culated beans.
The visitors were not told which were which. Then a vote was taken as to
which were the better. Of course, the inoculated beans won out.

After this, the real refreshments were served. "I should like to ask,"
Dee made bold to say, "where you boys got strawberries to make ice cream
of? Strawberries in October! You certainly do not expect us to believe
you raised them."

"I did," said Myron, striking an attitude before her. "I did in my own
little patch."

"Did you make a few cakes of ice and thus have a cold storage plant?"
Dee continued sarcastically.

"Dear me, no! I'm much more clever than that. One day, with a few
baskets of berries tucked under this noble right arm of mine, I walked
to this house. I knocked at the door. A man let me in. He tied an apron
about this waist. We actually canned these same berries which you are
now eating as a frozen delicacy."

"You boys are altogether too smart," and Dee turned her back on Myron to
accept a second dish of cream from Philip.

That didn't disturb Myron any, for he cakewalked back to the kitchen for
more cream.

"Well, it was a fine exhibit for mere lads," Jack's father was heard to
say on his way home; "If we could bring into this little village a few
more men like our boys' Chief there would be no question about a boy's
coming up all right. It makes me ashamed to think that we parents have
left this work to an outsider."

"I feel," answered George's father, "that this man is a real 'insider'."

After all the guests had left The Chief's once again the boys formed
their line and saluted the man.

"Is there nothing for us this winter, O Chief?" asked Albert.

"Plenty. We are going to have a beautiful winter, and next spring better
work."

Laden with their trophies the boys reluctantly started for home. They
stood in the road in front of The Chief's gate, and the moon shone down
on seven happy, manly boys. The three cheers to The Chief arose clear
and shrill on the still evening air. As it died away the boys seemed to
melt into the shadows of the road.

The man stood motionless in his doorway until the last sound of the boys
died away. Then he went back into the room to dream over the fire dreams
for his boys.

PART II

THE CHIEF'S GARDEN TALKS

I

THE SOIL

The following winter The Chief gave Friday afternoon talks to his boys
and girls. These meetings did not in any way interfere with the boys'
regular Saturday evening