and ate a cold snack--at
least, the women took seats, the men stood around and lunched on hunks
of boiled beef and slices of bread. There was an air of constraint upon
the male portion of the party not shared by Mrs. Gray and the girls.

"Well, that settles things in the house," beamed the Deacon as he came
out with the women trailing behind him; "an' now in about two jerks of
a dead lamb's tail, we'll git at the things out in the barn."

"Wal, we don't know much about machines and things, but I guess we'd
better go out and keep you men from fightin'," said Mrs. Gray, shaking
with fun; "Ike didn't come because he didn't want to make any trouble,
but I guess he might just as well 'a' come as send two such critters as
Jim 'n' Hank."

The women laughed at her frankness, and in very good humor they all went
out to the barn-yard.

"Now, these things can't be laid out fast as I call 'em off, but we'll
do the best we can."

"Let's try the stawk first," said Jim.

The women stood around with shawls pinned over their heads while the
division of the stock went forward. The young men came often within
chaffing distance of the girls.

There were nine shotes nearly of a size, and the Deacon said, "I'll give
Serry the odd shote."

"Why so?" asked Jim Harkey, a sullen-faced man of thirty.

"Because a shote is hard to carry off and I can balance--"

"Well, I guess you can balance f'r Em 'bout as well as f'r Serry."

The Deacon was willing to yield a point. "Any objection, Bill? If not,
why--"

"Nope, let her go," said Bill.

"What 'ave _you_ got to say 'bout it?" asked Jim, insolently.

Bill turned his slow bulk. "I guess I've a good 'eal to say--haven't I,
Serry?"

Sarah reddened, but stood beside him bravely. "I guess you have, Bill,
about as much as _I_ have." There was a moment of dramatic tension and
the girls tingled with sympathy.

"Let 'er go," said Bill, splitting a straw with his knife. He had not
proposed to Sarah before and he felt an unusual exaltation to think it
came so easy after all.

When they reached the cattle, Jim objected to striking a balance with a
"farrer cow," and threw the Deacon's nice calculation all out of joint.

"Let it go, Jim," pleaded Emma.

"I won't do it," Ike said--"I mean I know he don't want no farrer cow,
he's got two now."

The Deacon was a little nettled. "I guess that's going to stand," he
said sharply.

Jim swore a little but gave in, and came back with an access