“Don’t you see, children,” I concluded, “that acting on the square is not only right, but that it is always best for us in the end?”

Then I asked, “Merton, what have the Bagley children been doing since they stopped picking raspberries for us?”

“I’m told they’ve been gathering blackberries and huckleberries in the mountains, and selling them.”

“That’s promising.  Now I want you to pick out a good-sized water-melon and half a dozen musk-melons, and I’ll leave them at Bagley’s cottage to-morrow night as I go down to the village.  In old times they would have stolen our crop; now they shall share in it.”

When I carried the present on the following evening, the children indulged in uncouth cries and gambols over the gift, and Bagley himself was touched.

“I’ll own up ter yer,” he said, “that yer melon patch was sore temptin’ to the young uns, but I tole ’em that I’d thrash ’em if they teched one.  Now yer see, youngsters, ye’ve got a man of feelin’ ter deal with, and yer’ve got some melons arter all, and got ’em squar’, too.”

“I hear good accounts of you and your children,” I said, “and I’m glad of it.  Save the seeds of these melons and plant a lot for yourself.  See here, Bagley, we’ll plow your garden for you this fall, and you can put a better fence around it.  If you’ll do this, I’ll share my garden seeds with you next spring, and you can raise enough on that patch of ground to half feed your family.”

“I’ll take yer up,” cried the man, “and there’s my hand on it ag’in.”

“God bless you and Mrs. Durham!” added his wife “We’re now beginning to live like human critters.”

I resumed my journey to the village, feeling that never before had melons been better invested.

The Moodna Creek had now become very low, and not more than half its stony bed was covered with water.  At many points, light, active feet could find their way across and not be wet.  Junior now had a project on hand, of which he and Merton had often spoken lately.  A holiday was given to the boys and they went to work to construct an eel weir and trap.  With trousers well rolled up, they selected a point on one side of the creek where the water was deepest, and here they left an open passage-way for the current.  On each side of this they began to roll large stones, and on these placed smaller ones, raising two long obstructions to the natural flow.  These continuous obstructions ran obliquely up-stream, directing the main current to the open passage, which was only about two feet wide, with a post on either side, narrowing it still more.  In this they placed the trap, a long box made of lath, sufficiently open to let the water run through it, and having a peculiar opening at the upper end where the current began to rush down the narrow passage-way.  The box rested closely on the gravelly bottom, and was fastened to the posts.  Short, close-fitting slats from the bottom and top