On schedule time

Chapter I

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

“That finishes our portion of the work,” Philip Ainsworth said as he wiped the perspiration from his face and looked with satisfaction at the neatly packed and well-secured camp equipage piled high upon the baggage wagon. “ If Aunt Lois and the girls have done their tasks as well, there’s no question but we can leave here on schedule time to-morrow morning.”

“ There’s a question in my mind as to whether that load can be packed again in the same compass,” Phil’s cousin, Dick Fullerton, said musingly. “ It must weigh at least half a ton.”

“Not more than that, and it won’t be a heavy load for so stout a horse as Jack.”

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“ 1 suppose he can pull it readily enough ; but it’s so bulky I’m afraid it will be difficult to get everything back into the wagon.”

66 Practice will make us perfect, and I count on our being able to do it very easily two weeks from to-day.”

“ Do you know, Phil, I can hardly realize we are on the eve of such a trip as we anticipate.”

“ One day’s work setting up tents, grooming horses and carrying water, will soon convince you of that fact.”

“ When your letter came, stating that uncle was willing you and Gladys should spend the month of October among the hills and lakes of Maine, regularly camping out, it seemed about as improbable as anything to be found in the ‘ Arabian Nights.’ ”

“Yet you and Alice did not waste much time in coming here to Bangor.”

“ I thought if uncle was in the humor it would not be wise to loiter too long, lest he might change his mind. When Alice and I spoke about it to mother, she said she could understand why Uncle Ainsworth should be

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

willing for his children to go on such a jaunt, because, being interested in lumbering operations, he knew thoroughly the country over which they would travel, and has had a good bit of experience himself. But why Aunt Lois Hammatt, a woman whom I would as soon suspect of meditating a trip to the moon as of being willing to live in a canvas tent during the month of October, and camping in the woods at that, should agree to go, surprised us all. Why, she is afraid of a mouse when she comes to our home, and believes she literally takes her life in her hands while crossing a city street if there is a vehicle to be seen in either direction. Now she proposes to rough it with us !”

“ Well, you see it was necessary some one should go to look out for the girls, and she offered herself as the victim. I believe that every hour since the trip was decided upon she has added some different powder or pill to her medicine chest, and now has nearly everything that can be thought of, from quinine to peppermint. I tried to prevent her laying in a store of ointment warranted to keep black flies at a

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distance by telling her we shouldn’t see any insects of the kind at this season of the year ; but, looking ahead for trouble as she always is, she decided it was better to carry it than to be deprived of it in case anything of the sort should be needed. But say, this is quick work ! You arrived on the morning train, and in considerably less than twelve hours we are ready for the journey.”

u Yes, thanks to the fact that you had everything prepared. I don’t even know of what the outfit consists, save that there are so many bags and packages. ”

“ You will become better acquainted with the contents of that wagon by this time to-morrow. When the first halt is' made we shall put up a tent for the horses, another for Aunt Lois and the girls, and a third for ourselves, which last I propose shall also answer as cook-tent. The folding boat you have seen. The cameras will be carried in the surrey, for I don’t think it safe to pack them among such a cargo as this. The cooking utensils are the same I used last year ; and the provisions — well, you know about what

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

they should he, and I don’t think there is anything lacking.”

“ Where do you intend to stop to-morrow night ?”

“ Probably at Milo. According to the programme I have laid out, which shall be submitted to all hands later, the first long stop will be made at Schoodic Lake, which is situated about seven miles north of Milo.”

“ Phil, father wants to see you in his room,” and Gladys Ainsworth appeared in the doorway with something very like a mournful expression on her face.

“ What is the matter?” Phil asked quickly. “ Anything wrong ?”

“ I don’t know, but am afraid there is. From what I heard him say to mother, it seems as if something had happened to prevent our going away to-morrow morning.”

“ To prevent it !” Phil cried in dismay, and Dick started to his feet in alarm. “ If anything of that kind happens we can set it down as Aunt Lois’ fault. I suspected she didn’t want to make this trip !’ ’

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“ But it isn’t Aunt Lois this time, Phil — indeed it isn’t. It’s something in regard to business. Father has gone to bed sick, and—”

4 4 Why, I saw him go down-town this afternoon.”

“ Yes ; but he came back half an hour ago, and went at once to his room. He wants to see you immediately. ”

“ But it doesn’t seem possible uncle could have grown ill so suddenly that it is necessary to put an end to the excursion,” Dick said, half to himself.

“I don’t understand what the trouble is. Something happened, that is evident. If Phil will go and see father there’ll be no need of our standing here speculating.”

Phil acted upon the suggestion by disappearing within the house, and Gladys and her cousin Dick discussed in mournful tones the possibility of an untimely ending of the projected pleasure trip even before it was begun.

While these disappointed ones were trying to conjecture the possible cause of the threatened disappointment, Aunt Lois came into the yard in a high state of excitement.

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

This mental condition was nothing surprising, for Aunt Lois’ tiny body often quivered with excitement under circumstances which would have seemed commonplace to the majority of people.

u I shall go with the party, Gladys, now that I have made up my mind, regardless of what your father and mother may say. It was a long time before I would consent to undertake what seemed such a perilous journey ; but once the decision has been made, I shall carry out my portion of the plan unless positive dangers bar my way.”

“ What is it, Aunt Lois ? What has happened to prevent our excursion to the lakes, and why do you speak as if some might go, while others will be forced to remain ?”

“ Well, you see, your father being sick prevents him from attending to his business in the woods.”

“ Mother didn’t say he was dangerously ill.”

“ Of course not, child, because he isn’t. He is simply worn out by the excitement of the

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lawsuit and the disappointment of having lost what he considered a just cause.”

“ But how does that affect us, Aunt Lois ?” Dick asked in bewilderment.

“ How does it ? Why, if your uncle can’t go to this township, such a number, range something — I’ve forgotten what — what’s to be done ? He says it will be a jaunt that neither the girls nor I should undertake.”

“ Are the boys to go ?” Gladys asked.

“ Of course. Benner must be warned, otherwise it might cause very serious trouble for your father. ’ ’

“ Benner must be warned !” Gladys repeated. “Now, Aunt Lois, we don’t understand anything, and you evidently do. Why not explain ?”

“ Bless you, child, I have explained. Didn’t I tell you that, since your father can’t go and there is no possibility of sending word by any other means, it is all that can be done. I am sure it will be very terrible ; but everything has been made ready for the excursion, so why should any one remain at home ?’ ’

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

“ That is what I can’t understand,” Gladys replied, with a long-drawn sigh. “ It is evident you are too much excited to explain.”

“ Aunt Lois can quiet herself without further delay,” Phil cried as he came from the house, looking anything rather than sorrowful. “ The excursion will not be delayed, but the purpose of it is to be changed very decidedly. I’ll go into full particulars for Dick’s benefit, since he is not supposed to be well informed on father’s affairs. He owns, or thought he did, the right to cut timber in Township Eight, Range Fourteen. A dispute arose regarding the ownership, and this afternoon the case was decided against him. How, it seems that Benner, who has charge of the business, went into the woods in September with a gang of men under instructions to begin operations promptly on the seventeenth of this month — that is to say, exactly six days from to-day. Since it has been decided that father has no right to cut timber there, it would be a very serious matter — perhaps contempt of court — for his men to begin work. Therefore it is necessary Benner should be

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warned, and there is no means of reaching him except by private messenger. He is to take timber from a different locality, and father desires that the spot decided upon shall remain a secret — for a while at least — lest further complications ensue. Being unable to go himself — not that he is really sick, but simply unfitted for the journey — he proposes Dick and I act as his messengers.”

“ A very simple affair, it seems to be,” Dick said, in a tone of satisfaction. “ I had as soon go through to this lumbering camp within the time set as to spend that number of days hunting and fishing, for probably we shall find plenty of game up there . 5 ’

“No question about it. The only drawback is that we must do it in six days ; and it will be no easy matter, if anything should happen to delay us even for a few hours. Father has made out a schedule, according to which we are to drive the first day to Milo, thirty-five miles from here. That can easily be done, because the roads are good. From there we are to go to the Joe Mary Lakes, which will give us twenty miles of

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

very bad travelling. The third day we are to make the West Branch, and there ford — a journey of eighteen miles over about as rough a country as you will care to see, and a hard day’s work. Then thirty miles from the ford to Chamberlain Lake. From this last point we are to make our way as best we can to Township Eight, Range Fourteen, a distance of twenty miles, leaving us the sixth day in which to find the men at the upper end of the township.”

“ But, Philip, I decided I would go with you in order to take care of the girls, and I see no reason why the proposed excursion should be abandoned, even though you are forced to make such a hurried journey.”

“ Father thought that having you with us might cause delay ; but he is willing you and the girls should go, providing we promise to leave you at any point where we find it impossible to proceed with the entire party as fast as we could alone.”

“ Leave us, Philip ! Do you mean to say your father, who is my brother as well, is willing that his sister, his niece, and his daughter shall be

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abandoned in the wild, wild woods, to be eaten by ravening wolves or torn to pieces by malicious bears ?”

“ He didn’t propose that anything of the kind should happen, Aunt Lois,” Phil replied with a laugh. “ His idea was that we would put up the tents, leaving you and the girls in them for a day or two without fear of wolves or of bears. There could be no danger, Aunt Lois.”

“ I am positive you are mistaken, Philip, for when I was a girl 1 read in the papers an account of wolves dragging a stage-driver from his seat and very nearly devouring him, only sparing two of his limbs, which could be of no benefit to the poor man after the remainder of his body had been eaten.”

“ But that happened a great many years ago, Aunt Lois,” Phil replied, as soon as he could smother the laughter which beset him, “and wolves are not as plentiful in this State as they were then. However, if you object to that portion of the plan, Dick and I must set out alone.”

“ I may object, Philip, but I shall not recede from the decision 1 arrived at before we wrote

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

to your cousins. I am quite certain you are mistaken in regard to the scarcity of wolves in that section, and feel positive we shall incur great danger ; yet at the same time it is my duty to do as I promised, since, if I should reconsider my determination, it would prevent Gladys and Alice from accompanying you.”

“ You’re a dandy, that’s what you are, Aunt Lois !” Dick exclaimed emphatically. “ This attempting to travel a certain distance on schedule time only makes the excursion more pleasing ; and if the girls are to go with us, why, hurrah for Township Fourteen, Range Eightyone !”

“ It is Township Eight, Range Fourteen,” Phil interrupted.

“ Never mind the figures, so long as we are bound on a mission which necessitates our getting through in six days. Now what’s to be done ?”

“ Nothing, except go to bed in order that we may be up before daylight to see if Jack and Bessie are properly cared for. You agreed to ride on the baggage wagon, and, of course, this

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change in our programme does not affect the order of travelling.”

“ Not in the slightest, although I’ve had no experience as a driver.”

“ There’ll be little to do save hold the reins. Old Jack will follow anywhere Bessie leads. How suppose we bottle up as much sleep as possible. Father is to send written instructions to Benner, and promises to have them ready before we start.”

Dick was willing to act upon his cousin’s suggestion ; but wooing slumber at this unusual hour, and with so much to occupy his thoughts, was not an easy matter.

“ It’s no use for me to try to sleep now ; and unless you feel differently inclined, Phil, suppose you tell me why Benner went into the woods last month, if he hasn’t gone to work yet?”

“ It takes quite a while to get ready for operations.”

“ In what way? Doesn’t he simply go in and chop down the trees ?”

“ Not exactly, at first. There is a great deal

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of preparatory work to be done. Father employs a hundred and twenty men and fifty-five horses. They must have camps and stables, roads made, provisions for the men and feed for the horses to last the entire winter, for after the snow comes it is very often difficult, if not impossible, to get into the camp from the outer world. When Benner started in, in September, he knew the locality where he was to work ; but it was necessary for him to decide exactly where to begin and where the nearest waterways were, for the lumber must be floated down in the spring. lie probably took two men with him, found this township, and located the camps — that is to say, he blazed the sites for the main hut, the stables and other buildings, leaving the construction for the next gang which should arrive. Then he and his assistants struck through the township, examining not only the trees, but the lay of the land, ascertaining how far it would be necessary to haul the logs to the lakes or streams, blazing roads, and in this way acquainting themselves thoroughly with the stum page.”

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“ With what V ’

“ The land which is to be cut over, with the trees on it, is called the stumpage. The word really means, in this State, the right to cut timber, as, for instance, father probably does not own the land in that township, but simply the stumpage ; or, in other words, the privilege of taking away the timber. Now, after Benner’s first work has been done he sends word for a portion of the crew to join him.”

“ How much are the men paid ?”

“ From fifteen to thirty dollars a month. The cook usually gets forty ; but the cookee — the man or boy who assists the cook — receives the lowest wages. The men generally start for the woods in gangs. Of the hundred and twenty hired by father, perhaps forty of them will go in first and set about building the log camps, roofing them with what are called splits, meaning cedar logs roughly split into boards, and the whole covered with tarred paper. Sometimes there is a window in the roof, but nearly always at least one in the side of the hut. The door is made of boards, and the floor is

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sometimes the earth beaten down hard, and sometimes poles smoothed on one side to make it partially flat.”

“ Do they build their own furniture ?”

“ Yes, such as it is. There is a tier of bunks on one side of the shanty, and on the other usually a hewn log set up on legs for a bench. Perhaps there will be a stool here and there made out of the trunk of a tree sawn off to the required height ; but the deacon’s seat, as the long one is called, is about all they appear to think necessary. In front of that is a table with the top formed of boards and covered with oilcloth, where the men eat. Oh, yes, there is almost always a barber’s chair, which is formed by driving into a log four poles for legs, with a board nailed on to form the back, and the whole set at an angle of forty-five degrees.”

“ I shouldn’t think the men would care about shaving while they were in the woods.”

“ Sundays, when there is nothing to be done, a good many of them shave each other ; but perhaps half of them raise a beard to avoid the trouble of using a razor. The bunks are filled

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with the tips of fir boughs, providing the men are not too lazy to pick them, for each must make his own bed, and the most industrious usually have the softest resting-place. Over these is spread a blanket, and each man has a blanket to cover him.”

“ Do they keep everything in this one camp ?”

“ No ; adjoining it is what is called a dingle, which means storehouse ; and very near that is the blacksmith’s shop, built of logs, as are the others.”

“ Why do they need blacksmiths ?”

“ What is a cant-dog ?”

u A handspike made of maple, tipped with a pointed iron, and with a swinging arm or dog to nip the log, so the lumberman can get a leverage on it. Outside the main hut is the beanliole, and the men always take good care it shall be built properly.”

“ What do you mean by a bean-hole ?”

“ Where the brown bread and beans are

BUSINESS VS. PLEASURE.

baked ; and these are the most important items on the lumberman’s bill of fare, let me tell you. It is simply a hole in the ground, dug conveniently near the door of the main shanty, and covered with a sort of shed from eight to ten feet square, and about the same in height. Every day at noon a big fire is started in the hole ; it is filled with hard wood, and when the fuel has been burned to coals the bean kettle, an enormous iron pot which will hold a bushel or more, is buried in the embers, with the brown bread beside it in earthen jars, and the whole covered with hot ashes, to be left until the next morning, when the beans and bread are served for breakfast. Precious good eating they are 1”

“ When do they take the provisions into the woods ?”

“ A portion is carried by the first gang, and the second complete the work, taking the horses with them also. By the time the last crew arrives the ‘ boss ’ is ready to begin operations. Then the crew is divided into choppers, swampers, sled-tenders, yard-men, landing-men, team-

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sters, road-men, blacksmiths, and cooks. Thes in turn are divided into gangs. To every team of horses will be a teamster, two choppers, two swampers, two sled-tenders, and two yard-men. The choppers hew the trees, working together, one on each side of the trunk ; the swampers open the roads and clear away the undergrowth, so the sleds can be gotten to the logs ; the sled-tenders trim the trees, partially strip off the bark, and assist the teamsters in loading the sleds. The logs are hauled to the yard, which is an open space, where they may be piled up, and here the yard-men work.”

“ Then they do not begin chopping until the snow comes ?”

“ Oh, yes ; they run the sleds through the woods even when there is no snow ; but the work of hauling the logs from the yard to the streams down which they are to float in the spring, is not begun until there is at least six inches of snow. Once the logs are landed at the waterway they are measured — scaled, it is called — and the number of feet of lumber in each stick of timber thus ascertained. Then the

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logs are marked, and the stream does the remainder of the work.”

“ How marked ?”

“ Each operator has a certain brand of his own, the same as cattlemen have. For instance, father’s is the Homan characters for nineteen.”

“ Why does he take the trouble to cut that ?”

“ When the logs are brought down the river in the spring by men who are known as ‘ river drivers,’ they arrive here in Bangor, a short distance above the city, at what is called the main boom, and a dozen operators may have logs there, therefore every one is marked in order that each man’s property may be sorted out. Last year father cut six million feet of lumber, and he expects to do the same this season.”

“ What do the men have to eat ?”

“ For breakfast there are always baked beans, brown bread, tea, hot biscuit, sauce made of dried apples, doughnuts, and mince pie. At noon, baked beans, biscuit, tea, cold meat, apple-sauce and gingerbread ; but all the men are not at the camp for dinner. The cook or cookee carries the meal to those who are too far

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away to come in. Each day there is some variety for supper ; but the breakfast and dinner is usually the same. For the last meal the men have soups, vegetables, codfish, smother — a mixture that is something like Irish stew — bean swagin, meaning beans stewed into a soup, and gingerbread, doughnuts, or pie. They do not remain idle in camp except on Sundays. Just as soon as it is light enough to see, the cook calls all hands to breakfast. Unless a man is sick he is obliged to go to the table or to work, and they do not knock off until it is so dark that they cannot see their way in the woods. Then — ”

The heavy breathing of Dick told that he had unconsciously journeyed into dreamland, and, quite naturally, Phil brought his descriptions of life among the lumbermen to an abrupt conclusion.

Chapter II. Mischief

It seemed to Dick as if slumber had but just closed his eyelids when he was awakened by a knocking at the chamber door, and heard Aunt Lois cry :

u Come, boys, it is three o’clock !”

“ The agreement was that we shouldn’t get up until four,” Dick replied ; and Phil, only half awake, muttered :

“ It won’t be daylight until nearly six o'clock, so what’s the use of turning out at this time ?”

“Now don’t begin the journey by being indolent, boys,” Aunt Lois said from the other side of the door. “ Something tells me that unless the utmost exertions are made we shall not succeed in the mission with which we are entrusted.”

“ Something is always telling Aunt Lois that

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trouble is near at hand,” Phil whispered to his cousin, and then added aloud, u We’ll be up in time. Don’t fear for us. It isn’t sound common sense to hang around an hour or two waiting for the day to break.”

“ It isn’t common sense to lie in bed when you have got work to do,” Aunt Lois said, almost sharply.

“ We might as well have started last night as to get up now,” Dick muttered, but nevertheless leaped out of bed, for he was thoroughly awakened, and a single hour was all too short for a second journey into the land of dreams.

When the boys descended from their chamber it appeared very much as if Aunt Lois had not retired during the night. Breakfast was already upon the table, and her travelling wraps — u twice as many as any woman could possibly need,” Phil whispered — were already stowed snugly in the surrey.

The younger members of the party looked sleepy and almost ill humored because of having been aroused so early ; but little Aunt Lois appeared thoroughly happy as she bustled about,

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something after the fashion of an active sparrow, prognosticating evil, while she made certain there was nothing lacking from the collection of medicines which might, by any possibility, be needed.

Shortly after breakfast, and while the horses were being groomed, Mr. Ainsworth summoned the two boys to his room, and said in reply to Phil’s question :

“ I am not really sick, my son, but simply in that bodily and mental condition where I am unable to do as I wish. I depend upon your going through to Benner in the time set, and again impress upon your minds the fact that it is of almost vital importance you reach him by the close of the sixth day. I have been persuaded into giving my consent that Aunt Lois and the girls accompany you ; but it is coupled with the stipulation that at the first moment they retard your progress, you will leave them encamped. No harm can come to them anywhere this side of Chesuncook Lake ; therefore do not hesitate to abandon them whenever by so doing you may possibly gain a few hours.

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Here are written instructions to Benner. I will tell you the substance of them, that the journey may not have been in vain if you should lose the letter. He is under no circumstances to begin operations in Township Eight, Range Fourteen ; and if he thinks there is yet time to prepare for the winter’s work, let him proceed at once to Range Thirteen. I believe the trip as mapped out could be made by you on foot if the horses were disabled. Outside of the ordinary accidents of travel, it is possible some unscrupulous lumberman, learning of the difficulties which beset me because of this unlooked-for decision, may attempt to throw obstacles in your way ; no one would deliberately try by force to prevent you from going through. You are old enough to look out for your companions and yourselves, and at the same time avoid those who might detain you. I trust both implicitly, and again repeat that of all my business affairs, none are so important as this one of your getting through to Benner on time. I)o not remain idle when you can be pushing forward, and don’t allow anything in the way of sport to distract your

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minds from the purpose of the journey. After that has been accomplished, you are at liberty to follow your own inclinations until the time originally set for the hunting tour to come to an end.”

When the boys left Mr. Ainsworth’s chamber they had begun to believe that perhaps Aunt Lois might be excused for awakening them thus early, for until this moment they had not fully realized how important it was their mission should be accomplished.