106 FARM SPIES 



When he peeked into Mr. Sprague' s corn-crib he 

 said, " Great goshens ! you have a lot of corn, Mr. 

 Sprague. Did you make it all on your farm or did 

 you buy some of it?" 



"No, my boy," Mr. Sprague answered, "I raised 

 that corn on my farm, and if it had not been for the 

 chinch-bugs I should have more than you see here 

 now. Those beggars surely damaged my corn 

 severely ; I judge they ruined nearly one-fourth of 

 my crop." While he was picking up the corn he 

 noticed that Billy was eying him from head to foot 

 with grave, wide open, questioning eyes. When he 

 had stepped through the door again and had fas- 

 tened it he saw that Billy's eyes were still on him. 



Bursting into a laugh he looked at the boy and 

 asked: "Why are you looking me over so gravely, 

 sonny? I am Sam Sprague, your old neighbor, who 

 used to joggle you on his knees when you were a 

 little 'shaver.'" 



Billy, without changing his manner, asked, "What 

 did you say damaged your corn?" 



By this time the other boys had crowded around, 

 because they had heard Mr. Sprague and Billy 

 talking, and boylike, feared that something inter- 

 esting might happen without their knowing about it. 



"Chinch-bugs," Mr. Sprague replied. 



"I never heard of their eating corn," said Billy. 

 "I thought they lived in houses only." 



