ake. I'm goin' home," and
he started to run.

"Oh, a snake!" cried Mab. "I don't like snakes either;" and she turned to
go away.

"Where's the snake, Sammie? Show me!" said Hal.

"See him crawlin'?" and red-haired Sammie pointed. "I guess he goin' to
bite! I run!" and away he started, but he fell down on the rough ground.
He did not cry, however, but picked himself up and kept on.

"That isn't a snake!" called Hal with a laugh, "It's only a big angle
worm. That won't hurt you, Sammie! Don't be afraid."

"Dat no snake?" the little boy wanted to know.

"No. Only a fish worm. Don't you remember how we went fishing with Daddy,
Mab?" asked her brother.

"Yes, I do. But I thought it was a snake."

Hal had jumped over the fence and picked up the worm. It was a large one
and had been crawling about the newly-plowed field.

"Oh, I don't like 'em," said Mab with a little shiver.

"Worms are good," said Mr. Porter coming out into his garden.

"You mean good for fishing?" asked Hal

"Yes, and good for gardens, too. They wiggle through the ground and sort
of chew it up so it does not get so hard. The earth around the roots of
trees and plants ought to be kept loose and dug up so the air and water
can get through easier. So worms in a garden help to make the plants
grow."

"I didn't know that," said Hal, as he put down the big worm, which at once
began to crawl slowly along, stretching itself out until it was almost
twice as big as at first.

In a few days the weather was much warmer, and the soil in the two
gardens began to dry out. The man came with the spiked, or tooth, harrow,
and his horses dragged this over the ground several times. Soon the soil
was quite smooth, the big lumps or clods of earth being broken up into
little fine chunks.

"But it must be finer yet for some things, like lettuce and tomatoes,"
said Mr. Blake. "So I'll use a hand rake."

"Can't we help too?" Hal wanted to know.

"Yes, I want you and Mab to do as much garden work as you can. In that way
you'll understand how to make things grow. And remember the more you work
around in the garden, digging up the earth above the roots of your plants,
keeping the weeds cut down, the better your things will grow. Making a
garden is not easy work, but, after all think what a wonderful lot the
seeds and plants do for themselves. Still we must help them."

"When can I plant my beans?" asked Mab.

"Well, pretty soon now. Make your part of the garden,