OF AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT, 

 HORSES, AND HIRED MEN 



" You gave me your word that if I bought the farm 

 your son should take off the crop," I said. " We 

 have been waiting nearly a week for the binder- 

 reaper. Now that it has at last arrived and every- 

 thing is ready, your son isn't here. Of what use, do 

 you suppose, is eighty acres of wheat, or eighty 

 thousand acres, if we can't get it off ? " 



" He'll not be taking less than four and a half 

 dollars a day for himself and team, I guess," shouted 

 my predecessor on the note of explanation. 



" I don't care what he charges," I shouted back. 

 " He simply has to come. Even I can see the wheat 

 shelling all over the place ; and you are not looking 

 after my interest as you promised you would if I 

 bought the farm." 



" I guess he'll be along some time to-day. Dick 

 McGusty will have let him know the binder's set 

 up. You'd best get busy and see about stookers. 

 'Tis a heavy crop, and will keep two men busy all 

 the time, I guess. An' your brother, he should be 

 getting on to the summer fallow. 'Tis the best 

 crop I ever see on the auld place," he concluded 

 with a sigh of regret. 



Dick McGusty had taken the binder twice around 

 the crop land on the preceding afternoon, which 



3 



