall, but when it
ceased at half-past three I borrowed a towel, and ran across the damp
fields to the river and soon plunged in.

The swim was delightful, and having partly dressed again, I sat on the
bank and washed my socks, which I carried home in my hands. On the whole
it was a good day, although the wet which set in again towards the
evening made me anxious about to-morrow. If the rain continued, all my
plans would be upset. I had determined to sleep out of doors for the
next night or two, thus eking out my money, but I could not very well
sleep without shelter unless it were f