“There is Larry Little; he’s eighteen and stout enough to do anything he knows about. Then there are Tom and Jerry, younger than he is, but they could do chores. Besides ’em, there is myself, who is willing to try anything.” “None of you know much about farm work. But I will see in a little while. First I will look after those tools, and I will take them along with you as far as I am going.” Dr. Menter, who was considerable of a farmer himself, having spent his boyhood on a farm, went into Deacon Cornhill’s tool house, soon coming out with two shovels, two hoes, an ax and a pickax. “These will be enough for you to begin with,” he said, with a smile, as he placed them in his carriage. As has been shown, there were two roads leading to Break o’ Day, and as Dr. Menter had another patient to visit in the west part of the town, he advised Rob to ride with him in that direction, and after leaving him take what was called “The Flying Jump” road to Break o’ Day. On the way the physician explained to Rob considerable about farming, and told him how to begin by spading up the ground ready for planting. “Select the level places between the ridges and the hollows where the soil is richer and deeper. There is some good land on Break o’ Day, but there is more that is poor, either sandy or rocky. Let me advise you not to dig anywhere the grass won’t grow.” So Rob went back to his humble home by the same road that ’Squire Hardy and Sheriff Stanyan had taken in going to Break o’ Day. He found his mother and friends anxiously awaiting his coming, excepting Chick and Ruddy, who had not returned. Rob gave as encouraging an account of his visit to the village as he could, and as he displayed the tools he had brought with which to begin there was a curious examination made and many utterances of surprise which must have sounded ridiculous to the farming population of Basinburg. But it must be remembered that none of the younger members of the party had ever seen anything of the kind, or had the remotest idea of the uses to which they could be applied. Even Rob, who had listened attentively to what Dr. Menter had said, could not give any very clear explanation. He believed the best illustration he could give was to put them to use, and he at once looked about for the most suitable place to begin his farming. “Come, Larry, here is a shovel for you. Tom and Jerry can each use a hoe.” “Oh, my! won’t that be fun?” cried the latter. It was not surprising that the girls, and even Mrs. Willet and Aunt Vinnie, came out to witness the “breaking of the sod” for the new life. But strange tools in new hands become awkward, and at the very outset Larry blundered and fell in a heap, amid the clapping of hands and merry peals of laughter from his companions. Picking himself up rather crestfallen, Larry went at his task more judiciously than at first, so that in a few minutes he was doing nearly as well as Rob.