“I had not supposed,” said Jim, “that she had a very high opinion of my work.”
“I didn’t ask her about that,” said Mr. Hofmyer, “though I guess she thinks well of it. I asked her what you are tryin’ to do, and what sort of a fellow you are. I was favorably impressed; but she didn’t mention any failures.”
“We haven’t succeeded in adopting a successful system of selling our cream,” said Jim. “I believe we can do it, but we haven’t.”
“Wal,” said Mr. Hofmyer, “I d’know as I’d call that a failure. The fact that you’re tryin’ of it shows you’ve got the right idees. We’ll write ye, and mebbe pay your way down to look us over. We’re a pretty good crowd, the neighbors think.”
CHAPTER XX
THINK OF IT
Ames was an inspiration. Jim Irwin received from the great agricultural college more real education in this one trip than many students get from a four years’ course in its halls; for he had spent ten years in getting ready for the experience. The great farm of hundreds of acres, all under the management of experts, the beautiful campus, the commodious classrooms and laboratories, and especially the barns, the greenhouses, gardens, herds and flocks filled him with a sort of apostolic joy.
“Every school,” said he to Professor Withers, “ought to be doing a good deal of the work you have to do here.”