“Hardly, but—­”

“Big as a muskmelon, then?”

“Not exactly, but—­”

“About the size of a cocoanut, eh?”

“No! no!  They will be as large as—­”

“I mean a little cocoanut,” pleaded Tom, while Sam felt like laughing outright.

“Well, yes, a little cocoanut.  You see—­”

“We saw some big potatoes in California, Uncle Randolph.”

“Ah!  Of what variety?”

“Cornus bustabus, or something like that.  Sam, what was the name, do you know?”

“That must be something like it, Tom,” grinned the youngest Rover.

“Took two men to lift some of those potatoes,” went on Tom calmly.

“Two men?  Thomas, surely you are joking.”

“No, uncle, I am telling nothing but the strict truth.”

“But two men!  The potatoes must have been of monstrous size!”

“Oh, not so very big.  But they did weigh a good deal, no question of it.”

“Think of two men lifting one potato!”

“I didn’t say one potato, Uncle Randolph.  I said some of those potatoes.”

“Eh?”

“The men had a barrel full of ’em.”

“Thomas!” The uncle shook his finger threateningly.  “At your old tricks, I see.  I might have known it.”  And then he stalked off to hide his chagrin.

“Tom, that was rather rough on Uncle Randolph,” said Sam, after a laugh.

“So it was, Sam.  But I’ve got to do something.  This being boxed up, when one might be fishing or swimming, or playing baseball, is simply dreadful,” answered the other.

Just before the evening meal was announced Jack Ness came up from the barn, and sought out Randolph Rover.

“Found a man slinking around the cow-shed a while ago,” he said.  “He looked like a tramp.  I wanted to talk to him, but he scooted in double-quick order.”

“Humph!  We haven’t had any tramps here in a long time,” came from Randolph Rover.  “Where did he go to?”

“Down toward the berry patch.”

“Did you follow him up?”

“I did, sir, but he got away from me.”

“You must keep a close watch for those fellows,” said Randolph Rover bluntly.  “I don’t want any of them getting in our barn and burning it down to the ground.”

“You are right, Randolph,” said Anderson Rover.  “Make them keep away from the place by all means, Jack.”

“I’ll keep my eye peeled for ’em,” answered the hired man.

The wind was now blowing a gale, causing the trees near the farmhouse to creak and groan, and banging more than one shutter.  But the boys did not mind this, and went to bed promptly at the usual hour.

“A storm like this on land is nothing to one on the sea,” was the way Tom expressed himself.  “I don’t like anything better than to listen to the whistling of the wind when I am snug in bed.”

For the time being Sam and Tom were occupying a room in the L of the farmhouse, and Dick had a small bedchamber adjoining.  The boys were soon undressed, and, having said their prayers, hopped into bed, and were soon sound asleep.