THEIR GARDEN VACATION 57 



pocket-power and he is a bit sensitive. He wants to 

 do so much for the Infant, the home, and me, that 

 when desire outruns the purse, Jie seems to feel that 

 the limit lies somewhere within the range of his own 

 incapacity, and that bare, camel-backed knoll outlining 

 the horizon, as seen from the dining-room window, 

 showing the roof of the abandoned barn and hen yards, 

 and the difficulty of wrestling with it, is an especially 

 tender spot. 



"'If it was anything possible, I'd hump my back 

 and do it, but it isn't!' he jerked, knocking his pipe 

 against the chimney-side before it was half empty 

 and then refilling it; 'it's either a vacation or the 

 knoll which shall it be ? 



" ' I don't hanker after leaving home, but that 's what 

 a complete change means, I suppose, though I confess 

 I should enjoy a rest for a time from travelling to and 

 fro, like a weaver's shuttle ! Mary hates to leave 

 home too; she's a regular sit-by-the-fire ! Come, 

 which shall it be? This indecision makes the cure 

 worse than the disease!' and Bart fingered a penny 

 prior to giving it the decisive flip ' head, a vacation ; 

 tail, an attack on the knoll!' The penny spun, and 

 then taking a queer backward leap fell into the ashes, 

 where it lay buried. 



