"No, I'm Mr. Goodenough," answered the man, pleasantly. "Noman lives on the adjoining farm. You will have to turn into the next gateway and go down the lane, as his house stands some distance from the road." "I was told," explained the boy, "that he wished to hire help, and I hoped to get work there. Could you tell me what the prospect is?" The man had now reached the boy's side, and was looking him over with evident curiosity. "Well," he replied, slowly. "I think he wants a young fellow for the coming season, and hadn't hired any one the last I knew. But I think you must be a stranger in these parts?" "Yes," the youth answered, briefly. And then, thanking the man for his information, he turned away. "I thought so," Mr. Goodenough called after him, "else you wouldn't want to go there to work." The boy scarcely gave heed to the remark at the time; but it was not long before he learned, by hard experience, the meaning of it. A quarter of a mile up the road he reached a gate, and, passing through it, hastened down the narrow lane till he came to a long, low, dilapidated house; but in the darkness, which had by this time fallen, he was not able to form any definite idea of his surroundings. A feeble light issued from a back window, and, guided by that, he found the rear door of the building. To his knock there was a chorus of responses. Dogs barked, children screamed, and above the din a gruff voice shouted, "Come in!" A little disconcerted by the unusual sounds, the boy, instead of obeying the invitation, knocked again. Then there was a heavy step across the floor, the door swung open with a jerk, and a tall, raw-boned man, shaggy-bearded and shock haired, stood on the threshold. Eying the boy a moment in surprise, he asked, somewhat surlily: "What do ye want, youngster?" "Are you Mr. Noman?" the boy asked. "Yes; what of it?" he answered, sharply. "I was told you wanted help, and I have called to see about it," explained the boy. [Illustration: "THEN CAME A SUDDEN BREAKER, ROLLING OUTWARD, THAT LIFTED THE CART AND OXEN FROM THE ROAD-BED AND SWEPT THEM OUT INTO THE SOUND."] "Come in, then!" said Mr. Noman. And his tones were wonderfully modified. The boy now obeyed, and found himself in a large room, evidently the kitchen and living-room all in one. There was no carpet on the floor, and a stove, a table and a half-dozen chairs constituted its furniture. Three large dogs lay before the fire, growling sullenly. A woman and four small children were seated at the table. An empty chair and an unemptied plate showed that Mr. Noman had been eating when he was called to the door. There was food enough upon the table, but its disorderly arrangement, and the haphazard way in which each child was helping itself, caused the boy to give an involuntary shudder, as his host invited him to sit down "an' take a bite, while they talked over business together."