use;
but it rendered us even more sick, so ill in fact, that we were fully a
day in recovering from the effects. None save a well-seasoned old smoker
of tobacco can use the fumigator with impunity.

There had been a "sea-turn" during the morning with the wind southerly,
and toward noon it set in rainy. The sheep were turned out to feed for a
little while, but at nightfall were driven indoors again. The Old Squire
took scrupulous care of his flock during washing and shearing week. A
few weeks later we drove the flock down to the barn and touched the
nostrils of all the sheep and the older lambs with tar, to prevent a
certain species of fly from depositing its eggs and larvae there,
causing what was known, later in the year, as "grubs in the head," an
affection that often causes many deaths in neglected flocks.

A rainy day is often a farm boy's only holiday. In the afternoon we
talked of going down to the lake to fish for pickerel. It came on to
rain too heavily, however. Halstead had gone up-stairs to our room, and
was hammering at something or other, making a great noise. We heard
Addison, who was trying to read in his room, which adjoined, repeatedly
begging Halse to desist. Theodora and I played a few games at checkers
in the sitting-room, then went up to see Addison. He was reading from
Audubon's work on American birds (_Ornithological Biography_), of which
he had three volumes that had been his father's; but he did not own the
great volumes of engravings which should accompany them, the want of
which he often lamented. I remember that he read to us a number of
little anecdotes of wild geese, among others how a certain "mighty
miller," with a great gun loaded with rifle balls, had shot geese clean
across the Ohio River. He then turned to the description of the heron.
"Herons build their nests down in the pines near the lake," said he. "I
have asked the Old Squire about making a trip there. He says I can go
Saturday afternoon. I would like to have you two and Ellen go with me,
but I do not want Halstead. You know how he always cuts up."

"But he will feel hurt if we go without him," Theodora said.

"If he would go and behave himself, I wouldn't say a word against it,"
replied Addison.

"Perhaps he would this time," said Theodora.

"I don't believe it."

"But he is our cousin, you know."

"The more's the pity, I say."

"But do not say it."

"We shall all say it before long, I'm afraid. Do you know where he