'It takes a long time to save forty dollars,' he said.
'Yes,' I said. 'It took me two years.'
'Two years!' he exclaimed.
I saw an outraged look come over the marshal's face. Reaching up, he pushed his hat back. He glanced up and down the street. I heard him mutter, 'There's not a one in that bunch with that kind of grit.'
Picking up my sack, I said, 'Thanks for helping me out. I guess I'd better be heading for home.'
He asked where I lived.
I said, 'Up the river a way.'
'Well, you've got time for a bottle of pop before you go, haven't you?'
I started to say 'No,' but looking at his big friendly smile, I smiled back and said, 'I guess I have.'
Walking into a general store, the marshal went over to a large red box and pulled back the lid. He asked what kind I wanted. I'd never had a bottle of pop in my life, and didn't know what to say.
Seeing my hesitation, he said, 'This strawberry looks pretty good.'
I said that would be fine.
The cool pop felt wonderful to my hot dry throat. My dark little world had brightened up again. I had my pups, and had found a wonderful friend. I knew that the stories I had heard about marshals weren't true. Never again would I be scared when I saw one.
Back out on the street, I shook hands with the marshal, saying as I did, 'If you're ever up in my part of the country come over and see me. You can find our place by asking at my grandfather's store.'
'Store?' he asked. 'Why, the only store upriver is about thirty miles from here.'
'Yes,' I said, 'that's my grandpa's place.'
He asked if I was afoot.
'Yes,' I said.
'You won't make it tonight,' he said. 'Will you?'
'No,' I said. 'I intend to camp out somewhere.'
I saw he was bothered.
'I'll be all right,' I said. 'I'm not scared of the mountains.'
He looked at me and at my pups. Taking off his hat, he scratched his head. Chuckling deep down in his barrel- like chest, he said, 'Yes, I guess you will be all right. Well, good-bye and good luck! If you're ever in town again look me up.'
From far down the street, I looked back. The marshal was still standing where I had left him. He waved his hand. I waved back.
On the outskirts of town, I stopped and picked up a can and my provisions.
I hadn't gone far before I realized that I had undertaken a tough job. The sack became heavier and heavier.
For a while my pups cried and whimpered. They had long since pulled their heads back in the sack. I would peek in at them every once in a while. They were doing all right. Curled up into two little round balls on my bundles, they were fast asleep.
Deep in the heart of the Sparrow Hawk Mountains, night overtook me. There, in a cave with a stream close by, I put up for the night.
Taking my pups and bundles from the gunny sack, I used it to gather leaves to make us a bed. My pups
