grunted。 He was all too appealing when he was in good humor。
〃Modesty seems to have escaped you entirely。〃
He gave a short laugh。 〃No one's perfect。〃
In Anne's biased judgment； Mitch was as close to it as anyone could be
on that day and the ones that followed。 Though they hiked； read； and
rested； the bulk of their attention focused on the maple…sugaring； about
which he did indeed know almost everything。
〃The best trees have to be big； forty years old or more；〃 he explained；
when they left the house carting the tools he had produced from a shed。
〃We're using metal spouts。 This is the old…fashioned method of tapping
trees； but it works for me。〃
〃You've done this before？〃
〃Many times。〃
At the first maple that fit that bill； he drilled a small hole and
inserted a metal spout that extended several inches beyond the bark。 He
did the same at each large tree。
〃The sap generally flows between mid…March and mid…April。 I do this
whenever I'm here then。〃 With a shove； he pushed a spout into place；
then inserted one on the back side of the same tree。
〃More than one per tree？〃
〃With a tree this size； there'll be enough sap for two。 Here； you slide
this one in； while I get more buckets。〃
By the time he returned； she had done as he asked。 He fit a bucket on
the spout。
〃A sliding lid？〃 she asked； studying it。 〃I've never seen