Part 6 (1/2)
”So do I. I wish I had some of the gold he dug.”
”Same here. If we had that we wouldn't have to be working in this hot cornfield. Maybe we'll find some, by and by, Will.”
”Find some? How?”
”Why, go after it, to be sure. Do you know, I have an idea I'd like to be a gold miner.”
”A heap you know about gold mining!”
”That's all right. Every one has to learn. I guess he didn't know anything about it at first,” said the stout youth.
”Perhaps not. But what chance have we to go out West in the mining country?”
”None, I guess, Will, but I can't help thinking of it. I certainly would like to go West and be a gold miner. Think of digging gold instead of potatoes.”
”There's only one thing about that,” replied his brother, who was not so inclined to look on the rosy side of things, ”when you're digging for potatoes you go to a field where potatoes have been planted, and when you dig, you know you're going to get some.”
”Well?”
”Well, when you dig for gold you have to go it blind. It may be there and it may not. Oftener not, and you have all your digging for nothing.”
”So you do here, sometimes, when the droutht or too much rain has ruined the potato crop,” retorted Jed. ”I guess it's about an even thing, Will.”
”Maybe so. But I guess dad wouldn't let us go West.”
”Probably not. Come on, we'll do ten more rows each, and then it will be time to go home to supper. My! But I'm glad this day will soon be over! It's been a scorcher!”
It had been very hot, and the unclouded sun, beating down on the two lads in the cornfield, seemed to fairly be trying to shrivel them up.
”I'm done!” exclaimed Jed at length, as he reached the end of the tenth row, which he had set as his ”stent.”
”So'm I,” added his brother a minute later. ”Come on, Pete. You're moving slow on account of the run you had this morning. Hark! What's that, Jed?”
”Sounded like thunder.”
The two brothers listened a moment. Off in the west there was a dull rumble, where some copper-colored clouds had gathered.
”It is thunder!” exclaimed Will. ”Say, I do believe it's going to rain.
Won't dad be glad!”
”He sure will,” spoke Jed.
”But I'm afraid it's too late to do any good,” went on Will.
”Nonsense! There you go again. Always looking on the dark side of things. Why don't you say the rain will do all sorts of good?”
”I suppose I'm not built that way. But I hope it does.”
”Of course it will. Come on. Let's hurry up. I don't want to get wet.”