st-covered blackberries, and passed them up to the other three
occupants of the rig, remarking, "It's a shame we can't find watermelons
growing wild along the roadside. I am afraid if we have a melon social
at the church tomorrow night we must patronize the groceryman for the
fruit."

"I am sorry to have caused you this wild-goose chase," said a meek voice
from the back seat. "But last year we drove through this town when
watermelon vines were the only things in sight."

"That is everything in sight today," laughed Henry teasingly. "The
trouble is, they don't bear any decent fruit. I'd give five dollars if
anyone would show me twenty good, fair-sized watermelons--"

"All right, sir!" exclaimed an eager voice at his feet. "Give me the
five dollars, and I'll show you twenty-two!"

The man jumped as if shot, the three ladies screamed, and even the
horses started at the unexpected sound, or perhaps it was at sight of a
tousled brown head wriggling excitedly through the thicket, followed by
an equally tousled golden head.

"Well, who are you?" stammered the startled young man, as the children
gained their feet and stood shyly eyeing the city folks.

"Two of the Greenfield kids," answered Peace. "We were just trying one
of my melons when we heard what you said. We've got some fine ones in
our garden, and I'll sell them cheap. They b'long to me. I planted
sweet-pea seeds and they came up."

The man roared, the young ladies giggled, and then one of them said
sweetly, "Have you some of your melon left so we can see what it is
like?"

"Yes," responded Peace, diving into the brush and dragging forth the
untouched half, covered with her dirty handkerchief. "Here it is. You
can eat it. Allee and me are 'most full now. Oh, it's black with ants!
Never mind, just brush them off; they won't change the taste any."

But though the ladies admired the ripe red fruit, they seemed to have no
appetite for it, and Henry was the only one of the party who sampled it.

"It's lickum good," he announced, after the first mouthful. "Better have
some, girls. No? Well, I shall lug this piece back with us for
refreshments. Say, Curly-locks, are all your melons as big as that?"

"Bigger--that is, most of them are. Mrs. Grinnell is going to take two
in to the Fair, but there are twenty-one big ones besides. I mean
twenty. This is the twenty-oneth."

They laughed again, and Henry proposed, "Let's go over and see them
anyway. If we can't find t