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re obviously brothers； the one about twelve years old； the other perhaps nine； and the only reason the young one wasn't thrown off the wagon and out the door was because the older boy couldn't keep himself from laughing。 They didn't notice Taleswapper； of course。
They also didn't notice the man standing at the edge of the loft； pitchfork in hand； looking down at them。 Taleswapper thought at first that the man was watching in pride； like a father。 Then he came close enough to see how he held the fork。 Like a javelin； ready to cast。 For a single moment； Taleswapper saw in his mind's eye just what would happen the fork thrown； burying itself in the flesh of one of the boys； surely killing him； if not immediately； then soon enough； with gangrene or belly bleeding。 It was murder that Taleswapper saw。
〃No！〃 he shouted。 He ran through the doorway； fetching up alongside the wagon； looking up at the man in the loft。
The man plunged the pitchfork into the hay beside him and heaved the hay over the edge onto the wagon； half…burying the two boys。 〃I brought you here to work； you two bearcubs； not to tie each other in knots。〃 The man was smiling； teasing。 He winked at Taleswapper。 Just as if there hadn't been death in his eyes a moment before。
〃Howdy； young feller；〃 said the man。
〃Not so young；〃 said Taleswapper。 He doffed his hat； letting his bare pate give away his age。
The boys dug themselves out of the hay。 〃What were you shouting at； Mister？〃 asked the younger one。
〃I was afraid someone might e to harm；〃 said Taleswapper。
〃Oh； we wrassle like that all the time；〃 said the older boy。 〃Put her there； friend。 My name's Alvin； same as my pa。〃 The boy's grin was contagious。 Scared as he'd been； with so much dark dealing going on today； Taleswapper had no choice but to smile back and take the proffered hand。 Alvin Junior had a handshake like a grown man； he was that strong。 Taleswapper mented on it。
〃Oh； he gave you his fish hand。 When he gets to wringing and wrenching on you； he like to pops your palm like a razzleberry。〃 The younger boy shook hands； too。
〃I'm seven years old； and Al Junior； he's ten。〃 Younger than they looked。 They both had that nasty bitter body stench that young boys get when they've been playing hard。 But Taleswapper never minded that。 It was the father who puzzled him。 Was it just a fancy in his own mind； that Taleswapper thought he meant to kill the boys？ What man could take a murderous hand to boys as sweet and fine as these？
The man had left the pitchfork in the loft； clambered down the ladder； and now strode toward Taleswapper with his arms out as if to hug him。 〃Wele here； stranger；〃 said the man。 〃I'm Alvin Miller； and these are my two youngest sons； Alvin Junior and Calvin。〃
〃Cally；〃 corrected the younger boy。
〃He doesn't like the way our names rhyme；〃 said Alvin Junior。 〃Alvin and Calvin。 See； they named him like me hoping he'd grow up to be as fine a specimen of manhood as I am。 Too bad it ain't working。〃
Calvin gave him a shove of mock anger。 〃Near as I can tell； he was the first try； and when I came along they finally got it right！〃
〃Mostly we call thern Al and Cally；〃 said the father。
〃Mostly you call us 'shutup' and 'get over here；'〃 said Cally。
Al Junior gave him a whack on the shoulder and sent him sprawling in the dirt。 Whereupon his father placed a boot on his backside and sent him head over heels out the door。 All in fun。 Nobody was hurt。 How could I have thought there was murder going on here？
〃You e with a message？ A letter？〃 asked Alvin Miller。 Now； that the boys were outside； yelling at each other across the meadow； the grown men could get a word in。
〃Sorry；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃Just a traveler。 A young lady in town said I might find a place to sleep up here。 In exchange for whatever good hard work you might have for my arms。〃
Alvin Miller grinned。 〃Let me see how much work those arms can do。〃 He thrust out an arm； but it wasn't to shake hands。 He gripped Taleswapper by the forearm and braced his right foot against Taleswapper's right foot。 〃Think you can throw me？〃 asked Alvin Miller。
〃Just tell me before we start；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃whether I'll get a better supper if I throw you； or if I don't throw you。〃
Alvin Miller leaned back his head and whooped like a Red。 〃What's your name； stranger？〃
〃Taleswapper。〃
〃Well； Mr。 Taleswapper； I hope you like the taste of dirt； cause that's what you'll eat before you eat anything else here！〃
Taleswapper felt the grip on his forearm tighten。 His own arms were strong； but not like this man's grip。 Still； a game of throws wasn't all strength。 It was also wit； and Taleswapper had a bit of that。 He let himself slowly flinch under Alvin Miller's pressure； long before he had forced the man to use his full strength。 Then； suddenly； he pulled with all his might in the direction Miller was pushing。 Usually that was enough to topple the bigger man； using his own weight against him but Alvin Miller was ready； pulled the other way； and flung Taleswapper so far that he landed right among the stones that formed the foundation for the missing millstone。
There had been no malice in it； though； just the love of the contest。 No sooner was Taleswapper down than Miller was helping him up； asking him if anything was broken。
〃I'm just glad your millstone wasn't in place yet；〃 said Taleswapper； 〃or you'd be stuffing brains back into my head。〃
〃What？ You're in Wobbish country； man！ There ain't no need for brains out here。〃
〃Well； you threw me；〃 said Taleswapper。 〃Does that mean you won't let me earn a bed and a meal？〃
〃Earn it？ No sir。 I won't allow such a thing。〃 But the grin on his face denied the harshness of his words。 〃No； no； you can work if you like； because a man likes to feel that he pays his way in the world。 But truth is I'd let you stay even if you had two legs broke and couldn't help a lick。 We've got a bed all ready for you； just off the kitchen； and I'll bet a hog against a huckleberry that them boys already told Faith to set another bowl for supper。〃
〃That's kind of you； sir。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Alvin Miller。 〃You sure nothing got broke？ You hit them stones awful hard。〃
〃Then I imagine you ought to check to make sure none of those stones got split； sir。〃
Alvin laughed again； slapped him on the back； and led him up to the house。
Such a house it was。 There couldn't be more screeching and shouting in hell。 Miller tried to sort out all the children for him。 The four older girls were his daughters； busy as could be at half a dozen jobs； each one carrying on separate arguments with each of her sisters； at the top of her voice； passing from quarrel to quarrel as her work took her from room to room。 The screaming baby was a grandchild； as were the five toddlers playing Roundheads and Cavaliers on and under the dining table。 The mother； Faith； seemed oblivious to it all as she labored in the kitchen。 Occasionally she'd reach out to cuff a nearby child； but otherwise she didn't let them interrupt her work or her steady stream of orders； rebukes； threats； and plaints。
〃How do you keep your wits togethe