"But--I s'pose if _you_ wanted water, you'd squeal?" suggested Janice. "Huh! smart, ain't ye?" growled Marty. "I'd go down ter Dickerson's an' git a drink. So'll them shoats if Dad don't mend that pen pretty soon." It was no use to suggest that Marty might make the needed repairs; so Janice made no further comment. The trail of shiftlessness was over everything. Fences were down, doors flapped on single hinges, roofs were caved in, heaps of rubbish lay in corners, here and there broken and rusted farm implements stood where they had last been used. Neglect and Decay had marked the Day farm for their own. The fields were plowed for corn and partly worked up with the harrow. But nothing further had been done for several days past, and already the weeds were sprouting. Most of the fences were of stone; but the pasture fence was of three strands of wire, and with a hammer and staples a good deal might have been done for it in a few brisk hours. "Aw, what's the use?" demanded Marty. "It'd only be down again in a little while." "But the poor cow----" "Shucks! She's gone dry long ago. An' I'm glad of it, for Dad made me milk her." The climb through the pasture and the woodlot above it, however, was pleasant, and when Janice heard the falling water she was delighted. This was so different from the prairie country to which she was used that she must needs express her appreciation of its loveliness again and again. "Oh, yes," grunted Marty. "But these rocky old farms are mighty hard to work. I bet I picked up a million dornicks out o' that upper cornfield las' month. An' ye plow jest as many out o' the ground ev'ry year. Mebbe the scenery's pretty upon these here hills; but ye can't _eat_ scenery, and the crops are mighty poor." Over the lip of a smoothly-worn ledge the water sprayed into a granite basin. The dimpling pool might have been knee-deep, and was as cold as ice. "It's like that the hottest day in August," said Marty. "But it's lots more fun to go swimmin' in the lake." It was late afternoon when they came down the hillside to the old Day house once more. Mr. Day was puttering around the stables. "Ye didn't finish them 'taters, Marty," he complained. "Oh, I'll do 'em to-morrer," said the boy. "It most broke my back a'ready. And did ye see all the carrots we got weeded?" "Uh-huh," observed his father. "Lots _you_ had to do with weedin' the carrots, Marty," he added, sarcastically. When Janice went into the house the dinner dishes were still piled in the sink; yet Aunt 'Mira was already getting supper. She was still shuffling around the kitchen in her list slippers and the old calico dress.