one of the Irishmen looked up to the bank and said
pleasantly,--

"There's the little master come to see us."

"I thought you were lost," answered Bertie, laughing. "Will you please
to tell me what you are going to do with all that ground in the middle
of the cellar?"

"The oxen are going to draw it out. You will see them presently."

"But how can the oxen get down there?" asked the boy, greatly surprised.

"Run round to the bulkhead, and you will see."

Bertie had no idea what a bulkhead was, or where it could be found; but
as the man pointed to the other side of the cellar, away he ran to find
it.

Now the mystery was explained. Just under the place where his father had
told him the kitchen was to be, there was a kind of road leading down
into the cellar, and while Bertie was waiting, he heard Tom's voice
calling to Buck to "gee, back, back, sir."

There was no place to turn around in the cellar so the oxen had to back
the cart with its wide wheels down the steep road. As soon as they were
in the right place, the Irishmen came and helped Tom load the cart full,
which was very quickly done; and then Buck and Bright pulled away with
all their strength till they were out on the level ground. This time
they did not carry the gravel far, and so were ready to back down again
in a very few minutes.

"What makes this dirt look so different from that?" inquired Bertie,
pointing to a pile of rich black loam.

"The top of the ground is always richer earth," answered Jim, who was
just going by, driving Star and Spot. "Underneath it is only gravel."

"What is gravel good for?"

"It will do very well to put on roads, or to fill up with. I heard your
father say he was going to make avenues and terraces with this."

"What are avenues?"

"Roads, drive-ways."

"What are terraces?"

Jim laughed aloud.

"I guess," he said, "if you don't get to be a Squire yourself some day
'twont be for want of asking questions."

By this time the oxen were ready to be backed down the cellar, and
Bertie was obliged to wait until another time to find out what terraces
were.

He waited till Jim came up and tipped his load of gravel upon the heap,
and then he said,--

"I must go and find papa. I'm afraid it's almost ten o'clock."

"I can tell you what time it is," said Jim, looking up at the sun.

"How can you tell that way?" the boy asked, wondering.

"It's half past nine, ex-actly," remarked Jim, drawling out the last
word.