Rob’scropwasfoursmallsquashesandoneimmensepumpkin。Itreallywasa“bouncer，“aseveryonesaid；andIassureyouthattwosmallpersonscouldsitonitsidebyside。Itseemedtohaveabsorbedallthegoodnessofthelittlegarden，andallthesunshinethatshonedownonit，andlaythereagreatround，goldenball，fullofrichsuggestionsofpumpkin-piesforweekstocome。Robbywassoproudofhismammothvegetablethathetookeveryonetoseeit，and，whenfrostsbegantonip，covereditupeachnightwithanoldbedquilt，tuckingitroundasifthepumpkinwasawell-belovedbaby。Thedayitwasgatheredhewouldletnoonetouchitbuthimself，andnearlybrokehisbacktuggingittothebarninhislittlewheelbarrow，withDickandDollyharnessedinfronttogiveaheaveupthepath。HismotherpromisedhimthattheThanksgiving-piesshouldbemadefromit，andhintedvaguelythatshehadaplaninherheadwhichwouldcovertheprizepumpkinanditsownerwithglory。
PoorBillyhadplantedcucumbers，butunfortunatelyhoedthemupandleftthepig-weed。Thismistakegrievedhimverymuchfortemminutes，thenheforgotallaboutit，andsowedahandfulofbrightbuttonswhichhehadcollected，evidentlythinkinginhisfeeblemindthattheyweremoney，andwouldcomeupandmultiply，sothathemightmakemanyquarters，asTommydid。Noonedisturbedhim，andhedidwhathelikedwithhisplot，whichsoonlookedasifaseriesofsmallearthquakeshadstirreditup。
Whenthegeneralharvest-daycame，hewouldhavehadnothingbutstonesandweedstoshow，ifkindoldAsiahadnothunghalf-a-dozenorangesonthedeadtreehestuckupinthemiddle。Billywasdelightedwithhiscrop；
andnoonespoiledhispleasureinthelittlemiraclewhichpitywroughtforhim，bymakingwitheredbranchesbearstrangefruit。
Stuffyhadvarioustrialswithhismelons；for，beingimpatienttotastethem，hehadasolitaryrevelbeforetheywereripe，andmadehimselfsoill，thatforadayortwoitseemeddoubtfulifhewouldevereatanymore。Buthepulledthroughit，andserveduphisfirstcantaloupewithouttastingamouthfulhimself。Theywereexcellentmelons，forhehadawarmslopeforthem，andtheyripenedfast。Thelastandbestwerelingeringonthevines，andStuffyhadannouncedthatheshouldsellthemtoaneighbor。