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Presently； away ahead of me in the road； I saw a man standing near a
one…horse wagon。 He seemed to be engaged in some activity near the
roadside； but I could not tell exactly what。 As I hastened nearer I
discovered that he was a short； strongly built； sun…bronzed man in
working…clothesand with the shortest of short hair。 I saw him take a
shovel from the wagon and begin digging。 He was the road…worker。
I asked the road…worker if he had seen the curious signs。 He looked up
at me with a broad smile （he had good…humoured； very bright blue eyes）。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃but they ain't for me。〃
〃Then you don't follow the advice they give？〃
〃Not with a section like mine；〃 said he； and he straightened up and
looked first one way of the road and then the other。 〃I have from Grabow
Brook； but not the bridge； to the top o' Sullivan Hill； and all the culverts
between； though two of 'em are by rights bridges。 And I claim that's a job
for any full…grown man。〃
He began shovelling again in the road as if to prove how busy he was。
There had been a small landslide from an open cut on one side and a mass
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of gravel and small boulders lay scattered on the smooth macadam。 I
watched him for a moment。 I love to watch the motions of vigorous men at
work； the easy play of the muscles； the swing of the shoulders； the vigour
of stoutly planted legs。 He evidently considered the conversation closed；
and I； aswell； as a dusty man of the roadeasily dismissed。 （You have no
idea； until you try it； what a weight of prejudice the man of the road has to
surmount before he is accepted on easy terms by the ordinary members of
the human race。）
A few other well…intentioned observations on my part having elicited
nothing but monosyllabic replies； I put my bag down by the roadside and；
going up to the wagon； got out a shovel； and without a word took my place
at the other end of the landslide and began to shovel for all I was worth。
I said not a word to the husky road…worker and pretended not to look
at him； but I saw him well enough out of the corner of my eye。 He was
evidently astonished and interested； as I knew he would be： it was
something entirely new on the road。 He didn't quite know whether to be
angry； or amused； or sociable。 I caught him looking over at me several
times； but I offered no response； then he cleared his throat and said：
〃Where you from？〃 I answered with a monosyllable which I knew he
could not quite catch。 Silence again for some time； during which I
shovelled valiantly and with great inward amusement。 Oh； there is nothing
like cracking a hard human nut！ I decided at that moment； to have him
invite me to supper。
Finally； when I showed no signs of stopping my work； he himself
paused and leaned on his shovel。 I kept right on。
〃Say； partner；〃 said he； finally； 〃did YOU read those signs as you come
up the road？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said； 〃but they weren't for me； either。 My section's a long one；
too。〃
〃Say； you ain't a road…worker； are you？〃 he asked eagerly。
〃Yes；〃 said I； with a sudden inspiration； 〃that's exactly what I ama
road…worker。〃
〃Put her there； then； partner；〃 he said； with a broad smile on his
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bronzed face。
He and I struck hands； rested on our shovels （like old hands at it）； and
looked with understanding into each other's eyes。 We both knew the trade
and the tricks of the trade； all bars were down between us。 The fact is； we
had both seen and profited by the peculiar signs at the roadside。
〃Where's your section？〃 he asked easily。
〃Well；〃 I responded after considering the question； 〃I have a very long
and hard section。 It begins at a place called Prosy Commondo you know
it？and reaches to the top of Clear Hill。 There are several bad spots on the
way； I can tell you。〃
〃Don't know it；〃 said the husky road…worker； 〃'tain't round here； is it？
In the town of Sheldon； maybe？〃
Just at this moment； perhaps fortunately； for there is nothing so
difficult to satisfy as the appetite of people for specific information； a
motor…car whizzed past； the driver holding up his hand in greeting； and the
road…worker and I responding in accordance with the etiquette of the Great
Road。
〃There he goes in the ruts again；〃 said the husky road…worker。 〃Why is
it； I'd like to know； that every one wants to run in the same identical track
when they've got the whole wide road before 'em？〃
〃That's what has long puzzled me； too；〃 I said。 〃Why WILL people
continue to run in ruts？〃
〃It don't seem to do no good to put up signs；〃 said the road…worker。
〃Very little indeed；〃 said I。 〃The fact is； people have got to be bumped
out of the ruts they get into。〃
〃You're right；〃 said he enthusiastically； and his voice dropped into the
tone of one speaking to a member of the inner guild。 〃I know how to get
'em。〃
〃How？〃 I asked in an equally mysterious voice。
〃I put a stone or two in the ruts！〃
〃Do you？〃 I exclaimed。 〃I've done that very thing myselfmany a time！
Just place a good hard truI mean stone； with a bit of common dust
sprinkled over it； in the middle of the rut； and they'll look out for THAT
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rut for some time to come。〃
〃Ain't it gorgeous；〃 said the husky road…worker； chuckling joyfully； 〃to
see 'em bump？〃
〃It is；〃 said I〃gorgeous。〃
After that； shovelling part of the time in a leisurely way； and part of
the time responding to the urgent request of the signs by the roadside （it
pays to advertise！）； the husky road…worker and I discussed many great and
important subjects； all； however； curiously related to roads。 Working all
day long with his old horse； removing obstructions； draining out the
culverts； filling ruts and holes with new stone； and repairing the damage of
rain and storm； the road…worker was filled with a world of practical
information covering roads and road…making。 And having learned that I
was of the same calling； we exchanged views with the greatest enthusiasm。
It was astonishing to see how nearly in agreement we were as to what
constituted an ideal road。
〃Almost everything；〃 said he； 〃depends on depth。 If you get a good
solid foundation； the' ain't anything that can break up your road。〃
〃Exactly what I have discovered；〃 I responded。 〃Get down to bedrock
and do an honest job of building。〃
〃And don't have too many sharp turns。〃
〃No；〃 said I； 〃long； leisurely curves are bestall through life。 You have
observed that nearly all the accidents on the road are due to sharp
turnings。〃
〃Right you are！〃 he exclaimed。
〃A man who tries to turn too sharply on his way nearly always skids。〃
〃Or else turns turtle in the ditch。〃
But it was not until we reached the subject of oiling that we mounted
to the real summit of enthusiastic agreement。 Of all things on the road； or
above the road； or in the waters under the road； there is nothing that the
road…worker dislikes more than oil。
〃It's all right；〃 said he； 〃to use oil for surfacin' and to keep down the
dust。 You don't need much and it ain't messy。 But sometimes when you see
oil pumped on a road； you know that either the contractor has been jobbin'；
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or else the road's worn out and ought to be rebuilt。〃
〃That's exactly what I've found；〃 said I。 〃Let a road become almost
impassable with ruts and rocks and dust； and immediately some man says；
'Oh； it's all rightput on a little oil'〃
〃That's what our supervisor is always sayin'；〃 said the road…worker。
〃Yes；〃 I responded； 〃it usually is the supervisor。 He lives by it。 He
wants to smooth over the defects； he wants to lay the dust that every
passerby kicks up； he