hile we were getting the south field, which was mostly in
clover that summer. We drew in the hay with both oxen and horses. When
the former were employed, they were yoked to a "rack," set midway on the
axle of two large wheels. The rack would carry a ton or more of hay.
During the first week, they had several times set me to tread down the
hay in the rack, but I made a very bad job of loading it; for I did not
know how to "lay the corners" of the load.

At length one afternoon, the Old Squire, observing my faults, climbed on
the cart, and taking the fork, showed me patiently how to begin at
first, and how to lay the hay out at the sides and ends of the rack,
keeping the ends higher than the middle all the way up. He made it so
plain to me that I took a liking to that part of the work. I could not
of course handle the hay as well as a man, but I contrived to stow it
quite well, for I had grasped the principle of loading and managed to
lay a fairly presentable load. As a result I grew a little
over-confident, and was inclined to boast of my skill and make somewhat
rash statements as to the size of loads which I could lay. The others
probably saw that I needed discipline. I must have been dull, or I
should have been on my guard for set-backs from Halse, Addison, or the
mischievous Doanes. When a boy's head begins to grow large and his
self-conceit to sprout, he is sometimes singularly blind to
consequences.

But to proceed, we had thirty-one "tumbles" of dry clover to get in
after supper that day, from the south field. The Elder and the Old
Squire did not go out with us.

"You will have to make two loads of it," the latter remarked as we set
off. "Put it in the 'west barn.' You need not hurry. The Elder and I
will grind the scythes to-night."

I climbed into the rack and rode out to the field, Asa driving and
Addison coming on behind, to rake after the cart. Jim and Halstead had
gone on ahead, to rick up the hay.

"Two loads, wal, they won't be very large ones," Asa remarked.

"What's the use to go twice?" I said. "I can load that hay all on at
once."

Asa looked round at me, as I afterwards remembered, in a somewhat
peculiar manner, and I now imagine that both he and Addison at once
began plotting my abasement, and passed the "wink" to the others.

"You couldn't do it," said Asa.

I studied the amount of hay on the ground carefully for a moment or two,
reflected on the number of "tumbles" I had previously loade