40 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



half miles from Exeter station, and the wagon 

 road not so direct as the railroad. The trip to 

 the farm, therefore, could not be much less than 

 forty miles, and would require the best part of 

 two days. The three men whom I had engaged 

 reported for duty, as also did Thompson's son, 

 whom we are to know hereafter as Zeb. 



Early on the last day of the month the men 

 and teams were off, with cooked provisions for 

 three days. They were to break the journey 

 twenty-five miles out, and expected to reach the 

 farm the next afternoon. Polly and I wished to 

 see them arrive, so we took the train at 1 P.M. 

 August 1st, and reached Four Oaks at 2.30, tak- 

 ing with us Mrs. Thompson, who was to cook 

 for the men. 



Before starting I had telephoned a local car- 

 penter to meet me, and to bring a mason if pos- 

 sible. I found both men on the ground, and 

 explained to them that there would be abundant 

 work in their lines on the place for the next year 

 or two, that I was perfectly willing to pay a 

 reasonable profit on each job, but that I did not 

 propose to make them rich out of any single 

 contract. 



The first thing to do, I told them, was to 

 move the large farm-house to the site already 

 chosen, about two hundred yards distant, enlarge 

 it, and put a first-class cellar under the whole. 

 The principal change needed in the house was an 

 additional story on the ell, which would give a 



