"I know all about the tools a farmer has to use in his work, Mr. Ames," bragged Natalie.
"Oh, do yeh? Wall then, you kin get the rake and hoe, and fix up the sile where the plough is done turned it up."
Natalie remembered the paragraph in "Scouting for Girls" and asked: "Shall I bring the spade, too?"
Just then, Mr. Ames stubbed his toe against a large stone that had been turned out of its bed. He grumbled forth: "Better git a pickaxe and crowbar."
"My book didn't mention crowbars and pickaxes, Mr. Ames, so I don't know what they are," ventured Natalie modestly.
"Every farmer has to have a pick and crow on hand in case he wants to dig fence-post holes, er move a rock--like the one I just hit."
"So are the rocks! But they ain't moved. Better go over the ploughed dirt and find 'em, then git them outen the garden."
Natalie began to hunt for stones, and as she found any, to carry them over to the fence where she threw them over in the adjoining field. This was not very exciting pastime, and her back began to ache horribly.
Mrs. James, who had lingered behind, now joined Natalie and exclaimed in surprise, "Why, I thought you said the old tenant was so particular with his garden? He should have removed all these stones, then."
"This section was used fer pertaters an' corn every other year, an' some stones is good to drain the sile fer them sort of greens. But fer small truck like you'se plan to plant here, the stones has to get out."
Mrs. James assisted Natalie in throwing out stones which turned up under the plough-blade, and when that section of the garden was finished, Mr. Ames mopped his warm brow and looked back over his work with satisfaction.
"Ef you'se want to plant corn over in that unused spot alongside the field, it will be a fine place to use. It is not been used fer years fer truck."
"It looks awfully weedy. Maybe things won't grow there," ventured Natalie.
"Hoh, them's only top-weeds what can be yanked out. The sile itself is good as any hereabouts."
"Well, then, Mr. Ames," said Mrs. James, "you'd better plough that section, too, for the corn or potatoes."
So the rough part of the ground by the fence-line was ploughed up, but the quantity of stones found in the soil was appalling to Natalie. Mr. Ames chuckled at her expression.