IV
INDIAN JAKE, THE HALF BREED
As soon as ever Margaret could get them a cup of tea and a snack toeat, David and Andy were to be off upon their voyage to the post. Theywere good boatmen and sailors, both of them, for down on The Labradorevery lad learns the art of sailing early. Often enough they had madethe journey to the post in the small boat. But now they were to beentrusted with the big boat, and with the season's catch of fish ascargo, and they were to purchase the winter's supplies for the house.This was an important mission indeed.
David, as skipper of the big boat, and Andy as crew, therefore felt avast deal of responsibility, when Thomas called them to his bedsideand gave David the final instructions. They were to bring back withthem flour, pork, tea and molasses for the house, and woolen duffle,kersey and moleskin cloth for clothing, besides many little odds andends to be purchased at the store. Then there were verbal messages tobe delivered to Mr. MacCreary, the factor, and to Zeke Hodge, the postservant.
"And tell Mr. MacCreary I may be askin' he for more debt than I beenaskin' for many a year," added Thomas with a tinge of regret, for ithad been his pride to avoid debt. "But tell he I'll pay un. I'll payun all when my leg is mended and I gets about again."
"I'll tell he, sir," said David.
"'Twouldn't be so bad, now, if you had two more years on yourshoulders, Davy, lad," Thomas continued, a little wistfully. "Youcould tend my trail then, and we might get th' money t' send Jamie forthe cure."
"I'm 'most sixteen!" David boasted. "I could tend un now. I _knows_ Icould, an' you'd let me try un."
"You're too young yet, lad," Thomas objected. "You're too young to bealone up there in th' bush, I couldn't rest easy with you up therealone."
"I could try un, _what_ever," persisted David, eagerly.
"I'm not sayin' you couldn't tend th' traps, lad," assured Thomas,with pride. "You'd tend un, and not slight un. But a lad o' your ageis too young t' be reasonable always. You'd take risks on nasty days,and run dangers. No," he added decidedly, "I couldn't think o' lettin'you go alone. If anything were to happen to you I never could resteasy again."
David was plainly disappointed, for he felt the reliance andself-confidence of youth, and the romance and adventure of a winter'sisolation on the far-off trail appealed to him. And in his heartperhaps he resented what he deemed his father's lack of confidence inhim as a woodsman. It is the way of boys the world over to place theirjudgment sometimes above that of their elders.
The two lads ate their snack and drank their tea hurriedly, for theday was none too long, and then, with Doctor Joe to accompany them tothe jetty and see them off with a cheery farewell, they loosed theboat from her moorings and David, with a long sculling oar, worked herdown through The Jug and beyond the Point, where her sails caught thewind. Then David put away the sculling oar, shipped the rudder, andtook the tiller, and turning to Andy he said:
"Since Pop broke his leg I been thinking' wonderful hard, Andy."
"What you been thinkin', Davy?" asked Andy.
"I been thinkin' I've got t' hunt now, _what_ever," announced David."I'm goin' t' ask Pop again t' let me hunt his trail this winter. Hewere sayin' I can't, but somebody _must_ hunt un, and I'm th' only onet' do it. We got t' have fur t' pay for th' cure o' Jamie's eyes, andPop can't hunt, and they's no way t' get un if I don't hunt. If wedon't get un, Jimmie'll go blind, and we _must_ get un, _what_ever.You'll have t' do my work about home and hunt th' meat and feed th'dogs, and get th' wood."
"Pop won't let you go t' Seal Lake alone!" exclaimed Andy, startled byDavid's apparent revolt against his father's decision. "He said youcouldn't!"
"Yes he will. You'll see," declared David. "I has a plan, an' Pop'lllet me go, I'm thinkin', when he hears un. And 'tis th' only chance t'save Jamie from goin' blind. I can't make th' hunt Pop would, but I'lldo my best, and anyway I'm 'most a man. I'll soon be sixteen!"
David, standing in the stern of the boat, drew himself to his fullheight and squared his shoulders, and indeed he was a stalwart lad,and Andy was proud of his big brother.
"You _is_ fine and strong!" said Andy in admiration.
"Aye, that I be," admitted David with no little pride, "and you'refine and strong, too, for your age. You can handle th' dogs and 'tendth' traps about home, and look after things whilst I'm away, and we'llshow Pop and Doctor Joe what _we_ can do."
"And Pop lets you go!" said Andy. "But I'm wonderful afraid, now, hewon't let you go."
"But I has a plan. _You'll_ see," said David with assurance.
"What's your plan, now?" asked Andy.
"'Tis a plan come t' me while Doctor Joe were settin' Pop's leg," saidDavid, "but I weren't tellin' he about un when he speaks of my goin'.I wanted t' find out first. Indian Jake is back in th' Bay, and he'swantin' a place t' hunt on shares because he can't buy his own traps.He's been away two years, and th' Company won't let he have traps ondebt because he's owin' so much there already that he didn't paybefore he goes away. Trowbridge & Gray won't let he have trapsbecause he took his fur away two years ago when he were owin' so much,and didn't try t' clear up any of his debt. Pop's got plenty o' traps,and my plan is t' have Indian Jake hunt along o' me on shares."
"It seems like cheatin' for Indian Jake t' take his fur away when hewere owin' a debt t' th' Company," suggested Andy.
"'Tweren't honest," agreed David, "but he's sayin' now if he has achance he'll pay his debt. It seems hard for he not t' have a chance,and by huntin' on shares along o' me 'twill give he a chance, and'twill help us. Pop will have a third o' Indian Jake's hunt, and he's'most as good a hunter as Pop. Then I'll have some one t' hunt with,and I'll be safe, and Pop won't mind my goin'. All o' my hunt and athird o' Indian Jake's, I'm thinkin', would be 'most as much as Pop'swould ha' been if he hadn't broke his leg. Then Pop and Doctor Joewill sure have th' money t' pay for fixin' Jamie's eyes."
"Oh, I _hopes_ he'll let you go!" exclaimed Andy. "Th' plan _is_fine!"
David's plan was an ambitious one. Thomas had stated that he would bequite too young for another two years to endure the hardship anddanger and isolation of the winter fur trails. But if he could arrangefor Indian Jake to accompany him, his father might consent. Jamie'seyes were at stake, and that was the vital thing. David felt that nosacrifice or risk was too great if they could save Jamie fromblindness, and he hoped that his father would, after consideration,take the same view.
It is rare that even an old, experienced trapper, enters the farLabrador wilderness without a companion, though Thomas, who knew nodanger where he himself was concerned, had usually hunted alone. It isthe custom of trappers to work in pairs, with a central meeting pointwhere at stated intervals, sometimes once a fortnight and sometimes atthe end of each week, they may enjoy each other's society for a day ortwo, and, if necessary, lend each other assistance.
David was aware, however, that at this late season the trappers hadalready gone to their trails, or had already completed theirarrangements for the winter. Therefore he had decided upon making abargain, if possible with Indian Jake, the only hunter in the Bay, sofar as he knew, who had no trail to hunt. It was only under thesecircumstances that he suggested the half breed as his huntingcompanion, for he was a man whom no one trusted. This general lack ofconfidence in Indian Jake might lead his father to refuse to grant hisrequest, but he was determined to do his utmost to induce him to grantit.
Hugely interested, and more or less excited with their project, theboys talked and schemed, until at length the line of whitewashedbuildings of the Hudson's Bay Company's post came into view.
"There's the Post!" exclaimed David. "I hope Indian Jake is stoppin'there yet."
"'Twill be fine, now, if he is, and if he'll go, and Pop lets he haveth' trail t' hunt along with you. The Indian tents are all gone," saidAndy, indicating a long stretch of beach to the eastward of the postwhich had been occupied by Indian camps during the summer.
"Yes," said David, "they mostly goes th' middle of August t' hunt deerbefore th' f
ur hunt begins. We won't see them again till the break-upnext spring, _what_ever."
They were silent for a little, and then David, pointing to the rollingwilderness to the westward remarked:
"It looks fine t' me out there! And think o' th' martens and foxes andlynx! It's full o' fur, Andy, waitin' t' be trapped, and if Pop letsme go, I can trap _some_ of un, _what_ever!"
"There's Indian Jake! See him? The lanky one!" exclaimed Andy, as theboat drew near the wharf and four men came out of one of the buildingsand down the wharf to meet them.
"Sure 'tis he! And there's Uncle Ben Rudder and Hiram Muggs, alongwith Zeke Hodge! They must be gettin' their winter outfit. I'mwonderful glad Indian Jake's here!" exclaimed David.
Zeke Hodge, the Company's servant, with the assistance of the three,quickly unloaded the boat.
"Where's your pop? Makin' ready for th' winter huntin'?" asked Zeke,as the boys came ashore after discharging the cargo and making theboat fast.
"He broke his leg this mornin' whilst we were loadin' th' boat," saidDavid. "Doctor Joe was there and fixed un, but Pop won't be out o' bedfor five or six weeks, _what_ever, and won't be strong to go t' th'huntin' th' whole winter."
"Good gracious! Good gracious! Dear eyes!" exclaimed Uncle Ben Rudder,a grizzled, stockily-built old trapper of sixty years or thereabouts."Broke his leg! Tom Angus went, now, and broke his leg, did you say?"
"Aye, Uncle Ben, broke un clear off, but she's fixed good and proper,and Doctor Joe says she'll heal fine," David explained.
Zeke, and Hiram Muggs and Indian Jake all declared it was "too bad,and a sore misfortune, just at th' beginnin' o' th' huntin' season,"and Uncle Ben exclaimed:
"Tom Angus broke his leg! Dear eyes! But Doctor Joe'll fix un! Goodgracious, yes! He'll fix un! He's a wonderful man, now, is DoctorJoe!"
"Too bad he can't hunt," remarked Indian Jake. "His trail up on SealLake is one o' th' best in th' country. Too bad t' let it stand idle."
"Hum-m-m!" grunted Uncle Ben.
"'Tis a fine trail," agreed David, "and Pop makes fine hunts on it."
"He might let some one hunt it on shares?" suggested Indian Jake.
"Tom Angus won't need much help in decidin' whether he wants his trailhunted on shares or no," Uncle Ben broke in with some asperity. "TomAngus is a great man t' decide for himself what he's wantin', and whathe's not wantin'. Good gracious! Tom Angus can decide for himself!"
With this outburst Uncle Ben followed Zeke and Hiram into Zeke'scabin, in response to Zeke's suggestion that "supper was 'most readyand they might as well go in," but Indian Jake tarried behind withDavid and Andy.
Indian Jake, the half-breed, was not a native of the Bay. He hadappeared here first some five years before, coming from "somewheresouth," and after trapping in the vicinity for three seasons,disappeared. During this time, as David had explained to Andy, he hadcontracted a debt, and when he left he took with him furs which shouldrightfully have been used in discharging it. Now after two years hehad returned, to remain permanently, as he stated, in the Bay.
He was a tall, muscular fellow, with the dark red skin, straight blackhair and swinging stride of the Indian. A pair of keen, restless blackeyes and a beaked nose, suggested the hawk. His features, however,were not those of an Indian, and plainly indicated a mixed ancestry.
"I'd like t' hunt your father's trail on shares," suggested IndianJake, when he was alone with David and Andy.
"Pop's got two trails up at Seal Lake," said David. "I knows his oldtrail, and I were thinkin' t' hunt she myself if Pop lets me, and I'mnot doubtin' he would if some one were along with me huntin' th' newtrail. He's got all th' traps for th' new trail. I were goin' t' askyou t' speak to he about un, Jake."
"I'd like t' hunt with ye, Davy. I think we'd get along fine," saidIndian Jake, smiling down ingratiatingly at David, and Indian Jake hada bland and pleasant smile when he chose, in spite of his beaked noseand hawk's eyes.
And so it came about that Indian Jake went to The Jug the next daywith David and Andy. And because there was such urgent need of money,and also because David pleaded so hard, and Indian Jake was so good atrapper--for no one doubted his ability--it was decided that not onlyDavid, but Andy also, should go with Indian Jake to Seal Lake for thewinter, as we shall presently see.
The boys were pleased beyond measure, for now each felt he was intruth to take a man's place and do his part in earnest, and they werequite sure that the problem of getting the money to pay the expense ofcuring Jamie's eyes was solved. And perhaps, too, they were pleasedwith the promise of adventure, for every red-blooded boy lovesadventure; and to be buried in the depths of the great wilderness formany months, with no other companion than Indian Jake, was adventurein itself. And, indeed, there was to be plenty of it for both ofthem, and of hardships, too.
"Then you'll be goin' home with Andy and me tomorrow to ask Pop?"inquired David expectantly.
"Yes," said Indian Jake, with undoubted satisfaction. "I'll go backwith you."
David could scarce suppress his excitement, but neither he nor Andynor Indian Jake himself thought best to refer to the arrangement when,a moment later, they followed the others into Zeke Hodge's cabin. Teawas ready, and they drew up to the table with Zeke and Hiram and UncleBen.
In the center of the clean-scoured, uncovered table was a big,steaming dish of stewed porcupine and doughboys, and at either end aplate piled high with huge slices of bread, and when Zeke had askedthe blessing, Mrs. Hodge and Kate, her fifteen-year-old daughter,poured tea and otherwise served the men while they ate.
"Porcupine! Dear eyes! Porcupine!" exclaimed Uncle Ben, helpinghimself generously. "Where'd ye get un, Zeke? They're wonderful scarcethese days. _Wonderful_ scarce! I ain't seen one since last spring."
"Right back here in th' green-woods," said Zeke. "I heard th' dogsyelpin' this mornin'; and I goes t' see what 'tis all about. There satth' porcupine hunched up, and th' old dogs in a circle around he,doin' th' yelpin', and two of th' young dogs pawin' at their noses andwhinin', with their mouths full o' quills."
"Huh-huh," chuckled Uncle Ben. "Th' old uns knew enough t' keep awayfrom danger. They'd been there theirselves, or seen them that had, andth' young dogs had t' get hurt t' learn enough t' leave dangerousthings alone."
"It took me an hour t' pull th' quills out o' their noses and mouthswith a pair of pincers," said Zeke. "They'll know enough t' giveporcupines room after this."
"Some folks is like porcupines," observed Uncle Ben, glancing atIndian Jake, who seemed quite unconscious of the thrust. "It's bestnot t' have any dealin's with un."
David and Andy were too full of their plans, and too hungry, and welloccupied with the toothsome dish, to heed Uncle Ben's suggestion. Andthough many times that evening, while the men sat smoking their pipesand talking about this and that, Uncle Ben made blunt and cuttingremarks that were aimed at Indian Jake's character and honesty, thehalf-breed kept his temper and silence, with a remarkable display ofself-control. Once or twice, to be sure, a sneering smile stole uponhis face. It might have been that he held the esteem of the others infine contempt, or possibly he awaited a better opportunity foraccounting and revenge.
But so far as David and Andy were concerned, they were thinking onlyof Indian Jake's ability as a trapper, and were quite transported bythe belief that they had already solved the problems of the future.With Indian Jake's help they were well satisfied the money would beearned to pay for Jamie's cure. It only remained to gain theirfather's consent to David's plan. They were optimists. They believedthat what they wished to be, would be, if they did their best to maketheir wishes realized. Only experience can teach that the best laidplans sometimes fail.