We had now dispensed with Bagley’s services, a good word from me having secured him work elsewhere.  I found that I could not make arrangements for rebuilding the barn before the last of August, and we now began to take a little much-needed rest.  Our noonings were two or three hours long.  Merton and Junior had time for a good swim every day, while the younger children were never weary of wading in the shallows.  I insisted, however, that they should not remain long in the water on any one occasion, and now and then we each took a grain or two of quinine to fortify our systems against any malarial influences that might be lurking around at this season.

The children were also permitted to make expeditions to mountain-sides for huckleberries and blackberries.  As a result, we often had these wholesome fruits on the table, while my wife canned the surplus for winter use.  A harvest apple tree also began to be one of the most popular resorts, and delicious pies made the dinner-hour more welcome than ever.  The greater part of the apples were sold, however, and this was true also of the Lima-beans, sweet corn, and melons.  We all voted that the smaller ears and melons tasted just as good as if we had picked out the best of everything, and my account-book showed that our income was still running well ahead of our expenses.

Bobsey and Winnie had to receive another touch of discipline and learn another lesson from experience.  I had marked with my eye a very large, perfect musk-melon, and had decided that it should be kept for seed.  They, too, had marked it; and one morning, when they thought themselves unobserved, they carried it off to the seclusion of the raspberry bushes, proposing a selfish feast by themselves.

Merton caught a glimpse of the little marauders, and followed them.  They cut the melon in two, and found it green and tasteless as a pumpkin.  He made me laugh as he described their dismay and disgust, then their fears and forebodings.  The latter were soon realized; for seeing me in the distance, he beckoned.  As I approached, the children stole out of the bushes, looking very guilty.

Merton explained, and I said:  “Very well, you shall have your melon for dinner, and little else.  I intend you shall enjoy this melon fully.  So sit down under that tree and each of you hold half the melon till I release you.  You have already learned that you can feast your eyes only.”

There they were kept, hour after hour, each holding half of the green melon.  The dinner-bell rang, and they knew that we had ripe melons and green corn; while nothing was given them but bread and water.  Bobsey howled, and Winnie sobbed, but my wife and I agreed that such tendencies toward dishonesty and selfishness merited a lasting lesson.  At supper the two culprits were as hungry as little wolves; and when I explained that the big melon had been kept for seed, and that if it had been left to ripen they should have had their share, they felt that they had cheated themselves completely.