"He can't do anything to us," said Sid nervously. "We're too many for him—even if he is big!"
"Well, boys, what you doin'?" inquired the farmer amiably.
There was a moment of constrained silence. Then,
"Fishing," answered Sid bravely.
"Caught anything?" asked the farmer as he joined the group and looked curiously at the huddled poles.
"Not yet, sir," answered Sid.
"Too sunny, I guess," was the reply.
The trespassers darted bewildered glances along their front. This awful calm was worse than the expected storm.
"Didn't take you long to get here, by gum!" said Farmer Mercer presently. "I didn't just bargain for having the whole school turn out to once, but I don't know as it matters. A bargain's a bargain. I give my word, and there it is. 'Let 'em come once a week, then,' says I, 'but no more 'n that.' The way that gal sassed me was a caution!" The farmer's face relaxed into something very like a smile. "'If you gave 'em permission to come,' says she, 'they wouldn't care about it so much. It's the temptation that leads 'em,' says she. 'Tell 'em they can come and they won't want to.' Looks like she was mistaken there, though."
"Who—o?" stammered Sid.