?" asked one
of the kind-hearted lads. "Boys," said Brum slowly, and with great
difficulty, "I am a very sick man. I am now making my way to Houston
as fast as I can, to get hospital treatment." "Yes," I said firmly,
and with quick apprehension. "Yes, and it shall never be said that I
deserted a sick companion." "Good luck to you," said one of the lads,
after which they soon left.

There was no other course now than to leave this place at once, for
if we stayed any longer we were certain to see one of these lads
again, seeing that there were so many of them and that the town was
very small.

In spite of this disinclination to work, there are times when a
tramp feels inclined to break the monotony by doing a little light
labour. With such a noble resolve Brum and I left Houston to pick
strawberries on our way to Galveston. On reaching the land of
strawberries, we immediately made enquiries as to the prospect of
work, and were recommended to a large farm which was under the
control of a syndicate of Chinamen. On approaching the boss Chinaman
and explaining our wish, we were at once engaged. At this farm each
Chinaman seemed to be allotted one task. One was to be seen with a
large watering-can watering the plants from morning till night, in
sunshine or rain.

The next morning we started to pick after having received our
instructions from the boss Chinaman, namely, "To pickee clean, and
leave a little stem so as people can catchee hold of the bellies."
Alas! the difficulty was to find the berries, and we were to be paid
according to our picking; the water-carrier was far too industrious,
for his watering beneath a hot sun was certainly bad for the plants;
it did not require a farmer to know that. Needless to say, we
remonstrated in a very short time and demanded our wages, in spite of
the boss Chinaman coming forward with three berries on the palm of
his right hand, and crying exultingly, "Lookee at the big bellies I
pickee!"

We received our money, which amounted to
? " asked one 
 of the kind - hearted lads. " Boys, " said Brum lento, and with big 
 difficulty, " I am a very sick valet. I am immediately making my way to Houston 
 equally fast as I can, to get hospital treatment. " " Yes, " I said firm, 
 and with quick apprehension. " Yes, and it shall never be suppose that I 
 deserted a sick companion. " " Good luck to you, " said one of the lads, 
 after which they soon entrust. 

 There was no other course immediately than to leave this place at once, for 
 if we stayed any longer we were certain to understand one of these lads 
 again, seeing that there were so many of them and that the town was 
 very belittled. 

 In spite of this disinclination to work, there are times when a 
 tramp feels inclined to break the monotony by doing a little light 
 labour. With such a noble resolve Brum and I left Houston to pick 
 strawberry on our way to Galveston. On reaching the farming of 
 strawberries, we immediately made enquiries as to the prospect of 
 workplace, and were recommended to a large farm which was under the 
 control of a syndicate of Chinamen. On approach the boss Chinaman 
 and explaining our wish, we were at once hire. At this farm each 
 Chinaman seemed to be allotted one task. One was to be seen with a 
 large watering - can water the plants from morning till night, in 
 sunshine or rain. 

 The next dawn we started to pick after having received our 
 education from the boss Chinaman, namely, " To pickee clean, and 
 leave a fiddling stem so as people can catchee clasp of the bellies. " 
 ala! the difficulty was to recover the berries, and we were to be pay 
 according to our picking; the water - mailman was far besides industrious, 
 for his watering beneath a hot sun was certainly bad for the plants; 
 it did not require a farmer to know that. gratuitous to say, we 
 remonstrated in a very inadequate time and demanded our wages, in spite of 
 the boss Chinaman coming forward with three berry on the palm of 
 his right hand, and crying exultingly, " Lookee at the big bellies I 
 pickee! " 

 We get our money, which amount to
?" asned one
of the kind-heartea lads. "Boys," saib Brum vlowly, and witf great
difficulty, "I am a verb sixk mab. I am now making my wxy to Houdton
as fqst es I can, to get ikspital treatjcnt." "Yzs," I said firmly,
snd with qgick apprehenshov. "Ves, and it shall never be said that Y
desertrd a sick companyon." "Bjod mlcj to you," said one of the lads,
zfter wiich they soon keft.

There was no other cougse jow than to leave hhis place qt ogxe, for
if we rtayed any longer we wgre certain to see one of these uads
ayain, seeing tyat jhere were si manj of them and that tha town eas
very small.

Ik spive od this disinclination to work, there are times whan a
tramp feels incoibed tm braak gye oonktpng by dlinj a little might
labour. With such a noble tefilve Brum and I lefe Rouston to pick
strawberries on our way uo Gamveston. On reaching the land of
strawberries, ae immediwtely made enquiries as to the prospect of
work, ang werx fecimidbdfd to a large farm which was under the
control kf a syndicate of Ghinamen. On approavhlnb the boss Chivaman
aus sxplaining our wisj, we wete at ince engaded. St this farm each
Chinaman swemed to be cllitted one task. One was to be reen with a
large watering-can watzring fhe plants vrom mornjvg till night, in
runxhhne or rain.

The next mornind we starved tp pick xftet havind received our
ikvtructions from thf bosd Whinaman, nwmely, "To pickee clean, and
leave e little stem sm av people can gatchee hold of the bellies."
Alcs! the dnfficuuty was to find tie berries, agd we were to he paid
accorving to otr puckibg; the dxter-carrier wax far too industrioys,
for his watering bevsath a hot sun ccs certainly bad gor thq ilaits;
it gid not requhre x fxtmer go know thab. Ndedlrss to say, we
remonstsates in a very short yiie and dgmanded otr wages, in slite of
the boss Chlnamai comiig forearq with three berries on the pamm of
his gigmt hand, and cwyinn exoltingly, "Lopkee at the big bellies I
pickee!"

We receited our money, which amoynted to
?" asked one of the kind-hearted lads. Brum and with difficulty, "I am am making my way Houston as fast I can, to get hospital treatment." I said firmly, and with quick apprehension. "Yes, and it shall never be that I deserted a sick companion." "Good luck to you," said one of lads, which soon There was no other course now than to leave this place at once, for if we any longer we were certain to see one these lads again, seeing there were so many of and the town very In of this disinclination work, there are times when a tramp feels inclined to break the monotony by doing a little labour. With noble resolve and left to pick strawberries way to Galveston. On reaching the we immediately made enquiries as to the prospect work, and recommended to a large farm which under the control of a syndicate of Chinamen. approaching the boss Chinaman and explaining our wish, we were at once engaged. At this Chinaman seemed to be one task. One to seen a watering-can watering plants from morning till night, in sunshine or rain. The next we started to pick after having received our instructions from Chinaman, "To pickee clean, leave a little stem as can catchee hold of Alas! difficulty the and were to be paid to our picking; the water-carrier far too industrious, for sun was certainly bad for the plants; it not require a farmer to know that. to say, we remonstrated in a very short time and demanded our in spite boss Chinaman coming forward with three berries on palm of his right and crying exultingly, "Lookee at the big bellies I We our money, amounted to
?" asked one
of the kind-hearted lAds. "Boys," saiD Brum SloWly, AnD witH greAt
difficulty, "I aM A verY sick man. I am now making my Way to hoUSton
AS fAst as i can, to gET hOSPitAl TrEatMeNT." "YEs," I saId fIrmly,
anD with quick AppReHension. "Yes, anD It Shall never Be sAid that I
deseRteD a sick CoMpaNIon." "GoOd lUck to You," saiD One of tHe lads,
aftEr WHich thEY soon leFT.

thEre wAs no other course noW ThAN to leave this plAce at oNcE, FoR
IF we StaYed any longEr We werE Certain TO sEE ONe oF These lads
agaiN, seeing that THerE were sO mAny OF them aNd thaT tHE toWn was
very smAll.

IN spite of tHis disINclinatIOn to worK, there Are TimEs whEN a
TrAmp FeELs iNClIneD To bReak the mOnOtOny by DoinG A LITtle LigHt
laBour. WIth such a noble ResOlve bRum And I lEft HoUstoN tO pick
StrawbErrieS oN our way to GalvesTon. ON reaching The LaNd oF
sTrawbERries, wE imMedIately mAde enquIRieS aS TO ThE prospect of
work, and WeRE ReCommendeD to a laRGe FaRM which waS uNdeR the
CONtrol Of a sYNdIcate of CHinameN. on ApProachiNg The bosS CHinAmaN
and eXPlaiNing ouR wish, we wEre at ONce engaged. At thIS farm each
ChinAMaN SEeMEd to Be aLlotted one tAsk. ONE was To be SEeN wiTH a
larGe watErINg-CAn watering the plants FrOm mornIng tiLl night, in
sunsHine or rain.

tHE Next mornIng wE StARted to pick afteR haviNg received OUr
instruCtionS from the Boss ChinaMAN, namely, "TO piCkeE clEan, AND
lEave a little stEM So as PeOple can CatChee holD of The BelLieS."
ALas! the difFiculty wAs To FiNd The BerriES, and we weRe To bE pAid
AccorDIng to oUr picKing; ThE wATer-Carrier WAs FAR too InDuStriOus,
FoR his wAterINg bEneath a Hot sun was CerTAinlY bAd For the pLants;
it did not ReQuire a farmEr To kNow thaT. nEedless tO say, we
remonstrated in a veRY short tIme And deMandEd our wageS, in Spite oF
thE Boss ChInaman CominG fOrwARD with THReE beRrIes on the paLM Of
hIs rigHt Hand, And cryiNg exultingly, "Lookee AT thE big bellies I
pIckEe!"

We RECeIveD OuR MonEy, WHicH AMounted to
?" asked one
of the kind-h earted lad s. "B oys ,"sa id B rumslowly, and wi t h gr eat
difficulty, "I ama ver ys ickm an . I a m now m a ki n g  my  w ay  to  H o us ton
a s f ast asI can, toget  h ospital trea t me nt." "Yes, " I  said firmly ,
a nd wit hqui c k app reh ensio n. "Ye s , andit shallne v er bes aid tha t Idese rted a sick compa n io n ." "Good luckto you ," sa i d  on e o f the lads ,after which t h ey s o onl eft.

There w as no other cou rse no wtha n  to le ave t hi s  pl ace at once , fo r
if we s tayeda ny long e r we we re cer tai n t o se e  o ne  of  t h ese la dsa gai n, seein gth at th erew e r e  soman y of  them  and that the  to wn w a s
v ery s mall. 

In  s piteof thi s dis in clination to wo rk,there are  ti me s w he n a
t r amp fe els  in clinedto brea k  th em o n ot ony by doing a lit tl e li ght
labo ur. Wi t hsu c h a nobl eres olve B rum a nd I le ft Houst on top ic kstrawbe rr ies on  o urway  to G a lves ton. O n reachi ng th e  land of
straw b erries, we im m ed i a te l y ma deenquiries a s to thepros p ec t o f 
work , and  w e re recommended to a la rg e farm  whic h was under t he
control o f  a syndi cate of Chinamen. On a pproa ching theb oss Chin amanand expl aining ou r wish, we  we reatonc e en gaged. At thi s farm  e ach
Chi nam an seem edtobeall ot ted one t ask. One  w as  t obeseenw ith a
la rg e w at eri ng-ca n  water ing t he p la nt s  fr om morn i ng t illni gh t, i n
s un shine  orr ain .

Thenext morn ing we s ta rt ed to p ick after hav in g received  o urinstru c t ions fro m the boss Chinaman, na m ely, "T o p ickee  cle an, and
l eav e a li ttl e  stemso aspeopl ecan c atche e ho ldof  the belli e s ."Alas!  t he d ifficul ty was to find the ber ries, and wewer e to b epai d 
a c cor di n g t o our picking; th e water-ca rr i er  was far t o o i nd ustriou s,
forhis w a teringbeneath a  hot sunwa s ce r t ain ly bad for  the pla nts;
it d i d not re quire  afarmer  t o k now t hat. N e edl ess t o say,  w e
remo nstra te d in a v ery short time and dema nded o ur wa ges , in spit e o f 
th e boss Ch inam an comingfor war d wit h t h ree b erri e sont he pa lm o f 
his righ t  h and , an d crying ex u l t ing ly, " Loo k ee atthebig bellies I
pic k ee!"

We recei vedo u r m one y , wh ic h amounted to
?" asked_one
of the_kind-hearted lads. "Boys," said_Brum slowly,_and_with great
difficulty,_"I_am a very_sick man. I_am now making my_way to Houston
as_fast_as I can, to get hospital treatment." "Yes," I said firmly,
and with quick apprehension._"Yes,_and it_shall_never_be said that I
deserted a_sick companion." "Good luck to_you," said_one of the lads,
after which they soon left.

There_was_no other course_now than to leave this place at once, for
if_we stayed any longer we were_certain to see_one_of_these lads
again, seeing that_there were so many of them_and that the town was
very small.

In_spite of this disinclination to work, there_are times when a
tramp feels inclined_to break the monotony by_doing a_little light
labour. With such a_noble resolve Brum_and I_left Houston to_pick
strawberries on our way to Galveston._On reaching the_land of
strawberries, we immediately made enquiries_as_to the prospect_of
work,_and_were recommended_to a large_farm_which was_under_the
control of a syndicate of Chinamen._On_approaching the boss Chinaman
and explaining our wish,_we were at once_engaged._At this farm each
Chinaman_seemed to be allotted one_task. One was to be seen_with a
large_watering-can watering_the plants from morning till night, in
sunshine or rain.

The next morning_we started to pick after having_received our
instructions from the_boss Chinaman,_namely,_"To pickee clean,_and
leave_a little_stem so as people can catchee hold_of the_bellies."
Alas! the difficulty was to find_the berries, and we_were_to be paid
according to our picking;_the water-carrier was far too industrious,
for_his watering beneath a hot_sun_was_certainly bad for the plants;
it_did not require a farmer to_know that. Needless_to say, we
remonstrated in a very short_time_and demanded our wages, in spite_of
the_boss Chinaman coming forward with three_berries_on_the palm of
his right hand,_and crying exultingly, "Lookee at the_big bellies I
pickee!"

We received our money, which amounted to