ked his mother, always on the lookout for
some nonsense from her younger son.

"Boyle and Fallows--or Fallows and Boyle, I guess it will be. Ben's
starting with us Monday morning."

"Nonsense, laddie. There will be no reaping for Ben this year, I doubt,
poor fellow; and, besides, I will be needing him for myself."

"Yes. But I am in earnest, mother. Ben is to drive the reaper for us.
He can sit on the reaper half a day, you know. At least, his doctor here
says so. And he will keep us busy."

"If I cawn't keep the two of you a-humpin', though you are some pumpkins
at bindin', I hain't worth my feed."

"But, Barney," remonstrated his mother, "is he fit to go about that
machine? Something might happen the lad."

"I don't think there is any danger, mother. And, besides, we will be at
hand all the time."

"And what will two lads like you do following the machine all day? You
will only be hurting yourselves."

"You watch us, mother," cried Dick. "We'll be after Ben like a dog after
a coon."

"Indeed," said his mother. "I have heard that it takes four good men to
keep up to a machine. It was no later than yesterday that Mr. Morrison's
Sam was telling me that they had all they could do to follow up, the
whole four of them."

"Huh!" grunted Dick scornfully, "I suppose so. Four like Fatty Morrison
and that gang of his!"

"Hush, laddie. It is not good to be speaking ill of your neighbours,"
said his mother.

"It's not speaking ill to say that a man is fat. It's a very fine
compliment, mother. Only wish someone could say the same of me."

"Indeed, and you would be the better of it," replied his mother
compassionately, "with your bones sticking through your skin!"

It was with the spring crop that Ben Fallows began his labours; and much
elevated, indeed, was he at the prospect of entering into partnership
with the Boyle boys, who were renowned for the very virtues which poor
Ben consciously lacked and to which, in the new spirit that was waking
in him, he was beginning to aspire. For the weeks spent under Barney's
care and especially in the atmosphere of the Mill household had
quickened in Ben new motives and new ambitions. This Barney had noticed,
and it was for Ben's sake more than for their own that the boys
had associated him with them in their venture of taking harvesting
contracts. And as the summer went on they found no reason to regret the
new arrangement. But it was at the expense of long days and hard day