60 FARMING IT 



and squawking, and from down the street, amid 

 a cloud of dust, came the old white mare, urged 

 to her full speed. On the box sat Nick, who had 

 taken the precaution to chain the dog in the 

 wagon, from which position the animal tugged 

 and barked at a half score of excited dogs that 

 surrounded the wagon, swearing vigorously in 

 dog language at their assailant of the morning. 



On seeing me, Nick pulled up so suddenly as 

 to hurl the dog heels-over-head, while he himself 

 narrowly escaped shooting over the old mare's 

 head, and the collar of that patient animal went 

 to her ears. 



" Got thirty o' 'em, 'Enry, but 'ad to pay a 'ell 

 of a price. 'Ens is gone hup," he shrieked ; and 

 away he went clattering down the street, while 

 I mused apprehensively over what his idea of 

 "a 'ell of a price" might be. 



The next day he made a further demand on me 

 for funds wherewith to purchase eggs and sup- 

 plies, and for a time I heard no more of Nick. 

 I had expressed to him some fear that his vigor- 

 ous measures of the day before might have shaken 

 some of the hens' determination, or seriously 

 impaired their maternal instincts, but was reas- 

 sured when he remarked that it was "Heasy 

 enow to make a 'en set, if a mon knowed 'ow." 



A few days before the expected arrival of the 

 chicks, I went down to the farm to inspect his 



