I'll work
out odd days, and buy enough stuff to keep myself any
way." Quonab said nothing, but their eyes met, and the
boy knew it was agreed to.
Rolf went that very day to the farm of Obadiah Timpany,
and offered to work by the day, hoeing corn and root
crops. What farmer is not glad of help in planting time
or in harvest? It was only a question of what did he know
and how much did he want? The first was soon made
clear; two dollars a week was the usual thing for boys in
those times, and when he offered to take it half in trade,
he was really getting three dollars a week and his board.
Food was as low as wages, and at the end of a week, Rolf
brought back to camp a sack of oatmeal, a sack of cornmeal,
a bushel of potatoes, a lot of apples, and one dollar
cash. The dollar went for tea and sugar, and the total
product was enough to last them both a month; so Rolf
could share the wigwam with a good conscience.
Of course, it was impossible to keep the gossipy little
town of Myanos from knowing, first, that the Indian had
a white boy for partner; and, later, that that boy was Rolf.
This gave rise to great diversity of opinion in the
neighbourhood.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50