"To see how much gravel you have; that's why."
"Gravel! My gravel?"
"Yes. All that hill," and the surveyor motioned to the left.
"An' they want it? What fer?"
"For ballast."
"Ballast!"
"Certainly. The wise ones have been very uneasy of late, and have done considerable thinking. They have at last concluded that there is too much gravel right on this part of the earth's surface, and so they've decided to shift a portion of it to keep the old ship steady."
"Ye don't tell! An' where are they goin' to take it to?"
"Oh, just to the new railroad. They need ballast for that, and this is extra good stuff."
Abner lifted his old straw hat, and ran his fingers slowly through his hair. His eyes, which had been staring wide, now gradually contracted as he looked off toward the gravel hill. A new light was dawning upon his mind. He was face to face with a problem which he knew would tax his entire supply of "brains, gall, an' luck."