The harder the problem looked the more determined he was to
solve it.

The two boys drove to town that evening and Hiram sought out a man who
contracted to move houses, clean cisterns and wells, and various work
of that kind. He knew this man had just the thing he needed, and after
a conference with him, Hiram loaded some bulky paraphernalia into the
light wagon--it was so dark Henry could not see what it was--and they
drove home again.

"I'd like to know what the Jim Hickey you're about, Hiram," sniffed
Henry, in disgust. "What's all this litter back here in the wagon?"

"You come over and give me a hand in the morning--early now, say by
sun-up--and you'll find out. I want a couple of husky chaps like you,"
chuckled Hiram. "I'll get Pete Dickerson to work against me."

"If you do, you tell Pete he'll have to work lively," said Henry, with
a grin. "I don't know what it is you want us to do, but I reckon I can
keep my end up with Pete, from hoein' 'taters to cuttin' cord-wood."

"You can keep your end up with him, can you?" chuckled Hiram. "Well! I
bet you can't in this game I'm going to put you two fellows up against."

"What! Pete Dickerson beat me at anything--unless it's sleeping?"
grunted Henry, with vast disgust. "I'll keep my end up with him at
anything."

And the more assured he was of this the more Hiram was amused. "Come
on over early, Henry," said the young farmer, "and I'll show you that
there's at least one thing in which you can't keep your end up with
Pete."

His friend was almost angry when he started off across the fields for
home; but he was mighty curious, too. That curiosity, if nothing
more, would have brought him to the Atterson house in good season the
following morning.

Already, however, Hiram and Pete--with the light wagon--had gone down
to the riverside. Henry hurried after them and reached the celery field
just as the red face of the sun appeared.

There had been little dew during the night and the tender transplants
had scarcely lifted their heads. Indeed, the last acre set out the day
before were flat.

On the bank of the river, and near that suffering acre, were Hiram and
Pete Dickerson. Henry hurried to them, wondering at the thing he saw
upon the bank.

Hiram was already laying out between the celery rows a long hosepipe.
This was attached to a good-sized force-pump, the feedpipe of which was
in the river. It was a two-man pump and was worked by an up-and-down
"brake."