The last quarter I used for cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes and small stuff, such as lettuce, pepper grass, radishes, Swiss chard, and beets. Now to get all this done within the space of a few weeks required hard work. I was up at half past four and in the field by half past five. With an hour out at noon I was in the field steadily until six o’clock. Then I ate supper and was in bed by eight-thirty so dog-tired I could hardly get undressed. And yet I woke up at daylight the next morning completely rested and eager to be at it again. This was the kind of hard work that leaves no after effects. I continued to employ Hadley, but without boasting I honestly believe I accomplished each day four times as much as he did. I didn’t do this by unusual exertion, but merely by keeping steadily at it and planning the work in a business-like way. In my thought I kept one step ahead of my hands while he always kept one step behind and had to wait for his head to catch up with him. I never felt more alert in body and mind than I did this spring. I was used to physical labor, but I found myself responding with even greater vigor now than when I was younger and digging for the subway as a day laborer. For one thing I had none of the mental strain with which I was burdened then. Of course I was in a far better position financially and everything was going well with my own. Dick was making good and the kiddies were as rosy and plump as fall apples. Ruth, too, was happier than I had ever seen her, so that while I took this new work seriously it was with a light-hearted seriousness that added to the zest of life. In the meantime we were holding a meeting of the Pioneers every two weeks in order that interest might not flag, and to discuss any difficulties that arose. These gatherings were informal, and as time went on had the effect of binding us together into one big family. Sometimes I spoke and sometimes Holt spoke, and twice we had a man down from the school. So far as it was possible we tried to prod up everyone’s pride. We told them that as descendants of the people who founded this nation we had a certain responsibility of blood. We were still the backbone of this nation, but this inheritance didn’t amount to anything unless we lived up to it. We tried to impress everyone with the fact that other pioneers were coming in (and they saw this for themselves) and that if we meant to retain our title and position it must be by proving ourselves worthy of it. We avoided carefully anything which might stir up class hatred. “The race is open to all,” said Holt. “It’s right that it should be. A man wouldn’t have much of a horse race if he only allowed his own horses to enter--horses he was sure of. A victory wouldn’t mean anything. It would be like betting with yourself. It’s only in the free-for-all that you get a real race and a real victory. We’ve made a good start and now all we have to do is to sit tight and drive hard.”