  The summer days which followed were delightful ones. Priscilla reminded Jack of his promise to help her make a garden; so he worked hard, clearing the ground back of the cabin, and spading up beds under her directions. She planted very carefully the seeds given her by Madam Lovemore, and waited impatiently for the first bits of green to appear. “Guess while I’m at it, I’ll make a vegetable garden too,” announced Jack, after he had finished the flower beds. “A bit late, perhaps, but we’ll get something out of it.” “A good idea,” approved DesirÉ. “I’ll help you.” She caught up the rake and followed him to the end of the property. “I love to work out-of-doors,” she said, “and after you get a job I can attend to the vegetables while Prissy takes care of her flowers.” “An’ I ain’t got nuthin’ to take care of,” sighed RenÉ, feeling that he had been left out of all these new plans. “Should you like a garden, darling?” asked DesirÉ, her sympathy immediately aroused by his mournful tones. “No, no old garden. Want a dog to take care of; ’n’ Jack promised me one, too.” DesirÉ glanced up at her older brother who was leaning on his spade figuring out just where he would begin to dig. “You did promise him, Jack, or practically so,” she said. “No chance of being allowed to forget anything in this family,” he smiled. “I’ll see what I can do for you, RenÉ.” The next day Jack went up alone to see Judge Herbine. “Don’t worry if I don’t show up for dinner,” he said to DesirÉ before leaving. “The judge told me yesterday that he had heard of two or three places where I might get a job, and to come up and see him today. I’ll keep going until I’ve investigated all the possibilities.” “All right, dear; and the best of luck.” They had had many talks on the drive to Yarmouth, and on the beach in front of the hut, as to the advisability of remaining in the Godet house. “It’s simply living from hand to month,” Jack had said gravely; “but there seems to be nothing else in sight just now.” “Even so, we’re certainly some better off than we should have been in Sissiboo,” DesirÉ said consolingly. “But what would you do,” suggested Jack, “if somebody came along and wanted the cabin some day?” “Let them have it, if they could prove they owned it; but Judge Herbine seems to think such a thing most unlikely. He said, you know, that they couldn’t get a clear title when that American wanted to buy it. But why, Jack, does somebody want it now?” “No, not that I know of; but one can never tell what might happen. The bus line will run along the main road past our lane this summer, I understand; and some tourist might take a fancy to the little cabin and want to buy it. I suppose if enough money were spent on a search, it might be possible to establish the title; or someone who wanted it badly enough might be willing to take a chance. I don’t mean to worry you unduly, DesirÉ, but we mustn’t get so attached to the place that having to give it up sometime will come as a great shock.” Her brother’s words came back to her mind many times that day as she went about her household tasks. Of course they mightn’t want to live right here always. Jack must finish college, as they planned; but she wanted to go through high school; and after that, the magical trip to the States, where Jack might find his life-work. How many times they had gone over it all! At the rate money had come in so far, however, it would take many years to realize any of these day dreams, to say nothing of all of them. It seemed, no matter how careful she tried to be, to take so much money to feed and clothe them; and if somebody should claim the cabin—well, she’d better not think about that any more just now. Late in the afternoon, when the lane was getting shadowy, the girls and RenÉ were sitting on the broad stone step watching for Jack. The sound of an approaching automobile broke the country stillness, and Judge Herbine’s Ford presently stopped. Jack got out, followed by a big, awkward-looking brown dog. With one wild shriek, RenÉ dashed down the lane and threw his arms around the animal’s neck. The judge waved to the girls, and drove away laughing. “I’ve got a dog! I’ve got a dog!” chanted RenÉ, dragging the big beast toward the house. “He’s perfectly gentle, for all his size,” said Jack in reply to DesirÉ’s questioning look. “But RenÉ, you must be kind to the dog, and never hurt him.” “Where in the world did you get him?” demanded Priscilla, who did not like any dog very well, and especially a big one. “The judge found him somewhere off in the country,” replied Jack, sitting down on the step which was much too low for his long legs. “He is hardly a beauty,” observed DesirÉ, watching RenÉ mauling his new friend. “No, but he’s always been used to children, and the judge thought that a good recommendation. Of course he’s awkward, and probably mischievous; for he’s not yet full grown—” “Don’t tell me he will get bigger!” groaned DesirÉ. “Where shall we ever put him?” “I’ll fix a place; don’t worry about that part of it,” Jack promised, getting up to go into the cabin. The evening was a riot of small boy and dog. With much difficulty they were separated at bedtime; for RenÉ insisted upon his new pal sleeping on the foot of the bed, and wept copiously when the dog was banished. They said he mustn’t ever hurt the dog, he moaned, and here they were hurting him by taking him away! “If you’re going to be unruly over the dog,” said Jack, “I shall take him right back, and you will never have another.” “Jack will fix Rover up all nice somewhere,” promised DesirÉ, “and you’ll see him again in the morning.” Quiet was restored, and after she had gotten RenÉ to bed, DesirÉ went out behind the cabin where Jack was preparing a place for the new member of the family. He had turned on an end the box which had held their belongings while they were on the road, and placed a bit of old carpet in the bottom. “Behold the kennel!” he said proudly, with a wave of the hand. “But will he stay in it?” asked DesirÉ, somewhat doubtfully. “Not without being tied, for a few nights,” replied Jack, running a rope from the dog’s collar through a stout staple on the side of the box. “Then he’ll be used to the place.” “You haven’t told me anything yet about your job prospects,” said DesirÉ rather reproachfully, as they walked around to the front door. “How could I, in all the noise and excitement?” laughed Jack. “Let’s sit out here for a while. Wait a minute; I’ll get a couple of chairs.” He brought out the rocker for his sister, and a straight chair for himself, tilting it back against the side of the house to make it more comfortable. “It’s a great night,” he commented, with a sigh of content. “Just see that moon! Doesn’t it look as if it were stuck in the top of the trees?” “Nights like this ought to make our gardens grow fast,” replied DesirÉ. “Now what about the job?” “Well, I have a temporary one; will last about a week or two; and a promise of a steady one for the rest of the summer. Isn’t that great?” “Certainly is. Where, and what doing?” “You know we heard that there was to be a bus line through this part of the country?” “Yes, but you can’t drive a bus, Jack.” “Hardly; but it seems that the company that is to run it is sending men here from Boston who, though they know how to run busses, know nothing about the country. So I’m to ride around with them, show them the best roads, and tell them local history until they’ve learned the ropes. Of course that won’t take very long, but it’s fair pay while it lasts. They’ll pick me up at the end of the lane here every day.” “Priscilla and RenÉ will be desperately envious of you, I’m afraid.” “Very likely. Maybe before the season is over I’ll be able to take all of you on a little trip, over part of the route at least.” “That would be lovely, but don’t mention it before the children. I feel that if we have any extra money it ought to be put away.” “I suppose you’re right; but I’d like to be able to give you a little pleasure sometimes.” “I know, and I do have pleasure, Jack; and we’ll just look forward to more chance for such things in the future. And about the other job?” “Jim Rutland is going to open a kind of lunch stand in one end of his general store; for tourists, you know. He wants me to run it.” “But why does Jim need anyone? I should think he could attend to both himself.” “He has to be out of the store quite a lot. He sells everything from chickens to farm machinery, has a gas station, and I don’t know what else. He thought his son would stay home and help him out this summer, as he did last; but he had a chance to go to the States, and he’s going.” “Is it much of a job, Jack?” asked DesirÉ, rather doubtfully. “Not so much, but there’s pretty good money in it. He is going to let me have a small commission on the tourist business, aside from a fair salary. Makes it more interesting, and it will do very well indeed until I have an opportunity at something better. It will keep us going until fall—when I can have the mail again—and I hope will give us something to add to the ‘nest egg.’” They fell silent, Jack wondering how he could get something really worth while to do, and DesirÉ racking her brains to think of some way in which she could contribute to their income. “Who’s going to do the baking for the lunch room?” she asked suddenly, “Jim hasn’t a wife or mother, has he?” “No; but why do you want to know?” “I thought I might do it.” “You! You have plenty to do now.” “Not really, dear. The work here is very easy, and Prissy is getting to be quite a help. It wouldn’t be at all hard to bake some cookies and tarts, make sandwiches, and things like that. I could make pies, using wild berries which the children could gather. Oh, if Jim Rutland is willing, say you’ll let me try, Jack. I’ll bet you’d have the most popular lunch room in Nova Scotia! And think what it would mean, with your commission!” “I’ve no doubt of its popularity after people had once tasted the good things you can make.” “I could spread my biscuits with jam, or serve them hot with honey; and, oh, there would be no end to the nice little things, all ready to eat, that you could sell or serve.” DesirÉ’s imagination, fired by her enthusiasm, supplied her with numerous ideas to be put into practice if only Jack wouldn’t object. “Do let me try it, Jack.” “I’m afraid that you would overwork.” “Nonsense. Of course I won’t. I promise to give it up if I feel that it’s too much. But I just love to cook.” “Well, I’ll speak to Jim tomorrow, if I get a chance, and see what his plans are. Meanwhile, I’ve got to be ready to meet the bus at seven-thirty in the morning; so let’s go in.” The big bus stopped at the end of the lane promptly at seven-thirty each morning for a week; then Jack announced one night that tomorrow would be his last day. |
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