eggs is lowest."

This was a serious problem. It is not usual for Josiah to be serious,
either, for he is generally out of breath or laughing. Now he was
wagging his head solemnly, pulling his beard, and over and over
repeating, "But hens is contrary--hens is contrary."

Mary contrived to drop the basket to her side, out of the old man's
sight.

"Speakin' of hens," he went on. "My missus was sayin' just yesterday
how as----"

Tim was shouting. He was calling something to me. I could not make
out what it was, for the wind-was rustling the corn-shocks, but I arose
and feigned to listen.

"It's Tim," said I. "He's calling to you, Josiah. It's something
about your red heifer."

"Red heifer--I haven't no red heifer," returned the old man.

"Did I say heifer? I should have said hog--excuse me," said I, blandly.

"But I have killed all my hogs," Josiah replied, undisturbed.

Tim shouted again, making a trumpet of his hands. To this day I don't
know what he was calling to us, but when this second message reached
Josiah's ears, it concerned some cider we had, that Tim was anxious to
know if he would care for. At the suggestion Josiah's face became very