“You're late, Barney. It's nearly six, and you have to go to Morrison's to-day. Here's Ben with the horses fed.”
“Why, mother, it's only five o'clock by my watch.”
“No, it's six.”
Upon comparison Ben's watch corresponded with the clock. Barney concluded something must be wrong and routed Dick up, and with such good purpose did they hasten through breakfast that in an hour from the time the boys were called they were standing in the field waiting for Ben to begin the day's work.
After they had been binding an hour Alec Murray appeared on the field. “I'm going to shock,” he announced. “They've got men enough up at the thrashing, an' the 'Old King' wants to get this field in shock by to-morrow afternoon so he can get it thrashed, if you hustlers can get it down by then.” Alec was apparently in great spirits. He brought with him into the field a breezy air of excitement.
“Here, Ben, don't take all day oiling up there. I guess I'm after you to-day, remember.”
“Guess yeh'll wait till it's tied, won't yeh?” said Ben, who thoroughly understood Alec's game.
“Don't know 'bout that. I may have to jump in an' tie a few myself.”
“Don't you fret yourself,” replied Dick. “If you shock all that's tied to-day you'll need to hang your shirt on the fence at night.”
“Keep cool, Dick, or you'll be leavin' Barney too far behind. You tie quicker than him, I hear.”