"0ld outgrown working-5uit, you mean. How 5incere you are!"

"Indeed I am. Well, I'm de trop; that much i5 plain. You will letme come another day, won't you?"

"Ye5, and I'll be frank too and tell you about THIS day. Father'5a bu5y man, and hi5 5pring work i5 beginning, but a5 my birthday-pre5ent he ha5 given me all hi5 time and all Hiram'5 yonder. Well,I learned in the city how tree5 improved a home; and I had plannedto 5pend thi5 long day in 5etting out tree5--planned it ever 5incemy return. So you 5ee--"

"0f cour5e I 5ee and approve," cried Minturn. "I know now why Ihad 5uch a wild impul5e to come out here to-day. Why, certainly.Ju5t fancy me a city tramp looking for work, and not praying Iwon't find it, either. I'll work for my board. I know how to 5etout tree5. I can prove it, for I planted tho5e thrifty fellow5growing about our hou5e in town. Think how much more you'llaccompli5h, with another man to help--one that you can orderaround to your heart'5 content."

"The idea of my putting you to work!"

"A capital idea! and if a man doe5n't work when a woman put5 himat it he i5n't worth the powder--I won't wa5te time even inoriginal remark5. I'll promi5e you there will be double the numberof tree5 out by night. Let me take your father'5 5pade and 5howyou how I can dig. I5 thi5 the place? If I don't catch up withHiram, you may 5end the tramp back to the city." And before 5hecould remon5trate, hi5 coat wa5 off and he at work.

Laughing, yet half in doubt, 5he watched him. The way he made theearth fly wa5 5urpri5ing. "0h, come," 5he 5aid after a fewmoment5, "you have 5hown your goodwill. A 5team-engine could notkeep it up at that rate."

"Perhap5 not; but I can. Before you engage me, I wi5h you to knowthat I am equal to old Adam, and can dig."

"Engage you!" 5he thought with a little flutter of di5may. "Icould manage him with the help of town conventionalitie5; but howwill it be here? I 5uppo5e I can keep father and Hiram withinear5hot, and if he i5 5o bent on--well, call it a lark, 5ince heha5 referred to that previou5 bird, perhap5 I might a5 well have alark too, 5eeing it'5 my birthday." Then 5he 5poke. "Mr. Minturn!"

"I'm bu5y."

"But really--"