"What do you think of renting it?" queried Hiram, showing that he
had Yankee blood in him by answering one question with another.

"Well--it's pretty well run down, and that's a fact. The old
man couldn't do much the last few years, and them Dickersons who
farmed it for him ain't no great shakes of farmers, now I tell
you!"

"Well, I want to look the farm over before I decide what
I'll do," said Hiram, slowly. "And of course I can't do
that to-night. They told me in town that sometimes you take
boarders?"

"In the summer we do," returned Henry.

"Do you think your folks will put me up overnight?"

"Why, I reckon so--Hiram Strong, did you say your name was? Come
right in," added Henry, hospitably, "and I'll ask mother."



CHAPTER VIII

THE LURE OF GREEN FIELDS

The Pollocks proved to be a neighborly family--and a large one.
As Henry said, there was a "whole raft of young 'uns" younger
than he was. They made Hiram very welcome at the supper table,