Night was approaching and it was raining hard. The traveler dismounted from his horse and rapped at the door of the one farmhouse he had struck in a five-mile stretch of traveling. No one came to the door.
As he stood on the doorstep the water from the eaves trickled down his collar. He rapped again. Still no answer. He could feel the stream of water coursing down his back. Another spell of pounding, and finally the red head of a lad of twelve was stuck out of the second story window.
“Watcher want?” it asked.
“I want to know if I can stay here over night,” the traveler answered testily.
The red-headed lad watched the man for a minute or two before answering.
“Ye kin fer all of me,” he finally answered, and then closed the window.
