226 HAPPY HOLLOW FARM 



the summer sun. The thermometer was a 

 shade over ninety, and the lazy breeze merely 

 crawled across the land. No matter what a 

 man's disposition, he's bound to feel uncom- 

 fortable in the fields on such a day. 



The slow mood of it got into the workers. 

 We wanted to get the wheat shocks off in a 

 hurry so the plows might be at the land while 

 it's still mellow from the fine rain of Wednes- 

 day. Our cowpeas ought to be seeded on the 

 newly turned stubble within the next couple 

 of days. As we saw it, there was good reason 

 for hurry. 



The extra helpers didn't want to hurry. 

 They picked up the pace of the listless air and 

 crawled with it. Three of them couldn't throw 

 the bundles upon the load as fast as Sam could 

 handle them. They moped. They stopped 

 often to wipe away the sweat and to measure 

 with unfriendly eyes the part of the task still 

 undone. They'd much rather have had a half 

 crop than a bumper. 



"Wusht I c'd quit an' go swummin'," one 

 of them lamented after dinner. "Thish-yere 

 work would keep twel Monday. Hit's too 

 hot." 



That was Oscar talking. Oscar had had his 



