CHAPTER VII
HOME FOR THANKSGIVING
"Hurrah! It's stopped snowing!" exclaimed Ned as he looked out of thelittle window on the second floor of the cabin the next morning. "Maybewe can get home for Thanksgiving!"
"I hope so," Bart answered. "The folks will be worried. Wonder if Jim iswaiting for us?"
"Not much! Jim's too fond of his comfort to come out in such weather,"said Frank.
The boys found the widow had breakfast ready for them. She told themtheir best plan would be to go to Kirkville, which could be reached bythe road leading from the cabin. From that village it was seven miles toDarewell.
"It's going to be a long pull," remarked Ned. "But I guess we can makeit."
"Let's go out and see how the snow is," suggested Bart.
They found though it was quite deep it was dry and soft so that trampingthrough it, and pulling the sled, would not be so great an exertion asit otherwise would have been.
"We'll have to take it easy, and we may get home in time for dinner,"said Frank. "Pity, though, we can't have some of our own game cooked forthe feast, but we'll not arrive in time."
"I think we'll leave most of it with her. What do you say?" asked Bart,and he nodded toward the cabin, outside of which the boys stood.
"Sure thing!" exclaimed Fenn. "I wish we could find her son for her."
"Maybe we can, some day," remarked Ned. "But we'd better go in tobreakfast and then get started."
"I hardly feel like taking all this," Mrs. Perry said as she looked atthe rabbits and turkeys the boys left. They had reserved a turkey andsome rabbits each but left all the rest. "It hardly seems right," sheadded.
"Why it's no more than we owe you," said Bart quickly. "We never couldhave stayed all night out in that blizzard in our tent. I don't knowwhat we would have done if it hadn't been that we saw your house."
"I only wish I had had better accommodations to offer you," the widowsaid. "But we have nothing except what charity gives us. In the springJane hopes to get a place to work."
"Perhaps we could help you," suggested Ned. "My father knows a numberof business men and he might get Jane a place in a store."
"Oh, if he only would!" exclaimed the girl. "I do so want to helpmother. I must take Willie's place--until he comes back," she added alittle sadly.
"My poor boy," Mrs. Perry exclaimed with a sigh. "I wonder if he willhave as nice a Thanksgiving dinner as we will, thanks to the generosityof you boys."
"We'll hope so," said Fenn. "So you haven't any idea where he is?"
"Not the least. He used to say he wanted to see New York, as I supposeall boys do. But I hardly believe he is there. I wish I knew where hewas. He should come home, pride or not, no matter if he hasn't a cent."
"New York," murmured Ned. "I expect to go there soon. I might seeWillie."
"Oh! If you only could!" exclaimed Jane. "Tell him to come home at once.You can easily recognize him. He has a little red scar on his rightcheek. He fell and cut himself on a stone when he was a baby."
"New York is a big place," said Mrs. Perry. "You are not very likely tosee my boy. But if you should--tell him his mother prays for him--everynight!" and, unable to keep her feelings in control the widow burst intotears.
It was rather an awkward moment for the boys, but little Mary saved theday.
"I'm going to New York!" she exclaimed. "I'm goin' right now with thesenice boys. They can pull me on their sled!" and she ran to get herbonnet and cloak.
This raised a laugh, and Mrs. Perry recovered her composure.
"Not now, dear," she said. "Sometime, maybe," and she smiled through hertears.
"Well, we must be going," remarked Fenn. "We're ever so much obliged toyou."
"Indeed, I am in your debt," the widow replied. "If you are ever outthis way again come and see us."
"We will!" the boys cried as they put on their things and started offwith the sled. It was lighter now that the load of camp food and much ofthe game was off, though the boys found it heavy enough before they hadgone a couple of miles. But they were determined to reach home as soonas possible and kept on.
"Pretty tough, eh?" remarked Ned, after a silence of several minutes, ashe nodded back in the direction of the cabin.
"You're right," replied Bart. "Glad we could do something to help 'em."
The boys found, on inquiring from a farmer they met, that, by taking ashort cut through the woods, they could get on the road to Darewellwithout going to Kirkville. This would save them a mile, and, thoughthey might be able to hire a horse and wagon in the village, theythought it better to take the short cut.
They were just turning from the woods into the highway that led toDarewell, which was about five miles away, when they heard the jingle ofsleigh bells back of them. Turning they saw coming along a big sleddrawn by two horses. A boy was on the seat.
"Here's a chance for a ride!" exclaimed Ned. "We're in luck. We canoffer to pay him to take us home."
They waited until the sled was close to them and hailed the driver. Heturned and they saw it was their old enemy, Sandy Merton. Sandy had beenemployed by the men in the secret which the four boys were instrumentalin bringing to disclosure, but had lost his position and gone to workfor a farmer.
"Oh, it's you, eh?" asked Sandy with a sneer, as he saw the four chums.
There was a moment's hesitation among them. They did not relish the ideaof asking him for a ride. But still less did they like the thought ofpulling their heavy sled five miles.
"Look here, Sandy!" exclaimed Ned. "This is a strict businessproposition. Will you drive us to Darewell for four dollars, and takeour sled? That's a dollar apiece, and it's more than livery prices.We're not asking you out of friendship."
"No, and I guess you'd better not!" exclaimed Sandy. "Not the way youacted toward me!"
"We never injured you in any way!" said Bart. "But we're not going todiscuss that now. Will you give us a lift for money, or won't you?"
"Well I won't, and that's my answer!" cried Sandy, in sudden andunreasonable rage. "You fellows think you're mighty smart. But thistime is where I've got the upper hand. I wouldn't take you to Darewellfor ten dollars apiece. You can go off hunting and enjoy yourself whileother folks work. Then because you get lost in the woods you thinkevery one you meet has got to give you a ride. Not much! You can walkto Darewell!" And whipping up his horses Sandy drove on, laughingloudly at the predicament of the chums.
"Might have known better than to ask him," murmured Ned. "Well,fellows, I guess we'll have to walk."
It was easier traveling in the road than through the woods and acrossthe fields, but still it was hard work. However, they managed to get alift from a farmer when they were within a mile of town. They hitchedtheir sled to the back of his sleigh and the man obligingly took themto Bart's house.
"Oh! There are the boys!" exclaimed Alice as she looked from the window."Look, Jennie, they have some game. I can see the turkey feathers!" sheadded to her friend, who had called.
"Here we are!" cried Bart, as his sister and her chum came running downthe front walk. "Just in time for dinner!"
Bart wanted his chums to come into his house, but they were in a hurryto tell their folks of their safe arrival, so, shouldering their guns,and dividing the game, the boys separated.