60 THE STBIKE AT SHANE'S. 



"It's a very bad piece of business," said Dobbin, 

 "and may make trouble for all of us. You should 

 have kept your temper." 



"I tried to and failed, as you see," said Dick. " I 

 have neither your age nor experience in such matters, 

 and make bad breaks sometimes." 



"We will have to take some other means of protect- 

 ing ourselves when Shane gets about again," said Dob- 

 bin ; "but that won't be for a good many days, so 

 Towser says." 



"It's open war with me now," said Dick. " I don't 

 intend that the harness shall go on my back again until 

 this matter is settled. Towser was saying the other 

 day that Shane said if ever we did get able to work 

 he would make us pay dear for our vacation." 



The days were long and tedious for Shane as he lay 

 on his bed and brooded over his troubles. To his 

 physical suffering was added the worry about the con- 

 dition of things on the farm. Mrs. Shane and the 

 children tried to keep all further trouble from him by 

 putting the condition of things in their most favorable 

 light, but he understood his business too thoroughly 

 to be deceived. 



"Tom, how long before that corn will be ready for 

 the cultivator?" asked Shane, as Tom was passing 

 through the room. 



"I don't know," said Tom, "but when it is the 

 neighbors will all come in and plow it over for you." 



"Did the blackbirds take much of it?" 



"I don't think they took any of it," said Tom. 



" Is it a good stand ? " 



