upon his farm, which was in charge of a hired man. His house, situated
a short distance down the road, was large and spacious. The boys
walked briskly toward it, planning as they went.

At Uncle Gerald's the latch string was always out--that is, if the door
was not standing hospitably open, as was usually the case in pleasant
spring or summer weather; one had only to turn the knob and walk in.
Just as they were about to enter the square, home-like hall, lined with
old-fashioned settles and adorned with fowling-pieces, fishing-rods,
tennis rackets, and the like, Jack's cousin, eleven-year-old Leo, came
out of an adjoining room and said;

"Hello! You want to see father? Well, he's over yonder"--pointing to
a sunny patch of ground toward the south,--"showing Michael how he
wants the vegetable garden planted. Wait a minute and I'll go with
you."

Leo's hat having been discovered in a corner where he had tossed it an
hour or two earlier, they started on a race to the garden, and brought
up suddenly in front of Uncle Gerald, who now, in a dark blue flannel
shirt, trousers to match, and a broad-brimmed hat of grey felt, was
evidently dressed for the _role_ of a farmer. He was a pleasant man,
tall and slight in figure, with blue eyes, a brown beard, and a cheery,
kindly manner, which made him a favorite with everybody, and especially
with boys, in whose projects he was always interested.

"Give you the wood to build a boat?" he repeated, when told what Jack
and Rob wanted to accomplish. "Willingly. I am glad to have you
attempt something of the kind. I have always maintained that boys
should be taught to work with their hands. Every youth ought to learn