"Oh, I don't know," Bart replied, somewhat surprised at what Jim told him. "What sort of a man is he?"
"He has red hair, that's all I remember. I was sort of sleepy the day he met me, and I didn't take much notice."
"How'd he come to ask you?" inquired Bart, wondering why lazy Jim had ever been requested to do anything.
"Sandy Merton told the man about me. The man went to Sandy first, said he heard Sandy knew the woods pretty well. But Sandy works for a farmer every Saturday, and he couldn't go, so he recommended me. Said it would be easy work, but I don't fancy tramping through the woods. Do you want the job?"
"Sure, I'll take it," Bart replied. "It'll be fun. I wonder if he only wants one boy?"
"I guess he doesn't mind. Said I could bring a friend along if I wanted to. Here, I'll give you his card, and you can inquire for him at the hotel," and Jim extended a bit of pasteboard on which was printed the name:
JACOB HARDMAN.
"I'll go see him," Bart remarked. "Sure you don't want the job, Jim? Five dollars is a nice bit of money to pick up for just going to the corduroy road."
"I—got—spring—fever," murmured Jim, and Bart saw that the boy's eyes were closed as though he had gone to sleep.
"Queer he had energy enough to tell me that much," remarked Bart, as he moved off. "Just like him, to lie here and wait for a chance ball to bring me in his direction. Jim certainly is the limit when it comes to laziness."