THAT'S so, Son," said Old Bob the gardener, "and that being so, you'd better make hay while the sun shines."
Buddy was used to Old Bob the gardener, and his funny sayings, and so he knew that he didn't really mean that about making hay, because the hay had been made for months, but that he must do whatever there was to be done and not waste time about it.
So he said, "What were you going to tell me to do, Bob?"
"Why," said Old Bob the gardener, with a twinkle in his eye, "I s'pose you don't mean to make the squirrels a present of all the hazel-nuts up in the back pasture, do you?"
"Why, no," said Buddy.
"Well," said Old Bob, "they will be just right to gather today, on account of the frost last night, and if you will spread them out on the flat roof of the garage for a few days the shucks will come off beautifully."
"Thanks for telling me, Bob," said Buddy. "I'll go and get some today."
"They will come in handy evenings in the city," said Old Bob the gardener.
Buddy's smile faded out. He didn't want to go back to the city. But the smile blossomed again right away. He didn't have to go for a few more weeks anyway. "I'll get a basket," said he, "and go right away for the nuts."