diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:48:08 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 18:48:08 -0700 |
| commit | 81420e1309727f97b6217fd40bdf8bff0dda6b63 (patch) | |
| tree | bbfe2701cdc8739a1da3a8dd0e12d970edd192f2 /44637-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '44637-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/44637-h.htm | 3550 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/004.jpg | bin | 0 -> 185025 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/004_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 35401 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/005.jpg | bin | 0 -> 65933 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/005_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 6695 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/009.jpg | bin | 0 -> 185476 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/009_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9354 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/011.jpg | bin | 0 -> 136477 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/011_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9654 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/022.jpg | bin | 0 -> 138603 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/022_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 16795 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/046.jpg | bin | 0 -> 184817 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/046_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 20600 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/066.jpg | bin | 0 -> 176278 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/066_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 23841 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/088.jpg | bin | 0 -> 202721 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/088_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 20699 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/089.jpg | bin | 0 -> 203172 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/089_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 20222 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/095.jpg | bin | 0 -> 130290 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/095_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 9635 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/121.jpg | bin | 0 -> 169121 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/121_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 17841 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/139.jpg | bin | 0 -> 201651 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/139_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 28008 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 202085 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 44637-h/images/cover_th.jpg | bin | 0 -> 29366 bytes |
27 files changed, 3550 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/44637-h/44637-h.htm b/44637-h/44637-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a59b4db --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/44637-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3550 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Brother Billy, by Frances Maragret Fox</title> + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +.p2 {margin-top: 2em;} +.p4 {margin-top: 4em;} +.p6 {margin-top: 6em;} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.full {width: 95%;} + +hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +hr.r65 {width: 65%; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em;} + +ul.index { list-style-type: none; } +li.ifrst { margin-top: 1em; } +li.indx { margin-top: .5em; } +li.isub1 {text-indent: 1em;} +li.isub2 {text-indent: 2em;} +li.isub3 {text-indent: 3em;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + .tdl {text-align: left;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} + .tdc {text-align: center;} + +.ph1, .ph2, .ph3, .ph4 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } +.ph1 { font-size: xx-large; margin: .67em auto; } +.ph2 { font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; } +.ph3 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } +.ph4 { font-size: medium; margin: 1.12em auto; } + +/* TOC format */ +table.toc { margin: 2em auto; } +th { font-weight: normal; font-size: 80%; } +.tocnum { text-align: right; vertical-align: top; padding-right: 1em; } +.toctit { text-align: left; vertical-align: top; padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em; } +.tocpag { text-align:right; vertical-align: bottom; padding-left: 2em; } + + + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.gesperrt +{ + letter-spacing: 0.2em; + margin-right: -0.2em; +} + +em.gesperrt +{ + font-style: normal; +} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 0.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 1.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i5 {display: block; margin-left: 2.5em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44637 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, Brother Billy, by Frances Maragret Fox, +Illustrated by Etheldred B. Barry</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> + + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/cover.jpg"> +<img src="images/cover_th.jpg" alt="cover" /></a> +</div> + + + +<h1> BROTHER BILLY</h1> + + + + +<p class="center"> + Works of<br /> + + Frances Margaret Fox<br /> +<br /> + + Farmer Brown and the Birds $ .50<br /> + The Little Giant's Neighbours .50<br /> + Mother Nature's Little Ones .50<br /> + Betty of Old Mackinaw .50<br /> + Brother Billy .50<br /> + Little Lady Marjorie 1.50 + +<br /></p> + + +<p class="center"> L. C. PAGE & COMPANY<br /> + New England Building<br /> + Boston, Mass. +<br /></p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + + + +<p><a id="front"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/004.jpg"> +<img src="images/004_th.jpg" alt="'THAT'S MY AUNT FLORENCE'S LOCKET'" /></a></div> + +<p class="center">"'THAT'S MY AUNT FLORENCE'S LOCKET'"</p> +<p class="right">(<i><a href="#Page_31">See page 31</a></i>)</p> +<p> +<br /> +</p> + + + + + + + <p class="ph3">Cosy Corner Series</p> + + <p class="ph1">BROTHER BILLY</p> + + <p class="ph3">By<br /> + Frances Margaret Fox</p> + +<p class="center"> Author of "Farmer Brown and the Birds," "Little Lady<br /> + Marjorie," "Betty of Old Mackinaw," etc.</p> + +<p> +<br /></p> + +<p class="center"> <i>Illustrated by</i><br /> + Etheldred B. Barry</p> + + + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/005.jpg"> +<img src="images/005_th.jpg" width="120" alt="" /></a></div> + + + +<p class="center"> <i>Boston <br /> + L. C. Page & Company<br /> + 1905</i> +</p> + + + + + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="center"> <i>Copyright, 1904</i></p> + +<p class="center"> <span class="smcap">By L. C. Page & Company</span></p> + +<p class="center"> <small>(INCORPORATED)</small></p> + +<p class="center"> <i>All rights reserved</i></p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> +<p class="center"> Published October, 1904</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> +<p class="center"> <i>COLONIAL PRESS<br /> + Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.<br /> + Boston, Mass., U. S. A.</i> +</p> + + + + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + <p class="ph4">TO<br /> + MY DEAREST ONE</p> + + <p class="ph4">Lee Everett Joslyn, Jr.</p> + + + + + +<p><br /><br /></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/009.jpg"> +<img src="images/009_th.jpg" width="200" alt="CONTENTS" /></a></div> + + +<table class="toc" summary="Contents"> +<tr> + <th class="tocnum">CHAPTER</th> + <th class="toctit"></th> + <th class="tocpag">PAGE</th> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">I.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_1">Entertaining Aunt Florence</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">1</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">II.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_8">Indians</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">8</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">III.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_24">Billy Goes Swimming</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">24</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">IV.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_35">The Steam-tug Billy</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">35</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">V.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_53">Antoine LeBrinn</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">53</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">VI.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_67">Oranges</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">67</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">VII.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_72">Minnavavana's Braves</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">72</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">VIII.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_82">Antoine's Bear Stories</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">82</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">IX.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_97">Uncle John's "Old Timer"</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">97</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">X.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_105">Fishing through the Ice</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">105</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="tocnum">XI.</td> + <td class="toctit"><span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_119">Christmas Eve</a></span></td> + <td class="tocpag">119</td> +</tr> +</table> + + + + + + +<p><br /><br /></p> +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/011.jpg"> +<img src="images/011_th.jpg" width="250" alt="ILLUSTRATIONS" /></a></div> + + +<table class="toc" summary="Illustrations"> +<tr> + <th class="toctit"></th> + <th class="tocpag">PAGE</th> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"'<span class="smcap"><a href="#front">That's my Aunt Florence's locket</a></span>,'"<br /> + (<i><a href="#Page_31">See page 31</a></i>)</td> + <td class="tocpag"><i>Frontispiece</i></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"'<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_10">Isn't it queer about Indian trails?</a></span>'"</td> + <td class="tocpag">10</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_34">Everything he wore was new</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">34</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_54">He held Billy on his knee</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">54</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_76">Watching from behind the north wall of the evergreen fort</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">76</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_77">There was merriment within the evergreen fort</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">77</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_82">Samone</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">82</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_109">Betty ... wrote her pledge</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">109</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="toctit">"<span class="smcap"><a href="#Page_127">Lifting her in his arms</a></span>"</td> + <td class="tocpag">127</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + + + + + + + + + + + + <p class="ph1">BROTHER BILLY</p> + + + + + <h2> CHAPTER I.<br /> + + <small> ENTERTAINING AUNT FLORENCE</small></h2> + + + + + +<p>Billy was cross. The twins from Grand Rapids who were living in the +green cottage wanted him to play Indians on the beach. The boy from +Detroit, whose mother didn't know where he was half the time, had been +teasing him to go swimming. 'Phonse LeBrinn, child of Mackinaw, was +throwing stones at the boat-house, a signal Billy well understood. +When 'Phonse had a plan that promised more fun than usual, he always +threw stones at the boat-house. Other boys came to the door and rang +the bell or knocked when they wanted Billy. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>'Phonse knew better. Billy +longed to find out what was on his mind, but it wouldn't do to let any +one know that the ragged little playmate had a particular reason for +throwing stones.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a light dawned on Billy's face. "Mamma," said he, "let me go +down on the beach and tell Frenchy he must quit that, he'll spoil the +paint. I won't be gone but a minute."</p> + +<p>"Now, see here," remonstrated Billy's mother, "never mind what 'Phonse +is doing, and keep away from the window, Billy, so he won't see you. +Come, child, Aunt Florence will soon be ready."</p> + +<p>"Oh, shoot the luck! I don't want to go with Aunt Florence. I want to +play with the boys. What made Betty go and tell her all about old fort +relics, I'd like to know."</p> + +<p>"Hush, hush, Billy! Aunt Florence may hear you."</p> + +<p>"Well, but, mamma, I don't want to go to the old fort and dig beads all +the afternoon. It's too warm. I'm roasting."</p> + +<p>Billy's mother laughed. One look at the child's face was enough to make +anybody laugh. He was so cross. "Maybe auntie won't care to stay long, +Billy. Strangers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> who are not accustomed to our woods often feel pretty +lonesome at the old fort."</p> + +<p>"She'll stay, mamma; I know all about bead-diggers; they stay and stay. +Besides that, she won't be afraid, because there are about a million +thousand resorter folks up there every day digging relics. I wish that +Betty had kept something to herself. She just reads that old Pontiac's +history all the time, and then tells all she knows to anybody that +wants to find out. She makes me tired. I don't like to go to the old +fort, anyway."</p> + +<p>"Why not, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"'Cause everybody up there that don't know you asks questions. They +say, 'There's a little boy, ask him;' then 'cause you don't want to +talk, they say, 'Lost your tongue,' and silly things like that. Aunt +Florence is a question asker, too, mamma. Oh, shoot the luck!"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you a good plan, Billy dear," suggested his mother. "You +help Aunt Florence dig beads, like a good boy, and very likely she'll +be willing to come home sooner. Then you can play with the boys the +rest of the afternoon."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p> + +<p>"May I play with Frenchy?"</p> + +<p>"Ye-es, yes, you may this time."</p> + +<p>Billy's face brightened suddenly. "Oh, goody, goody, there comes +Betty," he cried. "Now I won't have to go. Where's my hat? Oh, Bet, you +came just in time," continued the boy. "Aunt Florence wants you to go +to the old fort with her to dig beads, because the missionary meeting's +going to be here, and mamma says to entertain Aunt Florence. You've got +to go, that's all."</p> + +<p>"Of course she must go," echoed Aunt Florence, who came down-stairs in +time to hear Billy's last words. "Didn't you find your little girl at +home, Betty?"</p> + +<p>"No, auntie, she had gone to the island, but I only came home for a +minute to ask—"</p> + +<p>"Well," interrupted Aunt Florence, "then of course you can go with +Billy and me to the old fort."</p> + +<p>"Guess—guess I won't go, Aunt Florence; there's a boy down there wants +me," and Billy waved his hand to 'Phonse.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Billy'll go with you," Betty hastened to say, "because—because, +Aunt Florence, I can't. I'd love to, but I must go to see an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>other +girl. I'd love to walk up there with you, but—but I—"</p> + +<p>"You needn't go if you don't want to, children," Aunt Florence looked +the least bit grieved.</p> + +<p>"Certainly they want to go," declared Billy's mother, in a tone that +Betty and Billy understood. "Go find your little shovels, children, and +bring Aunt Florence the fire shovel from the wood-shed."</p> + +<p>Billy was about to venture a protest, but, catching a look from Betty +that meant a great deal to him, he followed her out of the room.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Bet?" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"Well, Billy, don't you see it won't do a bit of good to make a fuss. +We'll have to go to the old fort; mamma'll make us. But I know one +way to fix it so we won't have to stay long. The Robinsons are making +pineapple sherbet, and they've invited me to it, so I can't waste +time up to the old fort this afternoon. I told Lucille I'd come right +straight back soon's I asked mamma."</p> + +<p>"And I want to play with Frenchy," put in the little brother.</p> + +<p>"But don't you see, Billy, we've got to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> decent to company first, so +we'll take her to the old fort all right enough, but we'll scare her +to death when we get her there, so she'll want to come right straight +home. Don't you see? I'll tell her true wild Indian stories, and she +won't want to stay."</p> + +<p>"And I know another thing we can do," agreed Billy.</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"We'll take your old fort beads and then, Betty, we'll break the string +and scatter the beads in the dirt, and then we'll call her to come and +find them. She'll be satisfied to come home after that."</p> + +<p>"Why, of course, Billy, and your plan is so much better than mine, +we'll try it first. We won't scare her unless we have to, though a good +scare never hurts anybody. You get the beads while I get the shovels. +Hurry now, we'll have some fun."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Grannis was much relieved when the children returned with pleasant +faces. Aunt Florence, too, was pleased.</p> + +<p>"I truly wouldn't want you to go a step unless you were perfectly +willing," she said, as they were leaving the house.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, auntie, we're always willing to go anywhere, Billy and I, if we +think we can have some fun, and we're going to have a jolly time this +afternoon, aren't we, Billy?"</p> + +<p>The little brother's round face beamed as he felt of the beads in his +trousers' pocket.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER II.<br /> + + <small>INDIANS</small></h2> + + + +<p>"You are the dearest children," exclaimed Aunt Florence. "I wish I +could take you back to New York with me. You can't remember your +grandfather and grandmother at all, can you, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"No, wouldn't know 'em if I'd meet 'em."</p> + +<p>"It's a shame. Never mind, I'll tell them all about you two and Gerald, +and some day I'm coming north on purpose to take you all home with me, +and we'll have the best kind of a time."</p> + +<p>"Guess you wouldn't think of coming after us if we lived where we do +now, and it was a hundred years ago," suggested Betty.</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, because you would have had to come <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span>from Detroit in a canoe, and +this was all woods then, deep, deep woods full of Indians."</p> + +<p>"Dear me, Betty, don't speak of it! It seems to me there are woods +enough here now. My! What a dreary place! the undergrowth is so thick +you can't see the water, and yet you can hear every wave. Betty +Grannis, do you mean to tell me that you ever come out here to the old +fort alone?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, not very often; it is rather dreary, isn't it, auntie? You see, +this is an old, old Indian trail, and that is why the pines meet +overhead. Let's walk faster. I don't believe you'll want to stay long, +auntie, after you get to the fort."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Betty, this is a lonesome walk. I almost wish we'd +stayed at home."</p> + +<p>"Let's turn around and go back," suggested Billy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I must find some beads," Aunt Florence insisted. "Do you ever see +Indians around here nowadays?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, just tame ones," Billy was honest enough to say.</p> + +<p>"You must be brave children," the young <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>lady remarked, as she followed +Betty through the gloomy forest.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/022.jpg"> +<img src="images/022_th.jpg" width="350" alt="Isn't it queer about Indian trails?" /></a></div> + +<p>"We're used to it," Betty sung over her shoulder, and Billy knew she +was laughing. "Besides that, we can run like the wind if we have to. +Then you know, auntie, the awful things that happened here happened +over a hundred years ago, and there isn't any real danger now, of +course. It just makes you feel shivery, that's all. Isn't it queer +about Indian trails, how they wind in and out so often? This trail +is exactly as it used to be. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>Did you ever read 'The Conspiracy of +Pontiac,' auntie?"</p> + +<p>"No, Betty, I never read it all; I simply know about the massacre here. +Have you read it?"</p> + +<p>"She knows it by heart," said Billy. "She can say bushels of Indian +speeches. Tell her one, Betty. Tell her that one where the Indian said +to Alexander Henry, 'The rattlesnake is our grandfather.'"</p> + +<p>"Yes, do, Betty, only tell me first who Alexander Henry was."</p> + +<p>"Why, auntie, don't you know? He was the English fur-trader whose +life was saved by the Indian chief Wawatam. I like him best of any +fur-trader I ever knew."</p> + +<p>"Do tell me his story, Betty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I can't tell it, it is too long. Do you want to know what happened +to him in the spring of 1761, two years before the massacre?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly."</p> + +<p>"Well, of course, you know all about the French and Indian War, auntie?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know something about it."</p> + +<p>"Then, auntie, you know that the French <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>liked the Indians, and the +Indians liked them, but the English despised the Indians, and treated +them so badly the Indians hated all Englishmen. That was why the +Indians helped the French in their war. They wanted to drive the +English out of the country. Well, when the war was over, the Indians +didn't know that the English came out ahead, and that the French +soldiers would have to march out of every fort and that the English +soldiers would march in. Even my Pontiac didn't know it."</p> + +<p>"He'd have known all about his own war and where he died if he'd had +you for a sister," mocked Billy.</p> + +<p>"Don't talk quite so loud, Billy dear," cautioned Aunt Florence.</p> + +<p>"'Fraid?" questioned Billy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, not exactly; go on, Betty, we're listening. How much longer is +this Indian trail, anyway?"</p> + +<p>"Only half a mile, auntie. Billy, you'll punch a hole through your +pocket if you aren't careful."</p> + +<p>"Go on with your story, Bet, and don't turn around so much."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well," continued Betty, giving Billy a look that meant "Don't you dare +lose those beads," "well, auntie, in the spring of that year, 1761, the +French soldiers had left this fort, and only Canadian families were +living in it. The English soldiers hadn't come yet, but they were on +the way. The fort was over a hundred years old then. Only think of it!</p> + +<p>"Alexander Henry, my Englishman, wasn't afraid of anything, that's why +I like him. He came up here with canoes full of beads and things to +trade with the Indians for furs. On the way he was warned again and +again to go back if he didn't want to be killed. He probably would have +been killed long before he got here if he hadn't put on the clothes of +a Canadian voyageur."</p> + +<p>"They're the ones," interrupted Billy, "that used to paddle the canoes +and sing 'Row, brothers, row,' and—"</p> + +<p>"She knows that," sniffed Betty; "even our baby knows that much. Well, +auntie, when Alexander Henry got here, the Canadians were bad to him +and tried to scare him. They wanted him to go away before anything +happened. He hadn't been here but a short time <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>when Minnavavana, a +Chippewa Indian chief, came with sixty warriors to call on him. They +marched to his house single file, auntie. Their faces were painted with +grease and charcoal, and they had feathers through their noses and +feathers in their hair. Their bodies were painted with white clay. That +isn't the worst of it. Every warrior carried a tomahawk in one hand +and a scalping-knife in the other. I suppose they came along this very +trail.</p> + +<p>"Alexander Henry says they walked into the house without a sound. The +chief made a sign and they all sat on the floor. Minnavavana asked one +of the interpreters how long it was since Mr. Henry left Montreal, and +then he said it seemed that the English were brave men and not afraid +to die, or they wouldn't come as he had, alone, among their enemies. +Then all the Indians smoked their pipes, and let Alexander Henry think +about things while it was nice and quiet. Just think of it, auntie!</p> + +<p>"When the Indians were through smoking, Minnavavana made a speech. I +don't know it by heart, but it was something like this:</p> + +<p>"'Englishman, it is to you that I speak. Englishman, you know that the +French king <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>promised to be our father. We promised to be his children. +We have kept this promise. Englishman, it is you that have made war +with our father. You are his enemy. How could you have the boldness to +venture among us, his children? You know his enemies are ours.</p> + +<p>"'Englishman, our father, the King of France, is old and infirm. Being +tired of war, he has fallen asleep. But his nap is almost at an end. +I think I hear him stirring and asking for his children, the Indians, +and, when he does awake, what must become of you? He will destroy you +utterly.'"</p> + +<p>Betty, becoming much in earnest, was walking backward.</p> + +<p>"'Englishman, we have no father, no friend among the white men but +the King of France,'" the child went on. "'But for you, we have +taken into consideration that you have ventured your life among us +in the expectation that we should not molest you. You do not come to +make war; you come in peace to trade with us. We shall regard you, +therefore, as a brother, and you may sleep tranquilly, without <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>fear of +the Chippewas. As a token of friendship, we present you this pipe to +smoke.'"</p> + +<p>Whereupon, Betty, making a serious bow, offered her little shovel +to Aunt Florence. For the moment, she actually believed herself +Minnavavana, the Indian chief, though Billy's face quickly brought her +back to the present.</p> + +<p>"I am thankful to say," resumed Betty, joining in the laugh following +the presentation of the shovel, "that after three hundred warriors of +another tribe came and were going to make trouble, the English soldiers +arrived, and the red flag of England soon floated above the fort. Then, +for two years, nothing much happened, but I'm glad I wasn't here then. +I wouldn't have slept a wink, I know."</p> + +<p>"Neither should I, Betty," Aunt Florence agreed.</p> + +<p>"Frenchy'd have been all right, though," remarked Billy. "There's the +fort, Aunt Florence, straight ahead; the trail ends here. Now we will +find an old cellar-hole and hunt for beads. Let me go first, Betty."</p> + +<p>"The fort," repeated Aunt Florence, "where is it?" She saw nothing but +a wilderness of wild-rose blooms.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh," laughed Betty, "there's nothing left of the fort but part of +the old palisades. Most of the buildings were burned the day of the +massacre."</p> + +<p>"It's unspeakably dreary, in spite of the sunshine and the roses," +commented Aunt Florence, "but I do want some beads."</p> + +<p>"Come on, come on," cried Billy. "Oh, hurry up, Aunt Florence, I'm +finding beads by the bushel."</p> + +<p>"Where is the child? can you see him, Betty?"</p> + +<p>"'Way over there, auntie, in that cellar-hole near the old apple-tree. +We think that is where one of the storehouses used to be, because all +around it is where most of the beads have been found."</p> + +<p>For awhile Aunt Florence forgot the surrounding woods, in her eager +search for beads. Had she known Betty and Billy as their mother knew +them, she might have understood that there was more of mischief than +pure joy in their smiles.</p> + +<p>"Never found so many beads in one place in my life," declared Billy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Nor anybody else in the last hundred years," added Betty. "Fun, isn't +it?"</p> + +<p>"Fun!" echoed Aunt Florence, "why, children, I won't want to go home +until dark."</p> + +<p>Betty stared, and Billy made faces. This was an unexpected blow. At +last the beads that Betty had collected, after working hours and hours +through many a day, were all found.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll look for another place," announced Aunt Florence.</p> + +<p>"I guess we are alone out here," suggested Betty, glancing about, as +though she felt uneasy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," was the cheerful reply, "down there nearer the lake I saw two +sunbonnets not three minutes ago. We're all right, children; I'm not +the least bit timid."</p> + +<p>Patiently Aunt Florence continued her search for beads, encouraged by +the hope of finding another place equal to the first.</p> + +<p>"It seems strange that there should have been so many beads in one spot +of earth, and so few everywhere else," she said, "but I'm not going to +give up now, after such luck in the beginning."</p> + +<p>"You'll just have to scare her to death, I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>guess," grumbled Billy. +"Lost your beads for nothing, too."</p> + +<p>"Trouble is," confessed Betty, moving nearer Billy and farther from her +aunt, "this isn't a good place to tell Indian stories."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Because, Billy, I get scared myself. Honest and truth, I don't even +like to think of such horrible things right here where they happened."</p> + +<p>"Don't make any difference, you've got to," protested Billy. "Don't you +know she said she'd stay here till dark?"</p> + +<p>"I know it, Billy; let me see, how'll I begin. Oh, I know, Alexander +Henry was in his room in the fort writing letters home. Perhaps, Billy, +we are standing on the very place where his house was. He was so busy +with his letters he didn't want to take the time to go down to the +beach to see the canoes that had just arrived from Detroit. First thing +he knew, he heard the war-whoops. Mercy, Billy! Don't scream like that +again!"</p> + +<p>"Billy Grannis," called Aunt Florence, "what's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"Why, that was just an Indian war-whoop, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>auntie. Frenchy and I have +been practising whoops lately."</p> + +<p>"Well, please don't practise any more now; you made me jump so I lost +three beads. I don't believe an Indian could give a worse yell."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, he could," exclaimed Betty, "my, that's nothing!" and, seeing +her opportunity, she began telling stories. Even Billy grew solemn in +his very mind as he listened, and it wasn't long before Betty succeeded +in scaring herself, however Aunt Florence may have felt.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the air was filled with shrieks. Aunt Florence became white as +the daisies, as she stared at Betty, while terror seized Billy.</p> + +<p>"It's the sunbonnet girls," gasped Betty; "what do you s'pose is the +matter? What is the matter?" she demanded of the flying maidens.</p> + +<p>"Indians, Indians, run quick, run, run! I tell you they're after us!"</p> + +<p>One glance toward the lake was enough for Betty. She saw canoes being +drawn up on the beach, and Indians coming straight toward them. The +child was never more frightened <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>in her life. Forgetting Billy, she and +Aunt Florence fairly flew over the rough ground. Billy, poor fellow! +never could run because he was too plump. He hadn't gone ten breathless +steps before he fell into a cellar-hole, and, before he could scramble +out, a big Indian overtook him.</p> + +<p>"Match," grunted the Indian, "want match."</p> + +<p>"N-n-no, I don't want any matches," answered Billy, trying to steady +his trembling knees.</p> + +<p>"Humph! Indian want match. Give Indian match. Indian build fire," was +the explanation.</p> + +<p>Billy shook his head, and the Indian turned away disappointed.</p> + +<p>"That Betty'd leave you to be eaten up by Indians," grumbled Billy, +and, because he was so angry and because he had been so badly +frightened over nothing, he began to cry.</p> + +<p>"Billy, Billy, don't cry, I came back after you, you poor child." It +was the voice of Aunt Florence, though Billy couldn't see her.</p> + +<p>"Here I am, behind this clump of goose-berry bushes, Billy. I didn't +dare come <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>straight back, so I kept behind trees and bushes. Come +quick; now let's run."</p> + +<p>"There isn't anything to run for, Aunt Florence," sobbed Billy. "Don't +you see, they're just tame Indians, and wouldn't hurt anybody? Don't +you see the little Indian children and the squaws, too? I s'pose +they've come with baskets to sell. Yes, there comes a squaw, going to +town now with a load of baskets."</p> + +<p>"Then I guess I'll sit down and rest a minute," said Aunt Florence, +"for I'm tired out. It's dreadful to be so frightened. I'm trembling +yet."</p> + +<p>"Me, too," confessed Billy. "Where's that Betty?"</p> + +<p>"Home by this time, I presume," was the laughing reply, "unless she +couldn't stop running when she got there, in which case she's probably +in the lake. Well, Billy, let's walk on now, or the whole missionary +society will be coming to our rescue."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Billy, I've been crying my eyes out, fear something had happened +to you," was Betty's greeting when she saw her little brother.</p> + +<p>Billy made a face, as he replied in scornful <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>tones: "'Fore I'd run +away from tame Indians!" For many a day thereafter, if Billy wanted +anything that belonged to Betty, it was his if he but threatened to say +"Tame Indians."</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER III.<br /> + + <small>BILLY GOES SWIMMING</small></h2> + + + +<p>Early the following afternoon, Billy saw 'Phonse LeBrinn throwing +stones at the boat-house, and, as he liked to play with 'Phonse much +better than with his nearest neighbours, the twins in the green +cottage, he flew down the bank fast as he could go.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Frenchy," he panted, "I wish I could run like a deer, way you do. +I can't run worth a cent."</p> + +<p>"Shouldn't think you could," grinned 'Phonse.</p> + +<p>"Let's go the other side of the boat-house," suggested Billy, "I'm +'fraid, if my mother sees me down here, she'll think of something she +wants me to do."</p> + +<p>'Phonse was sure of it, so he and Billy straightway sought a +hiding-place.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What have you got that tog on for?" asked 'Phonse.</p> + +<p>"Going to be a thimble party at our house," explained Billy, "and Bet +made such a fuss I had to be dressed up fear somebody might see me."</p> + +<p>"Where's Gerald?"</p> + +<p>"He's camping this week at the Snow Islands with some folks. Wish he +was home. What'll we do this afternoon, 'Phonse?"</p> + +<p>"Catch minnows; don't you want to?"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather hunt for Aunt Florence's locket than anything else. See, +'Phonse, that girl up there on the bank looking through my father's +spy-glass, she's my Aunt Florence, and she's a brick."</p> + +<p>"Ain't she pretty!" exclaimed 'Phonse. "She's the prettiest lady I ever +saw. She wouldn't like me, though; nobody does."</p> + +<p>"I do; all the trouble is, 'Phonse, nobody's acquainted with you. Now, +if you could find Aunt Florence's locket that she lost yesterday, she'd +like you for ever and ever. I know she would."</p> + +<p>"Where'd she lose it, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"She thinks she lost it at the old fort yes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>terday. It's a gold locket +that her father gave her when she graduated last summer, and Aunt +Florence and I hunted for it all the forenoon. We had to give up. +'Phonse, you stay here, and I'll run up to the house and tell my mother +I'm going to hunt for the locket. You be walking up the beach, and I'll +meet you around the point."</p> + +<p>When Billy rejoined his ragged playmate, the two began a diligent +search for the locket.</p> + +<p>"If anybody can find it, you can, 'Phonse."</p> + +<p>"Aw, somebody's picked it up 'fore this, Billy. Nobody could help +seeing it on this black ground. Gold shines, you know."</p> + +<p>"Maybe," suggested Billy, "maybe she didn't lose it; perhaps she lost +it where we were digging for beads. Surely, this morning we hunted over +every inch of this trail, and you know Betty."</p> + +<p>'Phonse nodded his black head. "She'd find it if it was here. Don't you +want to go swimmun, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"Too cold, 'Phonse; we'd freeze."</p> + +<p>"We can make a bonfire on the beach, see?" 'Phonse showed Billy a +handful of matches. "Swiped 'em," he commented. "We'll go <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>down on +the sand under the bank and start a fire beside of the tramp's raft. +Nobody'll see us there, you know, and we can go swimmun and get dressed +where it's warm."</p> + +<p>"All right, sir," assented Billy, "only don't run, 'Phonse, whatever +you do."</p> + +<p>Beyond the fort was an old raft of planks, upon which years before +tramps crossed the straits in a storm. It was a favourite resort among +the boys. Billy instantly began gathering driftwood for a bonfire.</p> + +<p>"Guess the Indians had a fire in this same place yesterday, 'Phonse," +he said, "because just see the new-looking ashes. Wonder if they +started it with flint or by rubbing two sticks together. Do you know?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't. Hustle up, Billy, and don't stop to talk."</p> + +<p>When the pile of driftwood was high enough to suit 'Phonse, he started +the fire. Thanks to the west wind, it burned, and the boys were soon +ready for the water. Billy walked into the lake, screaming at every +step. 'Phonse climbed upon a rock and plunged in.</p> + +<p>"Silly," he shouted, "course you'll be cold <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>acting that way; get down +in the water, Billy, then you'll be warm."</p> + +<p>"It's too—too—too early to go swimming," gasped Billy, shivering in +the wind and the icy water. "I—I'm—I'm glad we started the fire."</p> + +<p>"Come out where it's deeper; here, give me your hand," said 'Phonse, +"I'll show you how to go swimmun."</p> + +<p>Soon Billy declared that the water was warm, and he and 'Phonse played +in the lake for an hour. They splashed, laughed, and shouted, with only +the gulls to hear, until 'Phonse said it was time to get dressed. The +fire was out. 'Phonse threw some bark upon the coals, and looked for +his clothes. There was not a thread of them left.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Billy," he wailed "we left our clothes too near the fire, and +they're all burned up; what can we do?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, what shall we do?" cried Billy. "Oh, b-b-but m-my c-c-clothes +are all r-right," he added in the next breath. "I'll divide with you, +'Phonse."</p> + +<p>"Your clothes ain't either all right," in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>sisted 'Phonse. "They're +burning yet. Look at them."</p> + +<p>"Here's one all right s-stocking, just the same, 'Phonse."</p> + +<p>"Let me take it, then, Billy, and I'll put out the fire with it that's +burning the rest of the things."</p> + +<p>"You may wear the stocking," offered Billy. "The other one's gone, and +the shoes are spoiled. Why, 'Phonse, there isn't anything left of my +clothes but my shirt and my blouse and my trousers,—and look at my +trousers, will you, all full of holes!"</p> + +<p>"What if you didn't have anything left," grumbled 'Phonse. "I've got +some shoes and stockings at home, Billy, but that's all. I don't know +what dad will do, but I'll catch it, sure."</p> + +<p>"Oh, 'Phonse, my mother'll give you some clothes to wear, if we can +ever get to my house, but, oh, dear, it is so cold! Which do you want +to wear, 'Phonse, my shirt or my white blouse; there's one sleeve +burned out of both of 'em, and my waist is all gone."</p> + +<p>"I'll take the shirt," 'Phonse decided. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>"Don't cry, Billy, I'm the one +that ought to cry."</p> + +<p>"B-but, but I'm s-s-so c-cold, and, oh, dear, I'm going to put on the +s-s-stocking if you—you don't want it."</p> + +<p>"I do, though," insisted 'Phonse; "give her here. You've got more on +than I have, anyway. Come on, Billy, we'll be warmer if we run."</p> + +<p>"Only I can't run, and—and—and the s-s-stones h-hurt m-my fee-feet," +protested Billy, his teeth chattering.</p> + +<p>"Don't be a baby," 'Phonse advised. "Oh, Billy, what if there is a lot +of folks at the old fort? We better keep back from the lake. It's too +cold here, anyway. Let's sneak around where the bushes grow."</p> + +<p>"All right, go ahead, 'Phonse."</p> + +<p>Cautiously the boys made their way around the clearing. They were +nearly past the old fort grounds when they heard voices.</p> + +<p>"Duck, Billy, duck; it's some boys from out of town," whispered +'Phonse, "and if they see us, I don't know what'll happen! Let's crawl!"</p> + +<p>"Listen," Billy replied; "they've found a <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span>wonderful relic, I guess; +hear them quarrel. Oh, 'Phonse, it's my Aunt Florence's locket, that's +what it is, and they've got to give it up!"</p> + +<p>Without stopping to think further, Billy darted from the thicket, +followed closely by 'Phonse.</p> + +<p>"That's my Aunt Florence's locket, so please give it to me," demanded +the child, springing toward the largest boy in the group.</p> + +<p>"Listen to him, will you," replied a taunting voice. "Here's the Wild +Man of Borneo wants his Aunt Florence's locket. Well, I guess not. Have +you two escaped from a circus, or do you want to join one, which?"</p> + +<p>"Give me that locket," cried Billy. "I say that belongs to my Aunt +Florence."</p> + +<p>Great fun the big boys had then, teasing poor Billy, who begged, +threatened, and jumped for the locket held just beyond his reach.</p> + +<p>"Tell you what," suggested the roughest-looking boy, "let's tie these +youngsters together, and leave them here until we can get out of town. +Them's diamonds in that locket, boys."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p>At that moment 'Phonse sprang like a wild-cat upon the boy with the +locket, and, snatching the treasure, ran with it to the woods. Billy +was never more astonished, and at first the boys were too surprised to +chase the strange little figure flying across the clearing. When they +ran after 'Phonse, Billy hid. He wasn't afraid any one could catch +'Phonse, the swift-footed French boy, but he did fear being caught +himself. Like an old-time Indian, Billy managed to keep out of the +enemy's sight all the way home. 'Phonse was waiting for him in the edge +of the woods.</p> + +<p>"Here," said 'Phonse, offering Billy the locket, "take it to her."</p> + +<p>Billy shook his head. "'Phonse, you come in the wood-shed, and sit in +the corner where nobody'll see you, while I ask my mother for some +clothes for us. Then you can give auntie the locket yourself."</p> + +<p>"Won't you catch it?" asked 'Phonse; "you don't look very nice, Billy."</p> + +<p>"You do what I tell you," remarked Billy. "My mother's the kind you can +explain things to. I don't want the company to see me, though, so I +guess I'll whistle for Betty."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> + +<p>Betty quickly appeared in answer to the whistle.</p> + +<p>"Why, Billy Grannis!" she began, and then how she laughed.</p> + +<p>"Keep still, Bet, there is a boy in the wood-shed that's cold. He +hasn't on very much clothes, and he wants something to wear home."</p> + +<p>That was all 'Phonse heard, as Billy was led into the house. The little +fellow returned in a moment, dragging a cape. "Here, 'Phonse, Betty +sent you this to wrap up in, and Betty says come in by the kitchen +fire."</p> + +<p>"I won't do it," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"All right, then, I'll have to bring your 'freshments out here. It's a +shivering kind, though,—ice-cream and cake; want some?"</p> + +<p>"Don't I? You bet!" was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Come, 'Phonse, come in the kitchen," urged Betty, again appearing at +the door. "Please come. Billy has told auntie and me about the locket, +and Aunt Florence just loves you. Quick as the company goes, mamma'll +find you something to wear."</p> + +<p>Trailing the cape behind him, 'Phonse <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>walked into the kitchen, where +Betty introduced him to Aunt Florence.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/046.jpg"> +<img src="images/046_th.jpg" width="350" alt="Everything he wore was new" /></a></div> + +<p>That night, when 'Phonse LeBrinn went home, his own folks didn't know +him. In his arms he carried a bundle of Billy's old clothes; but +everything he wore was new, from the red cap to the patent-leather +shoes.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER IV.<br /> + + <small>THE STEAM-TUG BILLY</small></h2> + + +<p>Aunt Florence didn't forget 'Phonse, and it was evident to the marine +reporter's family that 'Phonse didn't forget her. He scarcely said +thank you when she gave him his new suit, but every morning while Aunt +Florence was in Mackinaw a bunch of wild flowers was found tied to the +front door-knob. Once only a bit of pasteboard was attached, upon which +was written in letters hard to read, "For billies ant."</p> + +<p>At first the family wondered why 'Phonse kept away, but when they +learned that Antoine LeBrinn had sold his little son's new clothes for +drink, they understood.</p> + +<p>"Poor little fellow," Aunt Florence said one morning, when a cluster of +bluebells was <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>brought her, wound so closely not a blossom could move +its dainty head. "How I wish he would come again."</p> + +<p>"He won't, though, 'cept when nobody knows," observed Billy, "and if +any one says a word against his father, he'll fight."</p> + +<p>"I'm curious to see his father, too," replied Aunt Florence. "Betty has +told me so much about the family that I'd like to talk to that man; I'd +say some things he'd remember."</p> + +<p>"Antoine used to come often," said Betty. "We always tease him to tell +stories. Everybody likes him; you'll see him sometime, auntie, and then +you'll like him, too."</p> + +<p>"I shall tell him what I think of him," declared Aunt Florence; but a +week later, when Antoine came, she didn't say a word.</p> + +<p>It was a rainy afternoon, and when Billy announced that the game +must be circus as usual, and that the parade should be first on the +programme, Betty objected.</p> + +<p>"Billy Grannis," she exclaimed, "you're a nuisance. Gerald and I have +played circus with you until we are sick and tired of it. You may be a +lion-tamer if you want to, but you and your old lion will have to have +a show <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>of your own. I won't stand it any longer, and you can't have my +cat for a polar bear, either."</p> + +<p>"Why, Bet," was the remonstrance, "what makes you be so cross? I +thought you liked to play circus. Do you want to be the lion-tamer this +time, Bet? I'll let you take my big dog; do you want to, Betty?"</p> + +<p>"No, Billy, I don't want to be anything that's in a circus, so there! +I'll play Grace Darling, though; you and Gerald and Hero may be the +shipwrecked sailors, and I'll be Grace Darling."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to play shipwreck," declared Gerald. "I had enough of +shipwrecks when the <i>California</i> went down."</p> + +<p>"Me, too," echoed Billy. "I'd rather play Noah and the flood. Oh, +Betty, let's play that, and then my dog Hero can be the lion,—no, +Betty no, I didn't mean it; he can be the elephant, I mean, and your +cat can be a—a—what other animal is white 'sides a polar bear? And, +oh, Gerald, your bluest pigeon can be the dove."</p> + +<p>"But why don't you want to play Grace Darling?" interrupted Betty. +"I'll let you <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>take my dolls for the shipwrecked children, and I'll +live in the lighthouse."</p> + +<p>"If you want to know what's fun," put in Gerald, "just listen to me. +Let's play—"</p> + +<p>"But I want to play get the animals out of the ark," insisted Billy.</p> + +<p>"And I say," Betty argued, "that you don't know whether you like to +play Grace Darling or not until you try it. Who's going to be captain +of the shipwrecked boat, you, Billy, or Gerald? Now, this rug is the +Northumberland coast."</p> + +<p>"No, sir," shouted Billy, "it's Mt. Ararat."</p> + +<p>"Why, children, what's going on?" asked Aunt Florence, who was passing +the doorway.</p> + +<p>"We all want to play different things," explained Betty.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you make signal-flags, like the ones on the chart?" +suggested Aunt Florence. "You know what I mean, Betty, the chart I saw +you looking at yesterday in your father's office, the one with the +pictures of signal-flags on it. I'll find sheets of red and blue and +yellow and white paper, and I believe you can have a nice time making +tiny paper flags. I'll get some paste ready for you, too."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But what are the flags for?" asked Billy, "and why do they put letters +beside of them on the chart?"</p> + +<p>"It tells all about the signal-flags in papa's marine directory, and +I'm going after it," announced Betty.</p> + +<p>"She can tell you about the signals, Billy," said Aunt Florence, "and +let's see who can make the most perfect little flags. Gerald will help +you, Billy, won't you, Gerald?"</p> + +<p>"Don't need any help," Billy hastened to say, "'less he wants to +whittle out flag-sticks."</p> + +<p>"That's so, auntie," agreed Gerald. "I'll go after something to use for +flagstaffs."</p> + +<p>"And I'm going after some shears and things, and then," said Billy, +"I'm going to cut out the 'B' flag. It's all red, auntie, and cut the +way Betty's hair-ribbons are on the ends. I guess I will make the 'Q' +flag, 'cause it's just a square made out of yellow; and the 'S' is +easy, too, just white with a blue square in the centre. Oh, auntie's +gone. Don't you feel queer, Hero, when you talk to somebody that isn't +there?"</p> + +<p>Gerald and Betty returned quickly with coloured paper and a book.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Now, Billy," remarked the little girl, in her most severe tone, "put +down the shears and listen a minute. I'm going to read out of the +Marine Directory."</p> + +<p>"Don't read it; tell it," besought Billy.</p> + +<p>"She wants to read it just because she can read big words without +stopping to spell them," declared Gerald, after a glance at the open +book.</p> + +<p>Betty could read much better than Gerald ever expected to.</p> + +<p>"It isn't that," was the reply, "but, if you will listen, you will +know that the book tells it all better than I can. Now listen: 'The +necessity for a uniform and comprehensive system of signalling at +sea'—Billy Grannis, stop making faces. I've got to begin it all +over again. 'The necessity for a uniform and comprehensive system of +signalling at sea and to shore stations on the coast of the United +States and other countries has long been felt and discussed by those +interested in maritime pursuits, and by the leading maritime powers +of the world.' Now, Gerald, stop acting like a goose. You and Billy +both know what 'maritime' means just as well as I do. Now <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>listen, and +I'll go on. 'In view of this necessity, the adoption of a common code +of signals to be observed by all nations, discarding all other codes +and systems, appears to be in a high degree desirable and important. +The international code of signals has been recommended and adopted by +nearly all the principal nations of the world, and it is now the only +code recognized or of practical use. It is the only one which, from its +completeness, is likely to fully meet the existing need.'</p> + +<p>"Billy, what ails you? Do stop laughing. What's the matter with you, +Gerald,—tooth-ache?"</p> + +<p>"No, Betty, worse'n that. When I think how your jaws must feel, I—"</p> + +<p>"Now, Gerald, I don't believe you know a word I've read."</p> + +<p>"Well, Betty, I should say not. Who could?"</p> + +<p>"What I want to know is, what are all these flags for?" demanded Billy. +"So please shut that old book and tell us."</p> + +<p>"You horrid boys," exclaimed Betty, "I don't see how you ever expect to +'mount to anything."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Wouldn't if we were girls," was Gerald's retort, which Betty didn't +seem to hear. She often had deaf spells.</p> + +<p>"Now, Billy dear," she went on, "you see there are eighteen of the +signal-flags. They are marked B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, +S, T, V, and W. Besides these are two little pointed flags that mean +'Yes' and 'No.' The 'Yes' flag is white with a round red spot, and the +flag that means 'No' is blue with a round white spot on it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, now I know," exclaimed Billy. "If your boat wants to tell another +boat 'No,' then it puts up the pointed blue flag."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Billy, that's it."</p> + +<p>"How do they use the other flags?" inquired Gerald. "You can't spell +things without <i>a's</i> and <i>o's</i>."</p> + +<p>"Don't you see, Gerald, each flag means something. Look on the back of +the chart and you will see how they use the flags. The first signal is +'H—B.' When those two flags are displayed,—'display' is the right +word to use, mister, so don't make eyes. When the 'H' flag and the +'B' flag are displayed together, with the 'H' above the 'B,' that's a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>signal that means 'Want immediate assistance.'</p> + +<p>"Oh, boys, now I'll tell you what let's play. Every ship, you know, +should carry a set of these signal-flags, so let's play we're all +boats. I'll be a yacht, I guess, because yachts are beautiful."</p> + +<p>"I'm a steam-tug—choo—choo—choo!—and my name's the tug <i>Billy</i>. +Choo—choo choo—"</p> + +<p>"Good, Bill!" exclaimed Gerald. "You're built just right for a tug. I +guess I'll be the schooner <i>Gerald</i> of the White Star Line. Lumber's my +cargo."</p> + +<p>"Dear me, I can't be just a yacht, sailing around for the fun of it," +remarked Betty. "I must be part of the merchant marine myself."</p> + +<p>"Part of the dictionary, you mean," grumbled Gerald.</p> + +<p>Betty was deaf for a moment. "I guess I would rather not be what +you boys are, after all, so I'll be a passenger boat, the <i>City of +Elizabeth</i>. I'm an ocean liner."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's just like a girl," and Gerald <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>laughed. "An ocean liner on +the Great Lakes. Oh, oh!"</p> + +<p>"Did you ever get left, smarty Gerald? I tell you, I'm an ocean liner. +These signals aren't used on the Great Lakes, only on the ocean. +Besides that, if I'm a boat, I want the ocean to sail on. I couldn't +think of puddling around in a little bit of water. I'm the finest +steamship afloat, and I make regular trips between—oh, I guess London +and New York. That will give you some work to do, Billy, because I'll +need a steam-tug to pilot me into the harbour every time. You'll make a +dear little pilot-boat, you are so chubby."</p> + +<p>"Choo—choo—choo! toot—toot—toot!" responded the steam-tug <i>Billy</i>.</p> + +<p>"What's the use of making a full set of flags?" remonstrated Gerald. +"If we're going to play boat, let's play boat, and pretend we have them +all. I've made the 'N—M' flags, that mean 'I'm on fire.'"</p> + +<p>"That's what I say," agreed Billy. "I found out that 'P—N' means 'Want +a steam-tug,' so I've made two sets of 'P—N' flags, one for you and +one for Betty to use. For my own self, the 'Yes' and 'No' flags are +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>all I want. You two better pin your 'Want a steam-tug' flags on; they +won't stay stuck. Choo—choo—choo! toot—toot! Here I come puffing +around—toot—toot—toot—see my black smoke! Oh, Bet, let's play there +came up an awful fog, so we'll have to toot our horns all the time."</p> + +<p>"And keep our bells sounding all the while we are at anchor," added +Gerald.</p> + +<p>When the three boats began making trips, there were collisions and +noise. Hero tried in vain to keep out of the way.</p> + +<p>"He's a reef; there ought to be a lighthouse on him," suggested Betty.</p> + +<p>"Look out for the St. Bernard Shoals," assented Gerald. "Hold on, +there's a tug ashore,—a wreck on the St. Bernard Shoals."</p> + +<p>"Toot—toot—toot! puff—puff! choo—choo—choo!" This from the +steam-tug <i>Billy</i>.</p> + +<p>"Tug is off the shoals, no lives lost," commented Gerald. "Oh, fire! +fire! fire! My deck is all in flames. Up goes my signal 'I'm on fire,' +and now where's my 'Want a steam-tug' signal. Oh, right here. I shall +be <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>saved if the tug <i>Billy</i> doesn't burst his boilers before he gets +here!"</p> + +<p>It so happened that the tug fell sprawling over the St. Bernard Shoals, +and but for the timely assistance of the steamship <i>City of Elizabeth</i>, +the schooner <i>Gerald</i> of the White Star Line must have been lost with +all on board. To be sure, Gerald emptied his pockets upon the floor, +insisting that everything that fell, from his jack-knife to marbles, +were frantic sailors, who either perished in the sea or were devoured +by sharks.</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the St. Bernard Shoals made trouble for the steam-tug +<i>Billy</i>. "Can't even blow my whistle," puffed Billy. "Hero, let me get +up. Don't keep tumbling me over and over. Don't you know I'm a boat? Go +'way, Hero. Open the door, Gerald, so he'll go out. Call him, Betty."</p> + +<p>Outside the window, Hero tried his best to persuade the children to +come out and play in the rain.</p> + +<p>"Oh, dear, let's rest a minute," suggested Betty.</p> + +<p>"And say over the verses we learned that day of the worst blizzard last +winter," added <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>Billy. "You know what I mean, Betty, the rules for +steamers passing, and then, Betty, we'll play it is a dark night when +we go on some more trips."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll tell you," put in Gerald, "we'll cut lanterns out of paper, +red and green and white ones, and pin them on."</p> + +<p>"Begin the verses first, Betty; let's say them all together," suggested +Billy, "and say them loud so Hero can hear."</p> + +<p>"Let me see," Betty hesitated, "the first one is this:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'Meeting steamers do not dread</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>When you see three lights ahead.</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Port your helm and show your red.'"</small><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"Here's a red lantern for you, Bill," interrupted Gerald, "and this +is yours, Betty. Go on, why don't you? The next verse is about two +steamers passing."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I remember; say it with me, boys:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'For steamers passing you should try</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>To keep this maxim in your eye.</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Green to green or red to red,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Perfect safety—go ahead.'</small><br /></span> +</div></div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p> +<p>"Then, boys, the third verse is about steamships crossing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'If to starboard red appear,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>'Tis your duty to keep clear;</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Act as judgment says is proper,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Port or starboard—back—or stop her.</small><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'But when on your port is seen</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>A steamer with a light of green,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>There's not much for you to do,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>The green light must keep clear of you.'"</small><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>By this time three voices were singing merrily:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'Both in safety and in doubt,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i3"><small>Always keep a good lookout.</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Should there not be room to turn,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i3"><small>Stop your ship and go astern.'"</small><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Billy gave a shout. "Oh, look, Betty! look, Gerald! There's Antoine at +the gate, and he's afraid of Hero. He doesn't dare pass him."</p> + +<p>"He's calling you, Billy; go get your dog." Gerald laughed as he spoke.</p> + +<p>"'Both in safety and in doubt, always keep a good lookout,'" mocked +Billy. "He's scared to death. Look at him back up when <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>Hero walks +toward him. 'Should there not be room to turn, stop your ship and go +astern.' If Antoine was a boat, he could play Hero was an iceberg. Hey, +Bet?"</p> + +<p>At last Antoine saw the children.</p> + +<p>"If we don't stop laughing," warned Betty, "he'll go away. He may think +we're making fun of him."</p> + +<p>"Oh, how I wish Hero would give one of his loud barks," added Gerald. +"Oh, I believe he will, sure as anything. He doesn't know what to think +of Antoine. I guess he never saw any one act so queer. Now just see him +stand there in front of the gate and make crazy motions."</p> + +<p>Suddenly Hero gave three loud barks that startled the little Frenchman +almost out of his senses.</p> + +<p>"Look at him jump," continued Gerald. "He went up in the air like a +rubber ball."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad," protested Betty. "I'm going to the door to tell Antoine +that Hero won't hurt him. Billy, you go and get your dog."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I say, Bill," suggested Gerald, "instead of getting Hero, why +don't you tow Antoine into port?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, goody! Choo—choo—choo!—where's my tow-line?"</p> + +<p>"Here, you rascal!" exclaimed Betty, "how dare you take my +hair-ribbons. Why, Billy, you'll spoil them tying them together in a +hard knot like that."</p> + +<p>"One's too short—choo—ch—choo!—toot—toot—toot—French boat in +distress, don't you see? Gerald, you go and pin your 'Want a steam-tug' +flag on him."</p> + +<p>Away flew Gerald, while Betty and Billy stood laughing in the window. +Antoine not only allowed Gerald to pin the flag upon him, but instantly +began making an active display of his signals, calling aloud for the +steam-tug <i>Billy</i>.</p> + +<p>"Toot—toot—toot!—choo—choo—choo!" was the immediate response, and +the steam-tug went puffing to the rescue regardless of the falling rain.</p> + +<p>"Make fast the hawser," commanded Billy, passing Antoine the tow-line. +"It's kind of short," he added, under his breath.</p> + +<p>Antoine obeyed.</p> + +<p>"Choo—choo—choo!—ding—ding—ding—make fast. Ding—ding—ding—<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>let +go." Slowly did the steam-tug venture into deep water; too slowly to +suit Antoine, whose fear of the dog was genuine. Gerald had explained +that Hero never harmed any one Billy befriended, merely hinting at dark +possibilities that might befall the unwary. He also laughingly told +Antoine that Hero was not a dog, but a dangerous reef. In a short time +the little Frenchman had reason to believe that the reef was volcanic +in its nature.</p> + +<p>"Choo—choo—choo"—on came the steam-tug, the French boat close +behind. "Choo—choo—choo—choo"—slower and slower the two approached +the reef, the steam-tug venturing nearer and nearer, to the dismay of +the boat in tow.</p> + +<p>Four sharp whistles sounded from the tug. It was the danger-signal! +The steam-tug <i>Billy</i> was on the reef, and but for the parting of the +hawser the French boat must have followed.</p> + +<p>"Don't you try to run, Antoine," called Gerald; "you can't tell what +Hero might do. You better stand right still till Billy gets on his feet +again." Then he and Betty laughed. Terror was pictured on Antoine's +face as the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>dog barked and pranced around, thoroughly enjoying the +game.</p> + +<p>Billy struggled to his feet. "Toot—toot—make fast," he commanded, and +Betty's hair-ribbons were once more tied together, how loosely only +Billy knew.</p> + +<p>"Toot—go ahead," he sung out, but again the hawser parted, and +Antoine, watching Hero, dared not stir. "Toot—toot—toot," there +was the sound of laughter in the whistle, and the captain's +voice was scarcely steady as he called out, "Slow up," then +"Toot—stop—toot—toot—back up—make fast—toot—go ahead."</p> + +<p>Safely into port came the French boat, in the midst of cheering from +the decks of the <i>City of Elizabeth</i> and the schooner <i>Gerald</i> of the +White Star Line.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2> CHAPTER V.<br /> + + <small>ANTOINE LEBRINN</small></h2> + +<p>"Tell you a bear story, Beely? No, I'm too scare to tell you a bear +story," Aunt Florence heard Antoine remark. "I tole you dog story, hey? +How you scare you old friend Antoine with you big dog. That was a bad +trick, Beely. You do wrong to scare ole Antoine."</p> + +<p>So earnestly did the Frenchman say this, as he held Billy on his knee, +the small boy felt uncomfortable, though Aunt Florence laughed, and +wondered how and when to begin her lecture.</p> + +<p>"But, Antoine," Billy explained, "that was a game."</p> + +<p>"A game, Beely, you call that game, do you, when you scare ole Antoine +out his wit? Game, hey?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/066.jpg"> +<img src="images/066_th.jpg" width="300" alt="He held Billy on his knee" /></a></div> + +<p>"I knew Hero wouldn't hurt you, Antoine; he's a nice, kind dog, and he +wouldn't bite a mosquito."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> + +<p>Antoine shook his head and made a downward motion with his hands.</p> + +<p>"That's all right for you, Beely, but how did Antoine know the dog +she wouldn't bite one moskeet? When I see his mouth, I say to myself, +Antoine, he swallow you sure, and then I call my friend Beely."</p> + +<p>"But I was a steamboat then," protested Billy, "and, anyway, I came +after you, didn't I?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Beely, I find you out in the wood some day, big black bear after +you. Beely call ole Antoine, and ole Antoine he play steamboat, hey, +Beely? How you like that?"</p> + +<p>"Tell us a bear story, please do," persisted the child.</p> + +<p>"No, Beely, maybe I tole you bear story, maybe so, but that big dog he +scare me. Now, I'm scare out of bear story."</p> + +<p>"Poor old Hero, he wants to come in," said Billy. "Shall I let him come +in and get acquainted with you, Antoine?"</p> + +<p>"No, Beely, I'm too much acquaint with him now. You call your dog, I +go."</p> + +<p>"But he likes you, Antoine; I could tell by the way he sniffs at you +that he likes you."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, maybe he likes me too much, I'm think. I'll bring my gun next +time," warned Antoine; "then let him sniff at me, hey, Beely?"</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't shoot him."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't stand still and let him eat me, I tell you that, Beely. +When you see Antoine coming, you better call your dog and hide him."</p> + +<p>"Give it to him, Antoine," said Gerald, with a brotherly grin.</p> + +<p>Billy said nothing, but, with his back turned toward Aunt Florence, he +made a face at Gerald.</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely," protested the Frenchman, "that's a pretty crooked face +you make there. Let me look on that face. She's round like the pumpkin, +and your eye she's like two little blue bead. Well, I can't see nothing +wrong with it now. A minute ago I'm 'fraid. You must not make such face +like that on your brother, because, Beely, I'm afraid she freeze like +that."</p> + +<p>"But where have you been all this time?" questioned Betty, while Gerald +motioned Aunt <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>Florence to watch the grimaces and motions Antoine made +as he talked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm work back here on the cedar swamp, getting out some pole to +load big vesseal when he come. Where's your papa? I want to see if he's +hear anything of the <i>George Sturgis</i>. I'm think he's come last week, +and I'm look for it ever since. He was going to come last week to Cecil +Bay to get my pole to take to Chicago. I'm 'fraid we's going to get bad +weather, and I want to get out my load of pole quick as I could."</p> + +<p>"You'll have to wait, Antoine," declared Gerald, "because papa went to +the station with some messages, and he's going to wait for the mail, +and the train's late."</p> + +<p>"Don't you want to see our baby?" asked Betty. "Oh, he is the dearest +little fellow, just three months old. Mamma says he looks exactly as +Billy did when he was a baby."</p> + +<p>"Beely ain't baby no more," commented the Frenchman. "I s'pose he ain't +like the new baby pretty good?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Betty assured Antoine, "Billy loves the baby."</p> + +<p>"And I'm seven, going on eight," the small <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>boy declared. "It seems a +hundred years since you were here last," he continued; "have you been +working in the cedar swamp all that time?"</p> + +<p>"Well," was the reply, "I'm think if you be there when the black fly +and the moskeet eat you up, you would say it was one hundred year sure. +You say your papa she go to the post-office, hey?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and the train is late. If I was an engine, I'd get here on time, +and not keep folks waiting for their mail."</p> + +<p>Antoine LeBrinn made a remarkably bad grimace, looked at Billy for +several seconds, and then replied: "Little boy ain't got no patience +these day. Now, when I'm a little boy and live on Cadotte's Point, we +only got our mail two time in one week."</p> + +<p>"But that was before the railroads came," said Betty, "and I don't see +how you got any mail at all. Did it come in canoes?"</p> + +<p>Antoine shrugged his shoulders. "No, Betty, the dog she bring our mail +in those day."</p> + +<p>"Dogs!" exclaimed Billy. He was sure there was a story coming.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" inquired Gerald, seating himself in Billy's rocker, +while Betty drew her footstool close beside him. "Antoine, what do you +mean?"</p> + +<p>"Just what I'm say. Dog, she bring our mail in the old day. Did you +never hear of a traineau?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," admitted Betty. "I have read of traineaus, but I never expected +to see any one who ever saw one. Do tell me all about them."</p> + +<p>"Well," began the Frenchman, making all sorts of motions with his +head and his hands as he went on, "well, when I'm little boy and this +was call Old Mackinaw Point, there was no train and no steamboat, and +in the winter-time all our mail was brought by these dog I am tell +you about. These dog she was train with the harness and haul a long +sleigh call a traineau. I know a little chap," and Billy had to give +a hard kick at somebody who pinched his toes, "I know one little chap +that hitch up one dog to her sled and take a ride on all kinds of +weather. Well, well, what's the matter with Beely? She jump around like +something bite him."</p> + +<p>"Go on, Antoine, go on, tell us about the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>dogs," teased Billy. +"Gerald's always acting horrid."</p> + +<p>"Well," resumed the Frenchman, "a traineau was pulled by six dog; all +had harness on, and hitch one in front the other on one long string. +The traineau she's all pile full of mailbag, and one man go along to +drive the dog. This driver she go three, four hundred mile on one trip, +and she would carry enough along to eat to last him and his dog four or +five day."</p> + +<p>At this point Billy became much excited, and broke in with a remark +that amused Gerald so highly he stood on his head and waved his feet in +the air until Betty reminded him of his manners.</p> + +<p>"Why, why, Antoine," Billy demanded, "how could the driver carry stones +enough to last even one hundred miles, I'd like to know?"</p> + +<p>The Frenchman was puzzled. "Stone," he remarked, running his fingers +through his short, black hair, "now what, Beely, would the driver do +with stone?"</p> + +<p>Betty clapped her hands. "When Billy goes driving on the ice with +Major," she ex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>plained, "he has to carry a pocket full of stones, or +Major wouldn't go a step. He throws a stone and Major goes after it; +then he throws another, and that's the way he keeps the dog flying."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's pretty good," said the smiling Antoine, "but you see, +Beely, these dog she was train to pull the sleigh when she was a little +bit of a pup. He was train so he was used to it. When the driver said +'Go,' she went; and at first, no matter how much mail they have, the +dog she would jump and run as if they like it. After they draw a bit +load two or three day, she's begin get tired, and then they would lay +right down on the road, so the driver would stop and let the dog rest.</p> + +<p>"Here, on Mackinaw Point, the driver she stop at the little store and +left the mail for all the folks; for the fishermen along the shore and +on Cadotte's Point where I'm live."</p> + +<p>"But where did the traineaus start and where did they go?" inquired +Betty.</p> + +<p>"They come from Alpena and go way up to the Soo, and then go back +again."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't they use big sleighs and horses?" Gerald put in.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No road," was the reply, "only narrow trail through the wood."</p> + +<p>"And was all the mail from the big world brought to Mackinaw that way +when you were a little boy?" persisted Betty; "and did you ever get a +letter?"</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say I ever got one letter myself. Little children ain't +much account those day, but my aunt what live on Canada send me one +pair mitten for a New Year present. I'm just about big like Beely then, +but I'm walk in all alone from Cadotte's Point."</p> + +<p>"And you must have seen a bear," observed Billy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, now, you Beely, you think I'm going to tell you a bear story. Well +I ain't feel just right for tole you a bear story this time. I'm tell +that some other time. I'm tell you a bear story every time I'm see you, +Beely, and I'm getting them pretty near all wear out."</p> + +<p>At this the children laughed so uproariously, the baby awoke and began +to cry.</p> + +<p>"Mamma'll bring him out in a minute," remarked Betty, and when the +baby, still screaming, was brought into the room, Antoine in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>sisted +upon taking him, to the delight of the children, who stood by, softly +clapping their hands and laughing. Their mother laughed, too, when +Antoine, who knew something about babies from long experience, began +walking the floor with the little fellow and talking to him.</p> + +<p>"Well, is this the new baby? Bring it here and let me look at it. Well, +a pretty nice looking baby, I'm think, if she ain't cry so much. Her +face is all crooked and all wrinkle up. Come now, you ain't going to +cry all the time. I'm going to look and see them little eye you got +there. Well, she make quite a bit of noise for her size, but I'm going +to sing him a little song and see if she won't go to sleep again:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'The Frenchman he hate to die in the fall,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>When the marsh is full of game:</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>For the muskrat he is good and fat,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>And the bullfrog just the same.</small><br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'High le,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>High low,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Now baby don't you cry,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>For ole Antoine is right close by.'"</small><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span></p> +<p>"Now you see, Beely, she's quit crying already. You ain't know Antoine +can sing, eh?"</p> + +<p>It was even as Antoine said; the baby had stopped crying, and Billy, +astonished by the music of the Frenchman's voice, begged for another +song, insisting that anything would please him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Beely," objected his friend. "I ain't going to sing no more to +the baby, she's quiet now. I'm goin to tole you a story."</p> + +<p>"Is it a bear story?"</p> + +<p>"No, it's a cow story. My cow she's run away once, and I'm find it +on Wheeler's farm." Thus began Antoine, accompanying his words with +gestures far more laughable than the tale he told, and causing the +children great amusement. Billy's round face became one broad grin as +he listened.</p> + +<p>"When I'm take my cow home," went on the little Frenchman, still +walking the floor with the baby in his arms, "I'm take short cut on +the wood; I'm go by old log road. There was a lot of raspberry there, +so now I'm to pick up some raspberry for myself. So I'm tie my cow on +black stick of wood, and <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>let it eat grass on the road and drag the +wood along, and she can't get away from me."</p> + +<p>At this point Betty's mother rescued the baby from the arms of the +prancing Frenchman, to the evident relief of Betty, who thought the +baby too precious a bundle to be flourished so vigorously, as Antoine +stooped to pick raspberries and to tie his cow.</p> + +<p>"Pretty soon," continued the narrator, "pretty soon she give a jerk +with his head, and the piece of wood jump toward it and scare my cow. +Well, she start to run down the road, and I'm run after it and holler, +'Whoa, Bess, whoa!' but she's so scare she ain't stop.</p> + +<p>"By and by my cow stop, all play out." Antoine placed himself before +Betty, who was sitting on a footstool near Aunt Florence, while Gerald +and Billy were standing near their mother's chair, the refuge they +sought when Antoine was running after his cow. "Well, as I'm say, my +cow stop all play out. She stand right there on front that stick of +wood." Antoine certainly mistook Betty for the stick of wood. "She's +stand there and look straight at it, and she's go, 'Woof! woof! woof!' +and his tail she's go round and round," <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>and Antoine's arms made wide +circles in the air, "but she's all right; she ain't hurt at all, so I'm +catch my cow and take it home, and I'm pretty glad she ain't hurt at +all. Now I ain't tie my cow to no more black stick of wood. I told you +that right now."</p> + +<p>In the midst of the laugh that followed, and while Billy was pulling +at the Frenchman's sleeve, beseeching him to tell another story, the +marine reporter came home. Immediately Antoine told his errand, and +made his escape from the presence of the clamouring children, laughing, +shrugging his shoulders, and declaring that he would sometime tell +them all the stories they would listen to. Thus Aunt Florence lost an +opportunity to deliver her first temperance lecture.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had the door closed behind Antoine when it was opened by +Billy, who followed his friend into the yard.</p> + +<p>"Here, Antoine," he called, "take this orange to 'Phonse. Mamma gave me +one, and Betty one, and Gerald one."</p> + +<p>"It's a good little Beely," was the remark that filled the small boy's +heart with pride, as Antoine slipped the treasure in his pocket.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2> CHAPTER VI.<br /> + + <small>ORANGES</small></h2> + + + +<p>After supper Billy thought longingly of his orange. He wondered if +it was thick-skinned and if it was juicy. He felt pretty sure it was +sweet, and the more he thought of it the sweeter it seemed to his +imagination. Billy was just saying to himself that, if he had not given +away his orange, he would eat it without asking his mother for sugar, +when he stumbled upon Gerald leaning over the wood-box in the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing out here all alone?" demanded Billy.</p> + +<p>"What business is it of yours, I'd like to know? Why don't you go back +in the other room?" Gerald grumbled, making rather lively motions +around three sides of the wood-box, as he tried to keep his back toward +Billy.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Aw, pig!" sniffed Billy, "eating your orange out here where nobody'd +see you, so you wouldn't have to divide. Orange juice running all down +your arm, and I'm glad of it, pig!"</p> + +<p>"Got an orange of your own," was Gerald's retort.</p> + +<p>"Haven't either," declared Billy.</p> + +<p>"Then you've eaten it up, and now who's a pig, I'd like to know? I +offered to divide my orange with Selma, but she was in a hustle to +get her dishes washed and get down-town, and it isn't my fault if she +couldn't wait for me to get it peeled. You're the pig, Billy, because +you didn't even offer to divide with anybody."</p> + +<p>"No, I gave my whole orange to Antoine before I even stopped to smell +of it," wailed Billy, "and I guess if I had a little brother that +hadn't had a smell of orange, I'd give him a piece."</p> + +<p>Gerald whistled. "Who ever'd think you'd do such a thing, Billy? Here, +little boy, is your reward of merit," and Gerald, thrusting half his +orange into Billy's outstretched hand, walked away, whistling.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span></p> + +<p>Half an orange made Billy wish for more. It was a sweet one and juicy. +He wondered if Betty's orange was anywhere near as good. Later in the +evening Gerald went out on the beach with his father to see if there +were any boats in sight to be reported. While he was gone, Betty +prepared to eat her orange.</p> + +<p>"Come on, Billy," she suggested, "get your rocker, and we'll eat our +oranges while mamma undresses the baby. I'm glad it is a chilly night, +so we had to have a fire in the grate."</p> + +<p>A wistful expression crept into Billy's face. "I gave my orange to +Antoine to take to 'Phonse," was his reply in sorrowful tones.</p> + +<p>"Why, you dear, good Billy, you shall have half of mine. Bring your +rocker here beside of me, and we'll eat my orange together. See my +saucer of sugar. I'll divide that with you, too."</p> + +<p>Billy, more than willing, was thoroughly enjoying himself when Gerald +returned. The minute the door was opened, the boy stuffed the last +piece of his half of Betty's orange into his mouth so quickly Betty +couldn't imagine what ailed him.</p> + +<p>Gerald's remark upon beholding this per<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>formance was an explosion. +"Pig!" he shouted. Explanations followed, and Billy was sent into the +kitchen to do some quiet thinking. The cat followed him, whether from +curiosity or because she liked Billy, it is impossible to say.</p> + +<p>When Billy climbed into a hard, uncomfortable chair, so high his +feet couldn't touch the floor, the cat jumped upon another chair and +settled down to watch him. At first Billy looked ashamed of himself +and miserable. For a minute he seemed to think of pulling his loose +tooth; but, after touching it ever so gently, he shook his head. Then, +observing a strange expression on the cat's face, Billy half-smiled; +that is, the smile stopped just below his eyes, whose solemn stare +remained unchanged.</p> + +<p>That was enough for the cat. With a remark that sounded exactly like +what she used to say to her kittens when she brought them a mouse, she +bounded into Billy's chair, and began rubbing against him, purring +cheerfully. By the time she had flourished her tail in his face, licked +his hands, and clawed at his red <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>sweater for a few seconds, Billy +laughed merrily.</p> + +<p>Perhaps if the cat had minded her own business, Billy would not have +forgotten his disgrace so quickly. However that may be, the small boy +slipped down from his chair and had a good time. He played tiger in +the jungle with the cat until she objected; then he played he was the +northwest wind, sending everything helter-skelter before his icy breath.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Billy bethought him of a new game, and a few minutes later the +whole family rushed into the kitchen half-fearing that the stove must +have fallen upon the child, so unusual was the racket they heard. There +was no cause for alarm. At the moment Billy was Antoine's cow. A big +tin pail attached to his waist by Betty's jumping-rope was the black +stick of wood.</p> + +<p>When the family appeared at the door, the cow was standing in front of +the black stick of wood, stamping its feet and snorting, "Woof! woof! +woof!" The cat was nowhere in sight.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2> CHAPTER VII.<br /> + + <small>MINNAVAVANA'S BRAVES</small></h2> + + + +<p>The north wind is no respecter of persons. He wasn't invited to Betty's +lawn party, but he came at dawn and stayed until dark the day she chose +to entertain her dearest friends. Billy was glad of it. He said that +girls' parties were silly, anyway, and he hoped the whole flock would +have to stay in the house. He declared that Betty needn't expect to see +him at the party: he would rather hide in the cellar all day than be +the only boy among so many girls. Aunt Florence smiled, and said she +guessed they could get along without him if he felt that way.</p> + +<p>"Sometime before I go home, though," she promised Billy, "we'll have a +boys' party, and then we won't care how hard the wind blows. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>But the +girls, dear me, Billy, they'll be so disappointed if they have to stay +in the house."</p> + +<p>"Who cares?" suggested Billy.</p> + +<p>"Why, I care," suggested Aunt Florence. "Young man, I am helping Betty +with this party, and the wind is more than I know what to do with."</p> + +<p>"Oh, if it's your party, Aunt Florence, that's different, and I know +what to do. Build a tramps' shelter and keep the wind out."</p> + +<p>"What's a tramps' shelter, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Aunt Florence, out in the woods the tramps make regular little +rooms of trees and branches. We can coax papa and his man to get a +wagon-load of Christmas-trees from the woods and make a room, not where +we'd spoil the lawn, but the other side of the house, you know, down +close to the lake."</p> + +<p>"Who would report boats, Billy, if your father and the man both go to +the woods?"</p> + +<p>"Mamma would," was the reply; "she does lots of times. I'll get +some boys to help make the room if you want to do it. I wish Gerald +was here, but every time Mr. Robinson <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>invites him to go on the +fishing-tug, he goes. I wish I was him."</p> + +<p>When Betty heard of Billy's plan, she said she didn't know he could +think of anything so nice, and before noon the room was made.</p> + +<p>"It's a fort!" declared Billy.</p> + +<p>"Why, so it is," added Betty. "And to-morrow, Billy, let's play fort, +and I'll ask Lucille and that little girl that plays with her, that +little Marion Struble from Marquette, and Cora and Gay to come and +bring their dolls and play ladies from the settlement seeking safety in +the fort during an Indian war. You may be an Indian chief, you know, +and I don't care how many boys you have for braves. Oh, it will be +loads of fun."</p> + +<p>"Let's do it to-day," suggested Jimmie Brown, the Detroit boy.</p> + +<p>"And scare the girls to death," added one of the green cottage twins.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mercy, boys, that wouldn't do at all! You see, this is to be a +real stylish party to-day, and besides that, I don't s'pose half the +girls that are coming ever played Indian. Why, one time, auntie, Gerald +and Billy and I had an Indian show, and we hadn't any more <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>than begun +when the girls were scared and ran home crying.</p> + +<p>"I wish you boys would please go now and pick about ten bushels of wild +flowers, so we can make the inside of this evergreen fort perfectly +beautiful. See, Aunt Florence, papa made the north wall extra thick +and high, so the wind can't get in. Isn't this the sweetest place for +a party you ever heard of? Of course, we'll be crowded, and of course +we can't stay in it all the time, but that won't hurt anything. Mamma +says we may bring out all the cushions and put them on the board seats. +We'll have the music-box here in the corner."</p> + +<p>Soon the boys returned with arms full of wild flowers. "Powder and shot +for the fort," announced Billy, and the mischief shining in his eyes +alarmed his sister.</p> + +<p>"Now, Billy Grannis," she warned, "don't you dare try any tricks."</p> + +<p>"Of course not," replied Billy, though Jimmie and the green cottage +twins tossed their caps into the air and grinned.</p> + +<p>"They're planning something, auntie," Betty declared, but when the +guests began to arrive she forgot her suspicions.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/088.jpg"> +<img src="images/088_th.jpg" width="350" alt="Watching from behind the north wall of the evergreen fort" /></a></div> + +<p>Alice Swayze came first, dressed in her best white gown. She was from +Kalamazoo. Betty seated her beside the music-box. Two little girls from +Chicago came next, wearing wide blue sashes just alike. Little Belle +Lamond from California straightened her pink sash, felt of the bow on +her pretty dark curls, and acted so vain and silly, four small boys, +who were watching from behind the north wall of the evergreen fort, +almost laughed aloud.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Won't she jump, though?" whispered Billy.</p> + +<p>"You bet," replied Jimmie Brown, "and there comes Nellie Thomas. +She's from Detroit, and is in my sister's room at school. She'll jump +sky-high."</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/089.jpg"> +<img src="images/089_th.jpg" width="350" alt="There was merriment within the evergreen fort" /></a></div> + + +<p>There was merriment within the evergreen fort, as little girls +continued to enter and the tiny space became crowded. When Betty +started the music-box, whispering behind the north wall was no longer +necessary.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It's getting so noisy in there, I'm 'fraid they won't even hear wild +Indians," ventured Jimmie Brown at the top of his voice.</p> + +<p>"Hush," cautioned Billy, "don't talk too loud. Music-boxes and wind and +waves and talking girls sometimes keep still at the same time."</p> + +<p>"Oh, look," exclaimed the twins, "what's coming?"</p> + +<p>"Frenchy and Bud and Buzz and Tony and their little 'dopted sister +Samone," Billy declared, as he began motioning for the new-comers to +creep quietly to the fort.</p> + +<p>'Phonse took the hint, and soon he and his wondering followers were +peering through the evergreen walls.</p> + +<p>"What's going to happen?" demanded 'Phonse, with a grin.</p> + +<p>"Well," explained Billy, "it's a game, only the girls don't know +they're in it. That's a fort, and we're Indians. I'm Minnavavana, the +chief, and the rest of you are my braves. You want to play, of course. +Samone don't count, though, she's only a papoose."</p> + +<p>"But where are your tomahawks, and what's <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>going to happen, I say?" +persisted 'Phonse, as he and his brothers crowded around Billy.</p> + +<p>"Look," said Jimmie Brown, showing the LeBrinn children a firecracker. +"These Indians have guns. Can't you give him a gun, Billy? My pocket's +full of matches."</p> + +<p>"Sure," replied Billy; "you give out the matches. Now listen, you that +don't know the game. We're all Indians, but I'm the chief. You're +just braves. When I nod my head like this, every brave must give an +awful war-whoop. Just screech, boys, yell for all you're worth, and I +will, too, and that same minute fire off your firecrackers and run. +You mustn't even stop to see what the girls do, because then we'll be +caught."</p> + +<p>"You all cut for the woods," 'Phonse warned his brood.</p> + +<p>"Now get in a straight line," commanded Billy, "and look in. I guess +they're all here now, and we mustn't wait long if we expect to have +any fun, because soon's they're all here Betty's going to have them +all go and have games on the porch, and they're coming back here for +'freshments. Watch out there, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>Bud, don't lean too hard. What if the +stockade should tumble in?"</p> + +<p>Unconscious of bright eyes watching, and of the row of grins behind the +fort's north wall, the little girls laughed and gaily chatted.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, without the least warning, blood-curdling sounds filled +the air, accompanied by what seemed to be cannon shots. At the same +instant, the evergreens forming the north wall trembled, shook, fell +in; while screaming girls, frightened almost out of their senses, +struggled to get away.</p> + +<p>Billy tried to run but couldn't. "Wait, boys, wait for me!" he +shouted, but the boys didn't wait, not even for the little Samone, +who cried frantically for help. Billy never heard such an uproar, +quickly followed by screams of terror unlike anything he ever dreamed +of. Turning, he saw what Betty and her little friends that instant +noticed; saw what made the grown folks, rushing across the lawn, white +with fear. Little Samone, trying in vain to free herself from the +evergreens, was on fire. Billy saw the flames reaching for the ragged +sleeve of her calico slip, and knew <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>that he must try to save her. +Betty saw what he meant to do, and tried to stop him.</p> + +<p>"Wait, Billy, wait!" she screamed. "You're too little! Papa is coming! +Wait, oh, Billy, Billy!"</p> + +<p>But the north wind wasn't waiting, and Samone was tiny. Quicker than +a flash, Billy, usually so slow, leaped upon the evergreens, snatched +Samone, and rolled her down the bank into the water.</p> + +<p>When certain braves returned, seeking a lost papoose, they found her +playing with Betty's guests; but the great chief, Minnavavana, whose +hands were a trifle burned, was still sobbing in his mother's arms.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p> + + + + + <h2> CHAPTER VIII.<br /> + + <small>ANTOINE'S BEAR STORIES</small></h2> + + + +<p>Straight into all hearts walked the little Samone. Every one in the +village loved her, and strangers, learning the child's story, had tried +to take her away from Antoine LeBrinn, for Samone was a waif. When +Betty, Billy, and Aunt Florence called at the Frenchman's home, Antoine +received them with scant courtesy. He supposed that Aunt Florence was +one more summer visitor who wanted the child; one more who had come to +tell him that she must not be allowed to grow up in a shanty on the +beach; and, taking Billy one side, Antoine talked angrily, as he spread +his nets to dry.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/095.jpg"> +<img src="images/095_th.jpg" width="103" alt="Samone" /></a></div> + +<p>"Why," remonstrated Billy, "of course, I wouldn't bring any one down +here to get Samone away from you. Auntie is glad you have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> Samone. +She says she's glad of it—only—only—" How could Billy +explain the errand upon which Aunt Florence had come? He did <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>wish +Betty would keep things to herself. Talking to Antoine about drinking +didn't do a bit of good, anyway. Billy was sure of it, and he did wish +Mrs. LeBrinn and the children were home. They were away huckleberrying. +Betty and Aunt Florence were sitting on a log in front of the shanty, +waiting for Antoine to finish spreading his nets.</p> + +<p>"What for your face she get so red, little Beely?" asked Antoine.</p> + +<p>"I was wondering if you would tell us a bear story," replied the little +fellow.</p> + +<p>"Beely, I tole you one bear story, you tell ole Antoine why your aunt +come down to see him."</p> + +<p>Billy hesitated only a minute, and then told Antoine that Aunt Florence +liked his children so well she wanted him to promise not to drink any +more. "I wouldn't have said a word if you hadn't asked me," concluded +Billy, "and now you'll tell us a bear story, won't you?"</p> + +<p>Antoine laughed long and loud before saying: "Beely, you think your +aunt like one bear story?"</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, but what are you laughing at, Antoine?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, I'm think I'm tell one, two, three, four bear story until your +aunt go home, and ole Antoine she laugh."</p> + +<p>"How are you going to begin, Aunt Florence?" asked Betty, as Antoine +and Billy came toward them hand in hand. "They say he won't promise not +to drink; he just will spend every cent he can get when he wants to. +Now what are you going to say?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Betty, I don't know how to begin a bit better than you do, but for +the sake of those five children somebody ought to try to do something +besides laugh at such a man, and I shall try."</p> + +<p>"But, auntie, how will you begin?"</p> + +<p>"You must wait, Betty, and see."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," Antoine began, "but I'm think I'm tell my friend Beely +one bear story. I guess I'm tell you about the white bear. When I'm a +little fellow, not so old as you, Beely, my brother have a pet bear. It +was so high and so big and his colour was brown."</p> + +<p>"Brown," repeated Billy, "I thought you said it was white."</p> + +<p>"Maybe so, maybe so, Beely. Well, we all like the little brown bear but +my ma, and she <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>don't like that bear so much as I like the switch she +always keep on the corner behind the flour barrel. My brother would +have the bear on the house, and my ma scold and scold, because that +bear get into all kind of troubles. He steal lump of sugar and he eat +the codfish, and he help hisself to anything she want.</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, one day my ma hear big noise on what you call the pantry, +and that noise, Beely, was near the flour barrel, and when she go +over to see what was the matter out jump a little white bear. He was +the same little brown bear, Beely, all cover over with flour. My ma +was so mad at that bear she ain't know what to do after he spoil all +that flour. So she grab the broom, and she chase the bear all over the +kitchen. She hit him whack-e-ty whack, Beely, until the poor little +bear was pretty near scare to dead, and the air was all full of flour, +and everything was all tip over and tumble down and upset, and my ma +she look like a crazy woman. By and by she open the door, the little +bear scoot out and climb a tree, and then he sit and look on my mother +while she stand there and scold him.</p> + +<p>"And do you know, Beely, that little pet <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>bear don't want to come on +the house no more. You can't coax him on.</p> + +<p>"And one time, Beely, I have one little coon; he was my own pet. We +catch him when he was a little fellow, and I have to feed him with a +spoon, and when he was big he was chuck full of trick, too. One day, +when my ma she was milking the cow, she turn her head, and my coon she +jump right in the milk. Then my ma gave him a taste of a stick, like +this, Beely, whack, whack, whack. Then my ma say to my pa she won't +have so much wild animal around, and next day I find my little coon +asleep, and he never wake up."</p> + +<p>"He died while he was asleep, did he, Antoine?"</p> + +<p>"Look that way, look that way, Beely. Now I'm tole you about one time +me and my brother start out to find what you call ging-seng; around +here we call it shang."</p> + +<p>"I never heard of it, Antoine, what is it?"</p> + +<p>"It's a root, Beely, the Chinamen want. It used to grow on China, but +now she's all gone. It grows wild on the wood here, and you can get +four and five dollar a pound for it if you know where to send it. You +have <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>to know the wood pretty well, or you ain't know where to find +it. Well, Beely, me and my brother know where there was a good patch +of shang, so one time when we have a week to spare, we start out one +afternoon.</p> + +<p>"Before we have go a half-mile from home, my brother think he forget +something. He go back to get it, and I walk on alone. We intend to +stay all night in old log shanty. It is pretty near dark when I get +there. I wait for my brother. He don't come. I'm pretty hungry, so I +eat my supper, and look around the house where I'm to stay all night. +Well, Beely, there was no door on the house, but that don't scare me. +I am used to the wood, and I don't think nothing going to hurt me. But +before I lay down and before it get dark, I put everything we bring to +eat up on some high place, so the mouse and the squirrel can't get it. +Then I go to sleep."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my, weren't you afraid, Antoine?"</p> + +<p>"What I be afraid of, Beely? I have my gun close beside me. I ain't +know what time it is when I wake up. It is dark, and I think I hear a +noise outside the shanty. Then I hear something walk in. Oh, Beely, +my hair stand <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>on one end, I'm so scare when I hear something go +'sniff—sniff.' I'm so scare I don't dare get my gun, and my teeth +go like this, Beely." Antoine tried to make Betty, Billy, and Aunt +Florence realize how his teeth chattered, accompanying the performance +by gestures that were funny enough.</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, in a moment more I hear something walk, and I know a big +bear has come to see me."</p> + +<p>"Why, Antoine, why didn't you shoot him?"</p> + +<p>"Because, Beely, I'm too scare. I don't dare stir, and, Beely, I'm +think good-bye, Antoine, for the big bear came and pokes me two time +with his nose."</p> + +<p>"Oh, sakes alive, Antoine."</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, it is the truth I tole you. After he give me two poke, +the old bear walk around until he find my can of salmon. Then I hear +him eating and tip over all my things. Then he walk around and around, +and by and by he come and see me again."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Antoine!"</p> + +<p>"But, Beely, you just wait; I tole you one joke on the big bear. He +knock my gun down; <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>he go off biff-bang! At first I'm so scare I'm +think I'm going to die. Then I laugh until I pretty near choke to dead, +for I hear the big bear run off through the wood. And in the morning, +Beely, I find his track,—great, big, black bear track."</p> + +<p>"Tell me another, Antoine, please."</p> + +<p>Antoine, giving Billy a wink, began again before Aunt Florence or Betty +could say a word. "Now, Beely, you know the wood is full of some bear, +and ole Antoine he like to go bear-hunting."</p> + +<p>"Yes, go on, you went hunting, and what happened?"</p> + +<p>"Hold on, Beely, I don't go hunting, I go fishing; that is, Beely, I +start to go fishing, but before I go far I come across a bear track. I +think I never see such a big bear track. It is big like this, Beely, +so I say I will follow the track of the big bear, but first I will go +and get my gun. Then I leave my fish-pole at home, and start out with +my gun, and I am think I am kill the biggest bear you ever hear of. I'm +follow that bear track for one, two, three, four mile. It's a fresh +track, and I'm pretty sure I'm find the bear and shoot <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>him. By and by +I stand still and think what I'm going to do. The big bear she's gone +into one thicket, and, if I went after it, I shall have to crawl in. I +ain't like to do that. I'm a little scare."</p> + +<p>"Well, I should think so. Go on, Antoine; of course, you did crawl in."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Beely, I crawl in and I keep crawling. You see, I think after +awhile I'm going to come out at a clearing. I don't much like to follow +track of one big bear on a place where I can't stand, and by and by I +hear a twig snap, and pretty soon I'm hear another. Then I'm so scare I +keep still a minute. I think maybe I'm going straight to the big bear's +house, and the big bear and his folks will eat me up. When I'm think +that, I'm think I better get back to the road, I think I don't want to +shoot that bear, after all. I'm change my mind and go back to the road +just so quick as I can."</p> + +<p>"And when you got there, what happened, Antoine?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Beely, I go home."</p> + +<p>"And you didn't even see the bear?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No, Beely, and when I'm in that thicket, I'm think I don't want to see +him."</p> + +<p>"Well, Antoine, maybe that's a track story, but I don't call it a bear +story. Now, please tell me a good one 'bout narrow 'scapes. That's the +kind I like."</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, one time when I'm a little boy, my ma send me after the +cows. We have two cows then. Well, I'm just ready to start home with +the cows, when she stand still a minute and look scare to dead. I stand +up on a log, and I think what is the matter, and then I see a big bear +stand up on his hind feet. I don't know how I do anything so quick, but +in a second I jump up on one of those cow, and then they both give a +snort and start down the road lickety-split."</p> + +<p>"And did the bear chase you, Antoine?"</p> + +<p>"I think so, Beely, I don't know. I ain't look back to see. I have all +I can do to hang on my cow. It ain't easy riding, I tole you that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Antoine," remonstrated Billy, "I don't call that a bear story. I +call it a cow story. Now, please, Antoine, tell me a good one. Please +don't laugh; tell me a good, wild <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>bear story, one of your narrow +'scapes. Tell me about the time you caught the little bear last summer. +I like that story."</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, I ain't like to tell you that story pretty good, for +every time I'm think on it I'm scare out of my wit yet."</p> + +<p>"But, Antoine, the bears can't hurt you now; they are all dead."</p> + +<p>"I know that, but I'm think they are going to hurt me that time. Well, +it's just like this: I'm going on the swamp to look at some cedar I'm +going to get out that winter. When I'm come to a little birch ridge +on the swamp, well, I'm going to go across that ridge when I see two +big bear and one little one lay down on front of me about twenty-five +feet away. Well, I'm scare the bear, and the bear scare me. I'm come +up there so quiet they ain't think I'm going to come at all; and I +ain't think I'm going to see any bear there. I'm too scare to run away +and I'm too scare to shoot. You know I'm got my gun with me. You know, +Beely, I'm always got my gun and one little axe when I'm go through the +wood.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm stand there behind one stump; I look on the bear and the +bear look on me. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>The biggest one get up on his hind leg and she show +his teeth and growl. I'm pretty scare, I'm tole you that, Beely, when +I'm see her big teeth. But I'm make up my mind I'm got to shoot that +bear right there, or Antoine don't see Beely no more. Well, I'm take a +rest with my gun on the stump, and take a good aim and shoot. I'm hit +that bear right on the head. She's fall right down on his back, and +growl and kick little bit and die.</p> + +<p>"Well, that scare the little bear, so she's climb up the tree. They +got one more big bear there yet, and I ain't got no more bullet on my +gun, and I ain't got time for load, so I'm climb one little tree pretty +quick, just like one little red squirrel. But I'm take my gun along +with me, so I can load it up there, you know.</p> + +<p>"Well, the bear she's come for me, but I'm load my gun pretty quick. +When the bear she get ready for climb the tree, I'm shoot it, but I +ain't hit it pretty good, and I ain't kill it that time, because just +the same time I'm shoot, the limb what I'm stand on break, and I'm fall +on the ground. I fall right close by the bear. I ain't hurt me very +much, because I ain't fall <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>pretty far, but I'm jump up like a rabbit +and I'm grab my little axe, what I'm got on my belt, just the same time +the bear she jump for me.</p> + +<p>"I'm hurt the bear pretty much when I'm shoot the first time, so she +can't jump quick like me. When the bear she's jump on me, I'm jump +behind one stump and hit him on the head with my axe. But I ain't kill +it first time.</p> + +<p>"I'm run around the stump, and ever time I'm get a chance I'm hit that +bear with my axe, and by and by I'm hit it on the nose and kill the +bear that time. You know, Beely, it's pretty easy to kill a bear when +you hit him right on the nose.</p> + +<p>"Well, Beely, I'm pretty glad I'm kill that bear, but I'm so scare I +sit on that stump and shake and shake and shake just like as if I have +the ague. By and by I'm feel a little better, and I think I'm going to +catch that little bear what's up on the tree, so I'm cut down the tree +and catch the bear; and I'm take off my belt and tie it around his neck +and fetch it home. Then I go back there and skin the two bear, because +the bear she's nice and fat and pretty good to eat that time.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I have that little bear yet, and he do lots of trick. Pretty smart +little fellow, pretty ugly, I tole you that. I'm call him Beely after +my little friend."</p> + +<p>"Oh, let's show him to Aunt Florence," suggested Billy, but Aunt +Florence, for some reason, insisted upon going home.</p> + +<p>"No use for me to try to say anything to him," she remarked to Betty, +as they walked along the bay shore. "I'll give up. I should think that +man would be ashamed when he remembers that little suit I gave 'Phonse."</p> + +<p>"But that's the queer thing about him, auntie," Betty explained; "he +never remembers anything he wants to forget. I like him, though."</p> + +<p>"So do I, far as that goes," agreed Aunt Florence, "but I more than +like that poor little Samone."</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER IX.<br /> + + <small>UNCLE JOHN'S "OLD TIMER"</small></h2> + + + +<p>Betty cried at the station when Aunt Florence went home. Billy felt +like crying, but he wouldn't. Aunt Florence was sorry to leave the +children, and even Gerald felt sad enough as her train disappeared +among the pines, and the whistle sounded at the crossing down the bay +shore.</p> + +<p>"Well, she's gone," was his cheerful remark.</p> + +<p>"But she said she'd come again next summer," Betty sobbed, "and just as +soon as she gets to the city she's going to send me a beautiful doll to +dress for Samone."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps Samone won't be here then," said Gerald.</p> + +<p>"Won't be here! Why not?" asked Betty, wiping her eyes and staring at +the boys.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Well, you know Antoine's been drinking again, and I heard some men +saying if he keeps on they are going to take Samone away from him. +They're going to send her to the House of Correction,—no, I don't +believe that's the name of the place, either, but it is some home for +children that don't belong to anybody."</p> + +<p>"Oh, what will Antoine do?" exclaimed Betty.</p> + +<p>"He'll fight," suggested Billy, "and so I will, too."</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you, boys, what we can do," advised Betty. "You know, it +won't be long now before Uncle John comes to go hunting. Of course, +Aunt Florence will tell him all about Antoine and Samone, and how she +couldn't make him stop drinking, because she didn't know how to begin +talking to him about it. Now, everybody says that if Antoine would make +up his mind to be a different kind of a man, he could, and everybody +likes him, even now, so I'm just going to ask Uncle John to go down to +his house and make him stop. That's a fine plan. Folks always listen to +Uncle John because he's so good-looking."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Uncle John came, he laughed at Betty. "Why, child, I'm not a +temperance lecturer," he protested. "I came up here to hunt deer, not +Frenchmen. Besides that, what's the use of my trying to do what you and +Aunt Florence couldn't?"</p> + +<p>"Aunt Florence didn't half try," answered Betty, "and, of course, I've +never tried at all. I wouldn't dare."</p> + +<p>Again Uncle John laughed. "If you don't dare venture, Betty, let's give +up. What do you say, Billy?"</p> + +<p>"I say, let me go hunting with you," replied the boy.</p> + +<p>"Hunting the Frenchman?"</p> + +<p>"No, hunting deer and bears. Will you take me sometime?"</p> + +<p>Betty turned away much troubled. There was no use of talking to Uncle +John, she could see that plainly. Betty liked Antoine so well she +couldn't understand why every one laughed when anything was said about +trying to make him do right. She knew, too, how dearly the Frenchman +and his family loved the little Samone, and how kind they were to +the child. She also knew what Antoine was beginning <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>to suspect: a +number of men in the village who were interested in Samone, and whose +decisions were always carried out, were talking of sending the little +one to the State School at Coldwater.</p> + +<p>Betty said no more about Antoine to Uncle John, but, while the frost +fairies painted the maple leaves crimson and brightened the borders +of the evergreen woods with many a dash of colour, she listened as +eagerly as Billy and Gerald to all he had to say of forest wonders. +At the same time, down in her heart, Betty was hoping that Uncle John +wouldn't get a deer that season. "If he don't kill a deer," she told +herself, "then the Coldwater school don't get Samone. That's my new +superstition, though I'll never tell even Billy. Some things you must +keep to yourself."</p> + +<p>Those were the days when Billy hated bedtime with all his might. It +always came in the middle of some tale of adventure, often at the point +where Uncle John almost shot a bear.</p> + +<p>Evening after evening, Mr. Larzalere, a neighbour, called to see Uncle +John, and many a tale of the woods he told that made Gerald <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>stare. +Billy often wondered why such great hunters as Mr. Larzalere and his +Uncle John could go forth each day, knowing exactly where to find deer, +and yet return without one.</p> + +<p>"Should think you'd begin to get discouraged," he said at last.</p> + +<p>Uncle John and Mr. Larzalere only smiled at the idea, and advised +Billy to wait. In the meantime, they talked with great enthusiasm +of salt-licks, runways, bucks, does, and fawns, and a certain "Old +Timer" that interested Billy more than anything else that lived in the +woods. The little boy dreamed of the "Old Timer," and one never to be +forgotten morning he saw him.</p> + +<p>Mr. Larzalere had promised to meet Uncle John at the "Big Stone," and +Billy had begged to be taken along. He hadn't the least idea where the +"Big Stone" was, but, from listening to the daily talk of the hunters, +he believed that all the animals in the woods trooped by that enchanted +spot ever day; possibly they formed a procession and marched past. +Mr. Larzalere and Uncle John seemed always to reach the place either +too late or too early to see all that happened. Uncle John told Billy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>that, when he was bigger, he would gladly take him hunting, but little +boys seven years old were too small to think of shooting "Old Timers."</p> + +<p>"But, Uncle John, of course, I don't want to shoot the 'Old Timer,'" +persisted Billy. "I just want to see his big horns, and if you'll let +me go, I'll climb up on the 'Big Stone' and sit right still until you +come after me. You and Mr. Larzalere can leave me there while you hunt."</p> + +<p>"Couldn't think of it, Billy," replied Uncle John. "When Mr. Larzalere +and I drag in the Old Timer, then you'll see him."</p> + +<p>"That isn't the way I want to see him," said Billy to his mother. "I +want to see him while he is alive. I've seen hundreds of dead deer down +to the depot. What I want to see is the 'Old Timer' holding his own +horns high,—high and running fast,—fast as if he was happy and wasn't +afraid of hunters."</p> + +<p>Early the next morning Billy was up and gazing wistfully out-of-doors. +In spite of the rain pelting against the window, Billy wanted to go +hunting, and wondered how his Uncle John could lie in bed and sleep +after daylight. <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>Suddenly the small boy rubbed his eyes and stared. +Across the common, in front of Mr. Larzalere's house, he saw the "Old +Timer." A moment later the deer lifted his wide, spreading horns, stood +quietly gazing toward the house, then came bounding across the common, +pausing a moment at Billy's gate before making a dash for the woods.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I saw him! I saw him!" cried Billy, rushing from window to window, +hoping for another glimpse of the deer.</p> + +<p>In a little while Mr. Larzalere came, calling loudly upon Uncle John +to get his gun and follow the deer. He was wet to the skin, and a more +excited man Billy never saw.</p> + +<p>"Where—where's your gun?" asked Billy. "Uncle John isn't dressed yet; +he says he'll hurry."</p> + +<p>"My gun's at home," explained Mr. Larzalere. "You see that deer was +grazing by the big pine in front of my house, and when I raised the +shade I must have startled him. I told my wife to get my gun quick, but +I didn't dare wait for it, because I didn't want to lose sight of my +deer. Tell your Uncle John to <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>come quick's he can! I'm going back for +my gun!"</p> + +<p>As Mr. Larzalere ran for his gun, Billy flew through the house +shouting: "Gerald! Betty! Selma! Everybody! Get up and see where there +was a deer! Come on quick and I'll show you his tracks out in the sand! +You'll have to hurry if you want to see the tracks, 'cause it's raining +pitchforks!"</p> + +<p>After chasing through the storm for an hour or more, Mr. Larzalere went +home to breakfast, though broiled venison wasn't on the bill of fare.</p> + +<p>Whether dogs drove him out of the woods, or whether the deer overheard +Mr. Larzalere and Uncle John planning his downfall at one of the +meetings by the "Big Stone," and walked into the village to show how +little fear he had of hunters, Billy never knew, and the "Old Timer" +was never again seen in that region. Whereat rejoiced Betty, the +superstitious.</p> + +<p>Soon after, Uncle John went home; but he always declared that he should +have killed the deer had he stayed long enough.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER X.<br /> + + <small>FISHING THROUGH THE ICE</small></h2> + + + +<p>It was Billy who gathered the last bunch of bluebells. He found them +one November morning, their brave, delicate beauty all that remained of +unforgotten blooms. The next day it was winter.</p> + +<p>The boy welcomed the whirling snow, but when the ice began forming +all along the beach, his delight was unbounded. He couldn't pity the +poor sailors as Betty advised; Billy envied them. The last trip of the +season, like the first perilous voyage in the spring, seemed brimming +with possibilities of adventure.</p> + +<p>Morning after morning, Billy ran to the window before he was dressed +to see the waves tossing the broken ice in ridges farther and farther +from the shore. How he longed to try the stretches of clear ice between +the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>ridges! How he longed to go where the waves were dashing against +the crystal wall! He wondered how much higher than his head the spray +leaped toward the sun before it fell in sparkling showers all along the +southern shore as far as the child could see.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the last light-ship had gone into winter quarters, +the last buoy had been taken away, and even Billy understood that +navigating the straits was a perilous undertaking. Whenever a boat +whistled to be reported, the whole family ran to the window to see it +pass, while the fog-horn sounded a farewell, and Billy's father dipped +the stars and stripes in parting salute, to which the boat made answer.</p> + +<p>One steam-barge, the <i>Wallula</i>, was long unaccounted for. She was the +last of the season, as Billy knew. He and Betty watched almost as +anxiously as their father for the belated boat. One afternoon there +came a blinding snow-storm, and for the first time Billy agreed with +Betty in pitying the poor sailors, especially those on the <i>Wallula</i>.</p> + +<p>"Just think of being out in such a storm, with the light-ships all gone +and the buoys all <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span>taken away!" said the little girl. "I don't see how +a boat could help going on the shoals. Don't you ever be a sailor, +Billy, will you?"</p> + +<p>"No," replied Billy, "of course not; I'll be the captain."</p> + +<p>A wonderful sight greeted Billy the following day. As usual he was +up early, and through the east window in the sitting-room he saw the +<i>Wallula</i> frozen fast in the ice not far from shore.</p> + +<p>"Oh, mamma! mamma!" he called. "Here's the big red sun coming right +out of the red, red clouds, and it's shining on the <i>Wallula</i>. And the +icicles! Oh, mamma! Betty! Come and see the icicles shining on all the +ropes. Oh, I must get out there quick."</p> + +<p>As Billy dressed, the sun was swallowed by a cloud so big, so black, +its shadow dimmed the joy shining in his face.</p> + +<p>"Why, mamma!" he shouted, "what a 'normous cloud, and it's spreading +over all the sky. I never saw anything happen so quick before. Did you +ever see such a cloud! It was so heavy it had to go and fall down over +all the sunshine."</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No wonder!" exclaimed Betty, "I should think it would! Look there!"</p> + +<p>"Where? What?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Billy, don't you see? There is Antoine LeBrinn down on the beach +with Samone in his arms, and I know the poor little thing hasn't on +half enough clothes to keep her warm. I don't care how soon they take +her away from him, so there!"</p> + +<p>"Why, Betty!"</p> + +<p>"I don't care, Billy. I'm beginning to feel just the way the rest of +the folks do about that old Antoine. Papa says he don't stick to any +kind of work, and his family are too poor for anything!"</p> + +<p>"I'm going to tell him," Billy threatened; "you see if I don't."</p> + +<p>Late in the morning half the village gathered to watch the tug from +Cheboygan release the <i>Wallula</i> and tow her into safe water. Then +Billy saw more than one man frown, as he noticed the thinly clad child +shivering in the Frenchman's arms. From that time he determined to +compel Betty to tell Antoine he must stop drinking. At first Betty +refused, but finally a new idea came into her mind.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Tell you what we might do, Billy," she said, "we might get up a pledge +for him to sign his name to."</p> + +<p>"What's a pledge?"</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/121.jpg"> +<img src="images/121_th.jpg" width="350" alt="109Betty ... wrote her pledge" /></a></div> + +<p>"Oh, it's something you sign," and Betty, offering no further +explanation, wrote her pledge. Having never seen a temperance pledge, +this was not an easy thing to do. Betty tried many times, and destroyed +nearly all her best tablet before she decided upon the correct form. +All this scribbling she did in the presence of the impatient Billy.</p> + +<p>"Now read it," he begged, when Betty <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>folded several sheets of paper +instead of destroying them.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid you won't understand it, Billy," she said, doubtfully, +"but it means, 'I won't drink any more whiskey and things.' Now listen, +Billy; I'd like to hear how it sounds myself: 'When in the course of +human events it becomes necessary to touch not, taste not, handle not, +look not upon the wine when it is red, give me liberty or give me death +before I ever touch another drop.'"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Betty, that's good; course I understand it. Why, it sounds just +like the Fourth of July last year!"</p> + +<p>"There now, Billy, I shall have to read it all over again if I find out +how it sounds, because that's only the short beginning."</p> + +<p>"Why, Betty, but that's enough! If he signs that and promises that he +won't drink another drop, why, why, that's the place to stop, Betty."</p> + +<p>"I don't know but you're right, Billy, but lawyers put in lots of +words they don't need when they write things, and they never stop when +they get through. You see, I haven't read you the 'whereas' and 'now +therefore' <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>part. I wanted this pledge to sound as if a lawyer made it. +You see, Billy, I know, because I read everything."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," Billy maintained, "you might get him mixed."</p> + +<p>"That's so," admitted Betty.</p> + +<p>"And then, too, Bet, why don't you say 'before I drink another drop—of +whiskey,' in big capital letters."</p> + +<p>"Oh, never, Billy, that would hurt Antoine's feelings. We mustn't even +hint about getting drunk and such things, but I will do as you say +about having a short pledge, and we'll trim it with pictures."</p> + +<p>"Make pictures of bottles and things, Betty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, stop, Billy, I should say not! Birds and flowers will be better, +and won't hurt Antoine's feelings. Don't you understand? Then we'll tie +a red ribbon on it."</p> + +<p>It so happened that Billy's mother, not sharing the children's secret, +wouldn't allow them to visit the Frenchman's home, and it was not until +the ice stretched from shore to shore, and Antoine began his winter +fishing, that their opportunity came. After school one night, <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>they +visited his fish shanty on the frozen straits.</p> + +<p>"Come in," said Antoine, in response to Betty's knock, "come in."</p> + +<p>"Oh, my, what a tiny place!" exclaimed Betty, "and how warm it is! too +warm! Oh, my!"</p> + +<p>"Smells fishy and tarry," added Billy, holding his nose.</p> + +<p>"Hush!" warned Betty, fearing Antoine might be offended.</p> + +<p>"Warm!" repeated the man, laughing heartily; "the preacher she was +here, and I ain't want it to stay, so I make it warm, and she ain't +stay long."</p> + +<p>"Why did the minister come to see you?" asked Betty.</p> + +<p>"Did he come out here to have you tell him fish stories?" Billy +inquired.</p> + +<p>Again Antoine laughed. "No, Beely, the preacher she come out here and +bring one temperance pledge. She say to me, 'Antoine, I'm fisherman, +too. I'm ask you to sign your name on this one paper.' I'm tell that +preacher she make a mistake, and I'm put one, two, three stick of wood +on the stove, and it get <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>too warm pretty quick. The preacher she go +home, and ole Antoine she sign no pledge so long she live, I tole you +that right now."</p> + +<p>Betty looked discouraged, but Billy grinned as he knelt to peer through +the hole in the ice. Both children knew better than to speak of their +pledge.</p> + +<p>With utmost patience Antoine explained to his visitors all he knew +about fishing through the ice.</p> + +<p>"What you think is on the end of that line, Beely, that go into the +water there?"</p> + +<p>"Minnows?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, Beely, no minnow on the winter. On the end that line is one +decoy fish. She's heavy and weighted with lead. We let it down on the +deep water. Then, when we see a fish come after it, we wind the line +with one windlass."</p> + +<p>"Can't you pull in the line?" asked Betty.</p> + +<p>"No, Betty, no, you pull the line, you jerk the decoy fish, and that +won't do. Beely, you turn the crank there and wind the line over the +reel. Now, Betty, kneel on the edge of the opening on the floor and +look down on the water. Can you see one decoy fish?"</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Yes, just as plain as anything."</p> + +<p>"Now you, Beely, turn the crank."</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" cried Betty. "Up comes the little fish, straight, straight +up, just as natural as if it was alive."</p> + +<p>"Now let me see," besought the small boy. "You come, Betty, and turn +the crank."</p> + +<p>"Here, Beely," said Antoine, "you and Betty can both look on the same +time if you squeeze beside her. Fish shanty ain't big like the town +hall?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I should say not," admitted Billy. "Why, isn't it nice, Antoine? +You can sit right still on your box and reach all the walls, can't you? +Oh, that's the way you do it? When you see a fish coming, you just keep +watching him, and then you reach over and turn the crank and wind up +the line, and then the pretend fish comes up higher and higher. But +then, I don't see how you spear the real fish."</p> + +<p>"Well, Betty and Beely, I will show you. You see the decoy fish she +come quiet through the water when we bring it up with a windlass. If +we brought it up with one jerk, our trout would be scare away. Fish no +fool, I <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>tole you that. When my fish come to the top of the water, so +I'm sure of my aim, I send my spear after him."</p> + +<p>"But I should think you would lose the spear," said Billy. "My, it's +heavy!"</p> + +<p>Antoine pointed to the rope which tied the spear to a ring fastened in +the roof.</p> + +<p>"Wish a fish would come along now," said Billy, still gazing into the +depths beneath.</p> + +<p>"We make too much noise, Beely. Betty, you be little squaw and Beely +be Indian, and we'll keep still like the Indian and then I'll show you +one fish. I'm fix the spear so she's all ready, and now watch. Don't +whisper."</p> + +<p>Silently the three peered through the hole in the ice. Betty wished +that her heart wouldn't beat so loud; she feared the fish must hear +its thumping. Several times Billy was compelled to stifle deep sighs, +warned by a look from Antoine. Poor Billy! His knees ached and his +back ached, and it is no wonder the active child kept thinking that he +couldn't endure such a cramped position another moment. It seemed ages +to Betty also before she raised her face with a pleased smile to the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>fisherman and exchanged a glance with the radiant Billy.</p> + +<p>There was a big fish coming straight toward the decoy. The children +had a fine chance to see exactly how a fish swims. Billy held his +breath, as the line was slowly wound over the reel and the decoy came +nearer and nearer the surface. They could see the bright eyes and the +glistening fins of the fish that came after it.</p> + +<p>Just as Antoine reached for his spear, Betty sneezed. Quick as a flash +the fish darted to the bottom of the straits; but it moved no quicker +than Antoine, who motioned for silence. Betty longed to explain that +she couldn't help sneezing, while Billy could scarcely be restrained +from venting his wrath. Under the circumstances, he gave Betty an angry +glance, and ventured to wiggle the least bit before settling himself +for another time of breathless waiting. As for Betty, she could just +manage to keep the tears back, and, when the fish slowly rose from the +bottom of the lake, she didn't see him so clearly as Billy and the +fisherman did.</p> + +<p>That time Antoine speared the fish. Billy not only saw him do it, but +helped pull a big <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>trout through the hole in the ice, and soon he and +Betty were taking turns carrying the treasure home.</p> + +<p>"Dear me," said Betty at last, "I'll never dare say 'pledge' to him +again."</p> + +<p>"I should say not," echoed Billy.</p> + +<p>Upon reaching home, Betty was much distressed when she discovered that +her pledge was lost. "Somebody'll find it, Billy, and tell everybody in +town, and then won't we catch it? Everybody'll be making fun of us."</p> + +<p>Billy tried to be consoling. "They won't know who wrote it, Betty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's the worst of it, Billy. I put my name and your name and the +date and everything on that paper, and I said it was for Mrs. LeBrinn's +Christmas present! Oh, dear!"</p> + +<p>At that very moment, Antoine, alone in his shanty, was reading Betty's +pledge. A curious smile came and went as he read the slip of paper. +When the last gleam of sunlight faded in the west, he locked his shanty +and walked to the village with his load of fish.</p> + +<p>The following morning little 'Phonse Le<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>Brinn came late to school. His +pinched face looked sad and care-worn.</p> + +<p>"Old Antoine was drunk again last night," some one whispered across the +aisle. "He sold his fish before he went home, and spent every cent at +the saloons."</p> + +<p>Billy heard the whisper, and, passing 'Phonse on his way to class, he +left a piece of candy on his desk. It was all he had to offer.</p> + + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + + + + + + <h2>CHAPTER XI.<br /> + + <small>CHRISTMAS EVE</small></h2> + + + +<p>Two things puzzled Billy. One was the letter from Aunt Florence, +in which she hinted at the possibility of visiting Santa Claus on +Christmas Day. Neither Billy's father nor Billy's mother knew what to +think. Mid-winter was not the time to expect company in their part of +the world.</p> + +<p>"It's some kind of a joke, I guess," was Billy's suggestion.</p> + +<p>The second thing that puzzled Billy was the great change that suddenly +came over the LeBrinn family. He wondered if he had anything to do with +it. One day, having overheard a conversation not intended for his ears, +he told 'Phonse that Samone was surely going to be sent to the home at +Coldwater, and advised him to tell his father to "watch out." <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>The next +time Billy met Antoine LeBrinn, Samone was with him.</p> + +<p>"Come here, little Beely," called the Frenchman, "ole Antoine want to +shake hand with you. It's a pretty good little Beely. Samone like Beely +pretty good, I tole you that."</p> + +<p>Antoine then explained to the boy that no one should take Samone away +from him, because he intended keeping her with him all the time, and +from that hour until the day soon after, when Billy saw the little +Samone no more, she was always close beside her father. The particular +thing that puzzled Billy, though, kept half the village guessing. +'Phonse, Buzz, Bud, and Tony came to school just before the holidays +dressed in fine new suits and beaming with smiles. That same afternoon +Billy was in the dry-goods store when Antoine bought a red dress for +his wife and wide red ribbons to trim it with.</p> + +<p>"I tole you the ole lady she look pretty good when he get this on, +Beely," said Antoine, rattling a pocketful of money for Samone's +benefit. The jingle pleased Antoine more than it did the little girl.</p> + +<p>Billy wondered where Antoine got his <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>money, and when he learned that +the Frenchman's own family didn't know, he wondered more than ever.</p> + +<p>For many weeks Antoine had been stage-driver on the evergreen +road,—the winding way across the ice, marked on either side by forest +trees.</p> + +<p>The day before Christmas there was a blizzard. From Billy's home on the +point nothing could be seen but whirling snow. The nearest trees on the +evergreen road were hidden from sight, while the north shore across the +frozen straits seemed for ever lost.</p> + +<p>"Antoine won't go to-day," said Billy; but scarcely were the words +spoken when the sound of sleigh-bells was heard, and Antoine stopped +his horses at the cottage door. He asked for an extra shawl or blanket +for the children, and laughed at the idea of being afraid to make the +trip. When Billy's mother knew that 'Phonse and Samone were in the +sleigh, she begged Antoine to leave them with her.</p> + +<p>"Samone stay with ole Antoine long as he live in Mackinaw," declared +the Frenchman, "and Beely she know that. I ain't leave Sa<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>mone no +more." Antoine went on to explain that he could cross the evergreen +road with his eyes shut, and that there wasn't a bit of danger. He had +positively promised to meet two passengers who were coming from Duluth, +and he was determined to be on time for the train. The children were +comfortable as two kittens, Antoine further insisted, at the same time +declaring that he would be back at noon to help the "old lady" get +ready for Christmas.</p> + +<p>Fumbling in his pocket at the last moment, Antoine drew forth an +envelope, in which he declared was his wife's Christmas present.</p> + +<p>"Tell Beely to take care of it until ole Antoine come back, and, if she +ain't come home no more, give her to the old lady."</p> + +<p>Every hour the storm grew worse, and at noon the marine reporter's +three children listened in vain for the sound of sleigh-bells.</p> + +<p>"Antoine must have decided to stay in St. Ignace, and drive home +to-morrow," said their mother, and the family were of the same opinion.</p> + +<p>All the afternoon the children had the gayest kind of a time. No +thought of the storm <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span>outside disturbed their fun. Gerald, Betty, and +Billy were too accustomed to blizzards to mind their fury. After the +lamps were lighted, they gathered around the piano to sing the familiar +carol they loved so well. That Christmas Eve they sang but one verse:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0"><small>"'Oh, little town of Bethlehem!</small><br /></span> +<span class="i5"><small>How still we see thee lie!</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Above thy deep and dreamless sleep</small><br /></span> +<span class="i5"><small>The silent stars go by;</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>Yet in thy dark street shineth</small><br /></span> +<span class="i5"><small>The everlasting light,</small><br /></span> +<span class="i1"><small>The hopes and fears of all the years</small><br /></span> +<span class="i5"><small>Are met in thee to-night!'"</small><br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The door-bell rang, and Antoine LeBrinn's wife, weeping and wringing +her hands, was ushered into the bright sitting-room. She had waited +all the afternoon for the return of her husband and children, and at +last, leaving Bud and Buzz and Tony with neighbours, had walked to the +village, expecting and dreading to find Antoine at the saloons. No one +having seen him since morning, she was sure that, unless he had reached +the marine reporter's cottage, he was lost on the Straits of Mackinaw, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>and every one knew what that meant. That night the evergreen road was +drifted full, the trees along the way were blown down, and the ice +was a trackless wilderness. Even Billy thought of the air-holes and +shuddered.</p> + +<p>It was the little brother who spoke first, after the sobbing +Frenchwoman had told her story.</p> + +<p>"Papa," he asked, "why don't you go down and telegraph to St. Ignace?"</p> + +<p>"I'll do it, Billy," he answered, and straightway left the cottage. +There was a look on his father's face when he returned that Billy had +never seen before.</p> + +<p>"Antoine left St. Ignace two hours ago," he said to Billy's mother. +"Men have already gone to find him, but it is useless."</p> + +<p>Billy's father went away, and in that dreadful time of waiting the +three children listened to the Frenchwoman's despairing talk. Just that +morning her husband had told where his money came from. The old aunt in +Canada was dead, and had left her farm and all she owned to Antoine. +They had made such happy plans. The little Samone should be a lady, and +the boys would no longer be ragged and half-starved. Christmas Day the +children <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>were to be told the good news, and before the New Year they +would be living in a home of their own in Canada.</p> + +<p>The mention of Christmas reminded Billy of the worn envelope left in +his care.</p> + +<p>"Here," said he, giving it to Mrs. LeBrinn, "he said give you that."</p> + +<p>The woman tore open the envelope and stared at the slip of paper it +contained. She couldn't understand; but the instant Betty saw it she +knew the truth. It was the pledge, with Antoine LeBrinn's name signed +at the bottom.</p> + +<p>For the first time since she entered the cottage, the Frenchwoman +raised her head and looked hopeful. She said Antoine always kept his +word, and, since she knew he had not been drinking that day, unless he +perished in the blizzard, he would find his way home.</p> + +<p>A shout from Billy startled every one in the room. "Why, my dog!" he +fairly screamed. "He is a St. Bernard, and, oh, Mrs. LeBrinn, you know +what St. Bernards are for. He'll find the lost folks!"</p> + +<p>"Billy is right," echoed his mother, as the <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>child ran for the dog. +"Hero will find them, I know."</p> + +<p>Like a flash, the dog darted into the night when he knew what was +expected of him, and there were no more tears shed in the sitting-room. +The curtains in the bay-window were raised, while the three children, +their mother, and Mrs. LeBrinn watched the beacon-fire blazing high at +the beginning of the evergreen road.</p> + +<p>It was growing colder every minute, though the minutes were long. Men +who gave up the search piled timbers on the fire and waited. It was all +they could do. At last Hero bounded toward them, and the faint sound of +sleigh-bells came on the wind.</p> + +<p>Safe was the little Samone,—safe, warm, and sound asleep with 'Phonse. +Neither of the children awoke as they were carried into the cottage and +placed upon the couch; but they opened wondering eyes when Betty and +Gerald and little Billy welcomed their Aunt Florence and their Uncle +John, the passengers for whom Antoine had made that trip to St. Ignace.</p> + +<p>For a few minutes every one, including <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>Hero, talked at the same time, +and nobody listened to what anybody else said until Billy's mother +suggested dinner.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><a href="images/139.jpg"> +<img src="images/139_th.jpg" width="300" alt="Lifting her in his arms" /></a></div> + +<p>"We'll have our Christmas dinner now," she declared.</p> + +<p>"And another one to-morrow, mamma," <span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>added Billy, in a whisper, "unless +Uncle John would rather have venison than turkey. I know one thing, +Antoine's so happy, he won't know what he is eating to-night, and I +feel the same way myself. Aunt Florence looks as if she's pretty glad +to get here, too. I guess we'll have a good time to-night that even +Samone will remember long time after she goes to Canada. We are all +happy, mamma; I 'tole you that.'"</p> + +<p>When Antoine saw the candle-light from the Christmas tree shining upon +his little Samone, he did a queer thing,—lifting her in his arms to +take her in to dinner, he touched her soft curls and said: "It's a good +little Beely."</p> + +<p><br /></p> + +<p class="center"> <small>THE END.</small><br /><br /></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + + + + + <p class="ph3">COSY CORNER SERIES</p> + + + + + +<p>It is the intention of the publishers that this series shall contain +only the very highest and purest literature,—stories that shall not +only appeal to the children themselves, but be appreciated by all +those who feel with them in their joys and sorrows.</p> + +<p>The numerous illustrations in each book are by well-known artists, and +each volume has a separate attractive cover design.</p> + + +<p>Each, 1 vol., 16mo, cloth $0.50<br /><br /></p> + + +<p><i>By ANNIE FELLOWS JOHNSTON</i></p> + +<p> +<big><b>The Little Colonel.</b></big> (Trade Mark.)<br /> +The scene of this story is laid in Kentucky. Its heroine is a small +girl, who is known as the Little Colonel, on account of her fancied +resemblance to an old-school Southern gentleman, whose fine estate and +old family are famous in the region. This old Colonel proves to be the +grandfather of the child.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>The Giant Scissors.</b></big><br /> +This is the story of Joyce and of her adventures in France,—the +wonderful house with the gate of The Giant Scissors, Jules, her little +playmate, Sister Denisa, the cruel Brossard, and her dear Aunt Kate. +Joyce is a great friend of the Little Colonel, and in later volumes +shares with her the delightful experiences of the "House Party" and the +"Holidays."<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Two Little Knights of Kentucky.</b></big><br /> + +<span class="smcap">Who Were the Little Colonel's Neighbors</span>.<br /> + +In this volume the Little Colonel returns to us like an old friend, but +with added grace and charm. She is not, however, the central figure of +the story, that place being taken by the "two little knights."<br /></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p> + + + + +<p> +<big><b>Cicely and Other Stories for Girls.</b></big><br /> + +The readers of Mrs. Johnston's charming juveniles will be glad to learn +of the issue of this volume for young people, written in the author's +sympathetic and entertaining manner.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Aunt 'Liza's Hero and Other Stories.</b></big><br /> + +A collection of six bright little stories, which will appeal to all +boys and most girls.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Big Brother.</b></big><br /> + +A story of two boys. The devotion and care of Steven, himself a small +boy, for his baby brother, is the theme of the simple tale, the pathos +and beauty of which has appealed to so many thousands.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Ole Mammy's Torment.</b></big><br /> + +"Ole Mammy's Torment" has been fitly called "a classic of Southern +life." It relates the haps and mishaps of a small negro lad, and tells +how he was led by love and kindness to a knowledge of the right.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>The Story of Dago.</b></big><br /> + +In this story Mrs. Johnston relates the story of Dago, a pet monkey, +owned jointly by two brothers. Dago tells his own story, and the +account of his haps and mishaps is both interesting and amusing.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>The Quilt That Jack Built.</b></big><br /> + +A pleasant little story of a boy's labor of love, and how it changed +the course of his life many years after it was accomplished. Told in +Mrs. Johnston's usual vein of quaint charm and genuine sincerity.<br /></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p> + + +<p><i>By EDITH ROBINSON</i></p> + +<p> +<big><b>A Little Puritan's First Christmas.</b></big><br /> + +A story of Colonial times in Boston, telling how Christmas was invented +by Betty Sewall, a typical child of the Puritans, aided by her brother +Sam.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Little Daughter of Liberty.</b></big><br /> + +The author's motive for this story is well indicated by a quotation +from her introduction, as follows:</p> + +<p>"One ride is memorable in the early history of the American Revolution, +the well-known ride of Paul Revere. Equally deserving of commendation +is another ride,—untold in verse or story, its records preserved only +in family papers or shadowy legend, the ride of Anthony Severn was no +less historic in its action or memorable in its consequences."<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Loyal Little Maid.</b></big><br /> + +A delightful and interesting story of Revolutionary days, in which the +child heroine, Betsey Schuyler, renders important services to George +Washington.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Little Puritan Rebel.</b></big><br /> + +Like Miss Robinson's successful story of "A Loyal Little Maid," this +is another historical tale of a real girl, during the time when the +gallant Sir Harry Vane was governor of Massachusetts.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Little Puritan Pioneer.</b></big><br /> + +The scene of this story is laid in the Puritan settlement at +Charlestown. The little girl heroine adds another to the list of +favorites so well known to the young people.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Little Puritan Bound Girl.</b></big><br /> + +A story of Boston in Puritan days, which is of great interest to +youthful readers.<br /></p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> + + +<p><i>By OUIDA</i> (<i>Louise de la Ramée</i>)</p> + +<p> +<big><b>A Dog of Flanders:</b></big> <span class="smcap">A Christmas Story.</span><br /> + +Too well and favorably known to require description.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>The Nürnberg Stove.</b></big><br /> + +This beautiful story has never before been published at a popular price.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>A Provence Rose.</b></big><br /> + +A story perfect in sweetness and in grace.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Findelkind.</b></big><br /> + +A charming story about a little Swiss herdsman.<br /></p> + + + +<p><i>By MISS MULOCK</i></p> + +<p> +<big><b>The Little Lame Prince.</b></big><br /> + +A delightful story of a little boy who has many adventures by means of +the magic gifts of his fairy godmother.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Adventures of a Brownie.</b></big><br /> + +The story of a household elf who torments the cook and gardener, but is +a constant joy and delight to the children who love and trust him.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>His Little Mother.</b></big><br /> + +Miss Mulock's short stories for children are a constant source of +delight to them, and "His Little Mother," in this new and attractive +dress, will be welcomed by hosts of youthful readers.<br /></p> + + +<p> +<big><b>Little Sunshine's Holiday.</b></big><br /> + +An attractive story of a summer outing. "Little Sunshine" is another +of those beautiful child-characters for which Miss Mulock is so justly +famous.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44637 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44637-h/images/004.jpg b/44637-h/images/004.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0338c72 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/004.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/004_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/004_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b45b7af --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/004_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/005.jpg b/44637-h/images/005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb9598e --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/005.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/005_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/005_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5425c69 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/005_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/009.jpg b/44637-h/images/009.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c829e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/009.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/009_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/009_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..63597e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/009_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/011.jpg b/44637-h/images/011.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab95886 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/011.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/011_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/011_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9afc9c0 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/011_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/022.jpg b/44637-h/images/022.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..51ddcc5 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/022.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/022_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/022_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7bcf6f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/022_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/046.jpg b/44637-h/images/046.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b565e9e --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/046.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/046_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/046_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0baed03 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/046_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/066.jpg b/44637-h/images/066.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..01c448d --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/066.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/066_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/066_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cfe3f03 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/066_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/088.jpg b/44637-h/images/088.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad27a86 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/088.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/088_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/088_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ffef4e --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/088_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/089.jpg b/44637-h/images/089.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..633aa01 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/089.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/089_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/089_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5670bd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/089_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/095.jpg b/44637-h/images/095.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b77b816 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/095.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/095_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/095_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4df8b16 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/095_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/121.jpg b/44637-h/images/121.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6043513 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/121.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/121_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/121_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3032cc3 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/121_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/139.jpg b/44637-h/images/139.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..00fb809 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/139.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/139_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/139_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7521e5f --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/139_th.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/cover.jpg b/44637-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4bcde27 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/44637-h/images/cover_th.jpg b/44637-h/images/cover_th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..23dfde9 --- /dev/null +++ b/44637-h/images/cover_th.jpg |
