The Blue Birds' Winter Nest Part 27

When the Bobolinks reached the house, they found the veranda occupied by the Blue Birds, who sat in a semi-circle about three ladies in rocking chairs--Mrs. Talmage, Aunt Selina, and Mrs. Catlin. The latter had a roll of paper in her lap, and evidently had been explaining something to the audience.

"Oh, boys, you're just in time!" cried Ruth.

"Mrs. Catlin's got her story all written for our magazine, and she was just going to read it," explained Dot.

"May we hear it?" asked Ned, for the Bobolinks.

"Why, certainly. Sit right down on the steps," said Mrs. Catlin.

As soon as the boys were comfortable, she continued:

"I was about seventeen when I read the exciting tales of gold in California and the wealth to be obtained in Seattle--a town that was boomed in a night. I knew my father would never consent to my leaving home, so I said nothing, but p.a.w.ned my watch and ring, drew my savings from the bank, and raised enough money to pay my way West. I worked part of my way, and stole rides on freight cars part of the way, until I found myself in Seattle. I was not particular where I went as long as it was in the West. Well, in Seattle I found that the fever of gold mining in Alaska was reaching a boiling point, and every steamer bound for Sitka was already overloaded, but I managed in some way to steal aboard and hide until the captain could not turn me off. I had to do some awfully dirty work, however, and had very little to eat.

"We arrived at Sitka, and there I spent some more of my money for a pa.s.sage to Juneau City. There I landed with forty dollars left in my pockets. Ten of this was paid out for a hard bed and some scanty food, and I soon feared that I would be left without a cent unless I started somewhere for the gold mines. I heard all kinds of stories about the gold found up on the Yukon River, so I found a shed where outfits were sold, and paid twenty dollars for an outfit that was said to be all I would need. I still had a few dollars left when I started on the road, with my outfit strapped to my back, visions of finding millions of dollars' worth of gold always before my eyes.

"I walked along a trail that seemed to be well traveled, and felt glad to get away from the drink-sodden town. I had tramped for hours, when the outfit began to rub painfully on my back. I was hungry, too, for the food given me at the eating-houses was unfit to eat. In buying my outfit, I added a strip of bacon and a loaf of black bread, so I decided to rest for a bit and have my dinner.

"The country, as far as I could see, was very beautiful, so I sat down beside the trail and dropped my pack. I took out the tiny frying pan and cut some bacon into it. I gathered some sticks, and then tried to light one of the matches that was in the waterproof box, but it merely sputtered and went out. I used so many matches in this way that I became nervous lest the supply give out. Finally I ate my bread and bacon as it was, and was about to strap the outfit together again when I spied a caravan leaving the town several miles beyond the point where I sat. I was so interested in watching the long line, as it lengthened out along the trail, that I forgot how soon night comes down in this country. I had no plans for the night, and expected to go much farther before I struck camp. When the caravan had come halfway the distance from town toward me, I picked up my pack and started on.

"I found the pack dreadfully heavy this time, and had to rest several times. I was thus resting on a large rock when the caravan pa.s.sed me.

"The sledges were piled high with camp equipment. At the end of the line was a c.u.mbersome-looking affair that was covered with canvas and drawn by four horses. A grizzled man drove these horses, and seemed intent upon his job.

"So interested was I in watching them go by that I was startled when one of the men in the sledge called to me:

"'h.e.l.lo, Kid! What are you doing--picking flowers?'

"A number of the men laughed, but the younger one who sat with the man in the sledge shouted: 'Want to join us as far as your road lies? This is no place for a boy to travel alone. Beasts on two and four legs are too powerful about here.'

"I felt an irresistible desire to join them, but they never stopped.

However, taking it for granted that they wanted me or they wouldn't have spoken, I ran after the caravan and tried to keep up with them. The pack grew heavier every moment, and at last I decided to give it up. Just then one of the leading horses of the four stumbled down upon his knees.

"This caused a halt while the driver got down and examined the horse. I had the opportunity that I needed, so I took a deep breath and shouted, at the same time running as fast as my weary legs would carry me.

"'How are you comin'?' asked the driver.

"'Coming!' I cried, so tired I could have wept. 'Why, I've been coming ever since the man asked me.'

"'Some run, eh?' asked the old man, smiling.

"'Didn't they mean it?' I asked, in a tremble lest I be left again.

"'Guess so. Don't believe they gave you another thought. But, now that you're here, you kin sit with me,' said the man gruffly, as I thought, while he rubbed the skinned knee with whale-oil.

"I climbed up and sat in the seat beside the driver. He gathered the reins together and started the horses again before he spoke another word.

"'Kid, I watched you runnin' after this crew, and I jus' said to mysel', "Old Hal, keep an eye on that kid and see what stuff he's made of." I reckon you'll win out, even if this brazen outfit loses. I'm goin' to take a likin' to ye, kid, d'ye hear that!' grinned the old man, as he chirked to the horses.

"I sat still and pondered what he said.

"'Thar ain't many men as kin say that Old Hal the Guide took a likin' to 'em, kid,' he continued, watching the trail where his horses stepped.

"I had overheard the men at the town talking about a guide called 'Old Hal,' and the conjectures as to how much the swell outfit had to pay him to get him to take charge of their expedition.

"I felt unduly elated at hearing the man address me so comradely, and I decided to be as friendly as I could.

"'What's the great hulk under this canvas?' I asked, nodding my head toward the load back of us.

"'Hulk! You're right, sonny, it is a great big hulk. These men from the East think they know a lot about goin' on a expedition like this--they git their learnin' from the books. But I could have saved 'em heaps of money hed they consulted me fust. Now, this pertickler hulk is dead tras.h.!.+ _They_ call 'em canoes, but the fust little jolt one of 'em gits in the end of its nose--down she goes!'

"'Canoes, eh?' I said wonderingly.

"'How many did yeh bring in yer outfit?' asked Hal, nudging me in the ribs.

"'I may have all of those to take care of if you don't watch the horses,' I growled.

"'Right choo are, kid! Did yeh ever hear the verse, "From the mouths of babes, etc."? Guess yeh didn't know I ever read Scripter, did yeh?'

laughed the old man.

"'Guess you don't or you wouldn't joke that way about such a good Book,'

I replied.

"'Right choo are agin, kid! My, but you are a lucky find fer Hal to have. Jus' fancy all the fun we will have durin' the long winter nights,' said the guide, in a conciliatory tone.

"'Hope so! If I ever get the chance to show you that I am thankful for this help, I surely will,' I said, full of grat.i.tude that I was not dragging my feet along the tiresome trail at that very moment.

"'Now, that's the kind of a heart to have--one that kin thank a feller without feelin' 'shamed to show his colors! I see where you and me are goin' to make a fine team!' said Hal.

"After some silence, the old man asked: 'Where'er yeh bound fer, anyway?'

"'Don't know--just going out to find gold,' I said.

"He turned square around and stared at me for a few moments, then gasped: 'Father an' mother dead?'

"I had to gulp hard before I could answer this question, then I said: 'No. Had my own money in the bank, and so I just came.'

"'How fer?' he asked abruptly.

"'All the way from New York state. I worked my way out and worked part of my way on the Seattle boat,' I said, with great pride in my achievement.

"'Why, yeh little fool!' cried the irate guide.

"'What's the matter?'

"'An' I s'pose yeh hev ben payin' fer full board an' keep to yer mother ever sence yeh wuz borned, eh?' scoffed Hal.

"I was silent. I was looking at the matter from a new point of view.