“I’m not looking for work just now,” Jurgis answered.

“I’ll pay ye good,” said the other, eying his big form⁠—“a dollar a day and board ye. Help’s terrible scarce round here.”

“Is that winter as well as summer?” Jurgis demanded quickly.

“N⁠—no,” said the farmer; “I couldn’t keep ye after November⁠—I ain’t got a big enough place for that.”

“I see,” said the other, “that’s what I thought. When you get through working your horses this fall, will you turn them out in the snow?” (Jurgis was beginning to think for himself nowadays.)

“It ain’t quite the same,” the farmer answered, seeing the point. “There ought to be work a strong fellow like you can find to do, in the cities, or some place, in the winter time.”