128 FARM SPIES 



was born and reared where he lived and, being over 

 seventy years old, felt that he knew everything that 

 could be known about the country around there. 

 He said to Joe, " I hev' seen it afore and it come all 

 right ag'in." 



Joe replied, "I had just a little of it last season, 

 but what there was of it did not come all right 

 again. The little cotton died and stayed dead. 

 This year much of the cotton looks sickly just like 

 that last year, and I am satisfied that it is going to 

 die/' 



Bill did not like Joe's reply, and with an air of 

 wisdom told Joe that it was the moon. "When the 

 moon changes the cotton will grow, and you will 

 make your crop all right," he said. 



Mr. Gardner hesitated, not that Mr. Green's 

 answer satisfied him, but he was big enough to 

 know that the ways of nature are often beyond 

 understanding and that even the wisest and oldest 

 men are often unable to foresee what the results 

 may be. 



Sam Drake came along the road, stopped, and 

 joined in the discussion. After the situation had 

 been explained to him he looked at the cotton care- 

 fully with, what he proudly believed, knowing eyes. 

 After wrinkling his forehead for a while, he turned to 

 Joe and said : " You made a mistake ; I done knew hit 

 and said hit when I come down the road a couple 



