Lost Farm Camp Part 5

"Don't calc'late you ever did any spec'latin', did you?"

"Well, I have done some since I had my fuss with Harrigan this morning."

Avery tugged at his beard thoughtfully.

"I'm turnin' a penny onct in a while or frequenter. With the trappin'

winters, feedin' the crews goin' in and comin' out, makin' axe-handles and snowshoes, and onct in a spell guidin' some city feller in the fall up to whar he kin dinnimite a moose, I reckon six hundred dollars wouldn't cover my earnin's. I could do more trappin' if I had a partner.

Mebby me and him could make nigh on to five hundred a year, and grub."

"That's pretty good,-five hundred clear, practically."

"Ya-a-s." Avery grunted and stood up, thrusting his pipe in his pocket.

"Said I was huntin' fur a man when you ast me. You're the man I be huntin' fur if you want a job bad 'nough to hitch up with me, and Swickey."

Ross arose and faced him, his surprise evident in the blank expression of his face.

"I'm not out of cash," he replied.

"Thet ain't what I ast you fur," said Avery, a shade of disappointment flickering across his face. "I want a man to help."

"How much would it cost to outfit?" asked David.

"Wal, I got a hundred and fifty traps, and mebby we could use fifty more, not countin' dead-falls for b'ar and black-cat. And you sure need a rifle and some blankets and some winter clothes. I figure fifty plunks would fit you out."

"I didn't know but that you would want me to put up some cash toward expenses,-provisions, I mean?"

"No," said Avery. "I reckon you ain't broke, but thet ain't makin' any diff'runce to me."

"That's all right, Avery. It wasn't the expense of outfitting. I simply wanted to know where I would stand if I did accept. But I have no recommendations, no letters-"

"h.e.l.l! I guess them two hands of your'n is all the recommendations I want. I've fit some m'self and be reckoned a purty fair jedge of hosses, and a man what is a good jedge of hosses knows folks likewise. I ain't in no hurry fur you to say yes or no." The old man swung his rifle to the hollow of his arm. "Take your time to think on it, and you kin stay to Lost Farm Camp jest as long as you are wishful. 'Tain't every day a eddicated man what kin use his hands comes floatin' into these here woods."

"Well," said David, "I've decided. There are reasons why I don't want to go back. It's a fair offer and I'll take it."

"Put her thar!" the huge bony fist of the lumberman closed heavily on David's hand, but met a grip almost as tense. "Me and you's partners.

Half-and-half share of workin', eatin', earnin's, and fightin'-if there's any fightin' to be did. Reckon you'd better go to Tramworth and git fixed up and mebby you calc'late to write to your folks."

They strode down the trail, Avery in the lead. As they neared the last turn which led them out to the footboard of the dam, he paused.

"My gal Swickey is growin' up to whar she oughter git larnin'. I sot in to learn her, but she's always a-squirmin' out of it by askin' me things what I can't answer and then gettin' riled at her Pa. Now if you could-'thout lettin' on as you was doin' it-larn her readin' and writin'

and sech, I'd be pow'ful glad to pay you extra-like fur it."

So the cat was out of the bag at last. Avery wanted a teacher for his girl. The old man was willing to take a green hand as partner in trapping and share the proceeds with him for the sake of Swickey's education. Well, why not?

"I'll do what I can, Avery."

"Thet's the talk. Me and you'll make a lady of her."

As they approached the cabin a figure appeared in the doorway and the melodious treble of a girl's voice rang across the river. She disappeared as Avery's Triton bellow answered.

"She's callin' us fur dinner," he explained needlessly.

"Did you get anything?" said Swickey, as they entered the cabin.

"He bagged me," said Ross, laughing.

"Whar'd he bag you?" exclaimed Swickey, solicitously looking at David for visible proof of her father's somewhat indifferent marksmans.h.i.+p.

"Over on No-Man's Lake-I think that's what he called it," replied David.

"He's a-goin' to stay, right along now. I've been wantin' to git a partner to help with the traps fur quite a spell."

"You ain't never said nothin' to me 'bout gettin' a partner," said Swickey, her vanity wounded. "You always said I was as good as any two men helpin' you."

Avery, a trifle embarra.s.sed at his daughter's reception of the new partner, maintained an uncomfortable silence while dinner was in progress. He had hoped for delight from her, but she sat stolidly munching her food with conscious indifference to his infrequent sallies.

That evening, after David had gone to bed in the small cabin back of the camp, Avery sat on the porch with his daughter. For a long time she cuddled the kitten, busily turning over in her mind the possibilities of a whole dollar and a half. She had heard her father say that the new man was going to Tramworth in the morning. Perhaps he would be able to get her a dress. A dollar and a half was a whole lot of money. Maybe she could buy Pop some new "specs" with what she had left after purchasing the dress. Or if she had a book, a big one that would tell how to make dresses and everything, maybe _that_ would be better to have. Jessie Cameron could sew doll's clothes, but her mother had taught her. The fact that Swickey could not read did not occur to her as relevant to the subject. She felt, in a vague way, that the book itself would overcome all obstacles. Yes, she would ask the new man to buy a book for her and "specs" for her Pop. How to accomplish this, unknown to her father, was a problem she set aside with the ease of optimistic childhood, to which nothing is impossible.

"Pop," she said suddenly.

"Wal?"

"Mebby you kin give me thet dollar-money fur the ile."

"Ya-a-s," he drawled, secretly amused at her sudden interest in money and anxious to reinstate himself in her favor. "Ya-a-s, but what you goin' to do? Buy Pop thet dress-suit, mebby?"

"I reckon not," she exclaimed with an unexpected show of heat that astonished him. "You said dress-suits made folks ack foolish, and I reckon some folks acks foolish 'nough right in the clothes they has on without reskin' changin' 'em." With this gentle insinuation, she gathered Beelzebub in her arms and marched to her room.

"Gosh-A'mighty but Swickey's gettin' tetchy," he exclaimed, grinning.

"Wal, she's a-goin' to have a new dress if I have to make it myself."

When he went into the cabin, he drew a chair to the table and, sitting down, took two silver pieces from his pocket and laid them on Swickey's plate. He sat for a long time shading his eyes with his hand. He nodded, recovered, nodded again. Then he said quite distinctly, but in the voice of one walking in dreams, "I know it, Nanette. Yes, I know it. I'm doin'

the best I kin-"

He sat up with a start, saw the silver pieces on the plate and picked them up.

"Swickey!" he called, "be you sleepin'?"

"Yes, Pop," she replied dutifully.

He grinned as he went to her room. As he bent over her she found his head in the dark, and kissed him. "I'm sorry what I said 'bout the clothes, Pop. I don't want no money-dollar-I jest want you."

He tucked the money in her hand. "Thar it is. Dollar and a half fur the ile."

She sighed happily. "I say thanks to my Pop."

"Good-night, leetle gal."