THE GROOMING OF THE FARM 103 



&quot;There are worse-looking things than wood- 

 chucks. Still, of course, there s a medium. 

 Possibly the woodchuck carries neglect to 



excess.&quot; 



The discussion rested there. I do not know 

 whether Jonathan expressed any of these 

 ideas to Hiram, but the grooming process 

 appeared to be temporarily suspended. Then 

 one day my turn came. It was dusk, and I 

 was sitting on an old log at the back of the 

 orchard, looking out over the little swamp, all 

 a-t winkle with fireflies. Jonathan had been 

 up the lane, prowling about, as he often does 

 at nightfall, &quot;to take a look at the farm.&quot; I 

 heard his step in the lane, and he jumped over 

 the bars at the far end of the orchard. There 

 was a pause, then a vehement exclamation 

 too vehement to print. Jonathan s remarks 

 do not usually need editing, and I listened to 

 these in the dusk in some degree of wonder, 

 if not of positive enjoyment. 



Finally I called out, &quot;What s the matter? &quot; 



&quot;Oh! You there?&quot; He strode over. &quot;Mat 

 ter! Come and see what that fool hobo did.&quot; 



&quot;You called him something besides that a 

 moment ago,&quot; I remarked. 



