“Don’t you see, children,” I concluded, “that acting on the square is not only right, but that it is always best for us in the end?”
Then I asked, “Merton, what have the Bagley children been doing since they stopped picking raspberries for us?”
“I’m told they’ve been gathering blackberries and huckleberries in the mountains, and selling them.”
“That’s promising. Now I want you to pick out a good-sized watermelon and half a dozen muskmelons, and I’ll leave them at Bagley’s cottage tomorrow night as I go down to the village. In old times they would have stolen our crop; now they shall share in it.”
When I carried the present on the following evening, the children indulged in uncouth cries and gambols over the gift, and Bagley himself was touched.
“I’ll own up ter yer,” he said, “that yer melon patch was sore temptin’ to the young uns, but I tole ’em that I’d thrash ’em if they teched one. Now yer see, youngsters, ye’ve got a man of feelin’ ter deal with, and yer’ve got some melons arter all, and got ’em squar’, too.”
“I hear good accounts of you and your children,” I said, “and I’m glad of it. Save the seeds of these melons and plant a lot for yourself. See here, Bagley, we’ll plow your garden for you this fall, and you can put a better fence around it. If you’ll do this, I’ll share my garden seeds with you next spring, and you can raise enough on that patch of ground to half feed your family.”
“I’ll take yer up,” cried the man, “and there’s my hand on it ag’in.”
“God bless you and Mrs. Durham!” added his wife “We’re now beginning to live like human critters.”
I resumed my journey to the village, feeling that never before had melons been better invested.
The Moodna Creek had now become very low, and not more than half its stony bed was covered with water. At many points, light, active feet could find their way across and not be wet. Junior now had a project on hand, of which he and Merton had often spoken lately. A holiday was given to the boys and they went to work to construct an eel weir and trap. With trousers well rolled up, they selected a point on one side of the creek where the water was deepest, and here they left an open passageway for the current. On each side of this they began to roll large stones, and on these placed smaller ones, raising two long obstructions to the natural flow. These continuous obstructions ran obliquely upstream, directing the main current to the open passage, which was only about two feet wide, with a post on either side, narrowing it still more. In this they placed the trap, a long box made of lath, sufficiently open to let the water run through it, and having a peculiar opening at the upper end where the current began to rush down the narrow passageway. The box rested closely on the gravelly bottom, and was fastened to the posts. Short, close-fitting slats from the bottom and top of the box, at its upper end, sloped inward, till they made a narrow opening. All its other parts were eel-tight. The eels coming down with the current which had been directed toward the entrance of the box, as has been explained, passed into it, and there they would remain. They never had the wit to find the narrow aperture by which they had entered. This turned out to be useful sport, for every morning the boys lifted their trap and took out a goodly number of eels; and when the squirmers were nicely dressed and browned, they proved delicious morsels.
XXXIX
A Trip to the Seashore
In the comparative leisure which the children enjoyed during August, they felt amply repaid for the toil of the previous months. We also managed to secure two great gala days. The first was spent in a trip to the seashore; and this was a momentous event, marred by only one slight drawback. The Mary Powell, a swift steamer, touched every morning at the Maizeville Landing. I learned that, from its wharf, in New York, another steamer started for Coney Island, and came back in time for us to return on the Powell at 3:30 p.m. Thus we could secure a delightful sail down the river and bay, and also have several hours on the beach. My wife and I talked over this little outing, and found that if we took our lunch with us, it would be inexpensive. I saw Mr. Jones, and induced him and his wife, with Junior, to join us. Then the children were told of our plan, and their hurrahs made the old house ring. Now that we were in for it, we proposed no halfway measures. Four plump spring chickens were killed and roasted, and to these were added so many ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs, that I declared that we were provisioned for a week. My wife nodded at Bobsey, and said, “Wait and see!”
Whom do you think we employed to mount guard during our absence? No other than Bagley. Mr. Jones said that it was like asking a wolf to guard the flock, for his prejudices yielded slowly; but I felt sure that this proof of trust would do the man more good than a dozen sermons.
Indeed, he did seem wonderfully pleased with his task, and said, “Ye’ll find I’ve ’arned my dollar when ye git back.”
The children scarcely slept in their glad anticipation, and were up with the sun.
