26 FARM SPIES 



he met Frank Welden on the road, and they walked 

 along together. Mr. Welden was one of the oldest 

 farmers of that neighborhood, and was very fond of 

 Johnny. 



"Well, Johnny, this is a cold morning, but when 

 a man has plenty of good kindling-wood, plenty of 

 meat, potatoes, and fruit in the cellar, and his barn 

 full of fodder, he does not mind it so much. That 

 is what I like about farming; we farmers always 

 get along better than many of the people living in 

 town.' 7 So Mr. Welden talked to Johnny and 

 Johnny listened to every word he said. When they 

 came to where they could see Mr. Drake's cornfield 

 on the right of the road, Mr. Welden said, " Johnny, 

 tell your father that he should not be leaving the 

 corn stubble on the field over there the way he does." 



"Why?" asked Johnny. 



"It is a bad thing to do. It is only common 

 farming. Those stubble somehow make lots of 

 bugs next year/' Mr. Welden explained. 



Just at this time they came to the cross-road. "I 

 will tell him what you said," Johnny called as he 

 left Mr. Welden. 



When Johnny came home that evening he told 

 his father what Mr. Welden had said. 



"Mr. Welden believes that all kinds of insects 

 stay in those stubble during the winter," his father 

 replied. 



