The White Crystals Part 11

"Ye got off mighty lucky," commented the farmer, as Roger put on his coat again.

"What happened?" asked Roger of Adrian. "Did something scare the horse?"

"The wagon struck a stone," explained Adrian, "and you were pitched out.

I suppose you must have lost your senses by hitting your head on the hard ground. I tried to grab you when I saw you going, and I must have frightened the horse, for he bolted as if a bear was after him. I guess it was the first time he ever ran away and he rather liked it, for he never stopped galloping until I got to Enberry Took's house, though I sawed on the lines for all I was worth. When I found I was so near home I thought I'd better go on, put the rig up, and get dad to come back with me to find you, for I thought we'd meet you walking in. We figured on seeing you within the first mile, but you must have turned around and gone back toward Tully. We went slow, for it was dark at first, and we didn't want to miss you. It was lucky you happened to find that one match in your knife, wasn't it?"

"It was luckier that Johnny Green came along just when he did," said Roger, "or the fire might not have done me much good."

"Wa'al, I reckon it's lucky all around," interposed Mr. Kimball. "Now, ef it's all th' same t' ye two boys, we'll git 'long hum, 'n' relieve th' women folks, fer they most hed a caniption fit when they heard what happened."

So the four started on toward Cardiff, the two boys walking behind Mr.

Kimball and Johnny Green.

"Say," began Roger in a low tone, "is he a real Indian?"

"Sure," replied Adrian. "He's one of the Onondaga tribe. There's a reservation of them at a place they call the Castle, which is what they name their Council House. It's about three miles from Cardiff. I meant to tell you about them, but I forgot it. They're full-blooded Indians, but they're not wild, though some of the older ones were once, I suppose. We'll take a trip down and see 'em soon, and get 'em to make us some bows and arrows. Most of 'em know dad, from buying honey from him."

Without further incident the little party reached Cardiff. While Roger, with his uncle and cousin turned in at the welcome farmhouse, Johnny Green, with a grunted good night, kept on to his cabin. Roger found his aunt and pretty cousin waiting for him in great anxiety, and very glad indeed were they to see him again, and to learn that he had come to no great harm, though he had been in grave danger. Mrs. Kimball insisted on putting some home-made salve on the cuts and scratches in Roger's back, which were now beginning to smart a little, though they were not deep.

"That stuff'll draw the soreness out," said Mrs. Kimball.

"It feels good, at any rate," said Roger.

"Now I reckon you'll like some supper," went on his aunt, bustling about.

"Supper? Breakfust'd be nearer th' mark," spoke up Mr. Kimball, looking at his big silver watch, which showed two o'clock.

"Anything, as long as it's something to eat," said Roger. "I'm as hungry as a bear."

"Or a wild-cat," laughed Clara, as she set the coffee on to boil.

A few minutes later they all drew up to the table with good appet.i.tes, for when the others heard what happened to Roger they had been in no mood for supper earlier in the evening.

The whole story had to be gone over again by Roger, and when he had finished Mr. Kimball packed them all off to bed.

CHAPTER X

BAD NEWS

Roger slept late that morning, and his aunt would not let Adrian awaken him, much as the country boy desired to hear more of his cousin's adventures. It was almost ten o'clock when Roger came downstairs, rubbing his eyes. He found no one about the house but Clara, who greeted him with a smile and an invitation to sit down to a fresh hot breakfast she had prepared.

"Well, I must say I'm getting into lazy ways," was the boy's remark.

"I'm used to getting up earlier than this when I'm home. Where's everybody except you?"

"Oh, father's picking some apples, Ade's gone up in the vineyard, mother's gone over to Mrs. Took's to borrow some mola.s.ses, the hired man's picking cuc.u.mbers, and I--"

"You have to stay home to bother getting me some breakfast," finished Roger. "I'm sorry to put you to so much trouble."

"It isn't any trouble at all," protested Clara, earnestly. "Mother said you must have a good sleep to make up for what you lost last night. My!

But you must have been frightened. How's your back? We're all so glad you are safe that you can sleep until noon if you want to. Did you dream of wild-cats and Indians?"

"Answering your last question first, I will say I didn't dream at all,"

said Roger, smiling. "As for my back, I'd hardly know I was scratched.

That's fine salve. I've had plenty of sleep, thank you, and I feel very well. Quite ready for breakfast, too, for I'm hungry," he added, as he sat down in front of the nicely browned cakes, the hot coffee, and the meat. He ate heartily, and just as he finished his aunt came in from the neighbor's. She was glad to see he had suffered no ill effects from his exposure in the woods, and his encounter with the wild-cat. While he was talking to Mrs. Kimball and Clara, Adrian came to the house.

"Sagoola!" said the country boy, smiling at his cousin.

"Sagoola!" replied Roger. "Say, Ade, what does that mean? Johnny Green called it to me when he met me in the woods. I had to guess at it."

"That's Onondaga Indian for 'How do you do?' or 'h.e.l.lo!' just as it happens."

"Oh," said Roger, comprehending. "Well, I sagoola pretty well. How are you?"

"Same."

"Say," broke in Mr. Kimball, who had come in unperceived, "I want t' say you boys was purty smart t' pitch in 'n' sell them grapes th' way ye did arter ye found Andrews didn't want 'em. Mighty smart 'n' good I call it. Too bad ye hed t' hev a accident jest when ye was gittin' back, but then it come out all right. Each a' ye is ent.i.tled t' a dollar fer th'

day's work."

"We didn't do it for money," spoke up Roger, "and besides, I only helped a little bit."

"I know all 'bout thet," said Mr. Kimball, "but ye got a leetle better price 'n Andrews would 'a' paid, 'n' I'm used t' givin' commissions on sales, so it's a matter a' business 'ith me."

He pulled out a canvas bag from deep in his trousers pocket, extracted from it two big shining silver dollars, and gave one to each of the boys.

"Thar's yer pay," he said. "Mind, I ain't givin' it t' ye. Ye airned it fair 'n' square, 'n' ye kin do jest's ye like 'ith it."

The money was more than either of the boys were in the habit of receiving except, perhaps, around Christmas, and they hardly knew what to do with the coin. Roger held his in an undecided manner.

"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Adrian. "This will do to buy some ammunition with, and we can go squirrel hunting. I was just wishing for some cash to get the cartridges, and now we have it. Did you ever go after squirrels, Roger?"

"I never had a chance."

"Well, we'll go some day next week. I've got a gun, and I can borrow Porter Amidown's for you. It'll be lots of sport, and besides, we can get a mess of squirrels for dinner, and that'll save buying meat."

"I'll wait 'til I see yer squirrels 'fore I let th' butcher go by,"

remarked Mrs. Kimball, dryly.

"Wa'al, I've got t' git back t' th' orchard," said Mr. Kimball, after a pause, and he left to resume his work.

"Want to come up in the vineyard and watch me pick grapes?" asked Adrian of his cousin.

"I'll come up if you'll let me help a little," agreed the city boy. "I don't want to simply look on."

"Now ye must be careful, Roger," cautioned Mrs. Kimball. "Land, a body'd never think ye'd spent all night in th' woods, keepin' company 'ith a wild-cat thet most took yer skin off. Don't ye go t' pickin' grapes 'n'