o," said
the daughter, but her mother was too busy getting breakfast ready for
the hungry men who were now performing their morning ablutions with the
help of a very small basin set upon a block of wood outside the kitchen
door to answer.

There were two men employed by Haley, one the son of a Scotch-Canadian
farmer, Webster by name, a stout young fellow, but slow in his
movements, both physical and mental, and with no further ambition than
to do a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. He was employed by the
month during the busier seasons of the year. The other, Perkins, was
Haley's "steady" man, which means that he was employed by the year and
was regarded almost as a member of the family. Perkins was an Englishman
with fair hair and blue eyes, of fresh complexion, burned to a clear
red, clean-cut features, and a well knit, athletic frame. He was, as
Tim declared, a terror to work; indeed, his fame as a worker was well
established throughout the country side. To these men Cameron was
introduced as being from Scotland and as being anxious to be initiated
into the mysteries of Canadian farm life.

"Glad to see you!" said Perkins, shaking him heartily by the hand.
"We'll make a farmer of you, won't we, Tim? From Scotland, eh? Pretty
fine country, I hear--to leave," he added, with a grin at his own
humour. Though his manner was pleasant enough, Cameron became conscious
of a feeling of aversion, which he recognised at once as being as
unreasonable as it was inexplicable. He set it down as a reflection
of Tim's mental attitude toward the hired man. Perkins seized the
tin basin, dipped some water from the rain barrel standing near, and,
setting it down before Cameron, said:

"Here, pile in, Scotty. Do they wash in your country?"

"Yes," replied Cameron, "they are rather strong on that," wondering at
the same time how the operation could be performed successfully with
such a moderate supply of water. After using a second and third supply,
however, he turned, with hands and face dripping, and looked about for a
towel. Perkins handed him a long roller towel, black with dirt and
stiff with grease. Had his life depended upon it Cameron could not have
avoided a shuddering hesitation as he took the filthy cloth preparatory
to applying it to his face.

"'Twon't hurt you," laughed Perkins. "Wash day ain't till next week, you
know, and this is only Wednesday." Suddenly the towel was snatched from
Cameron's hands.

"Gimme that