CHAPTER XXV
CERTAIN EXPLANATIONS
But the boy was more seriously ill than any of them suspected at thetime. Before night, when the doctor arrived (walking over on snow-shoeswith the guide) Fred was in a high fever and was rambling in hisspeech. None of the girls was seriously injured by the adventurein the snow; but the doctor shook his head over Hatfield.
Mrs. Murchiston gave the youth good attention, however, and thedoctor promised to come again as soon as a horse could get throughthe roads. Two days passed before anybody got to Snow Camp saving onsnowshoes. The governess was so kind to the sick boy that he brokedown and confessed all his wretched story to her.
His home life had not been very happy since his father's death. Hisbrother 'Lias, and the other big boys, were hard-working woodsmen andthought Fred ought to work hard, too, in the woods and on their poorlittle farm. He had finally had a fierce quarrel with 'Lias and theolder boy had thrashed him.
"I only meant to scare him," Fred confessed, "when he shot at me andthought it was a deer. The bullet whistled right by my head. When Ijumped I dislodged a stone in the bank, and that rolled down the hilland splashed into Rolling River. I hid.
"I saw 'Lias was frightened, and I thought it served him right--shooting so carelessly. Lots of folks are shot for deer up here inthe hunting reason, and 'Lias is real careless with a gun. So Istayed hid. Then I heard two men talking at night and they said theyguessed marm would be glad to get rid of me--I was no good.
"So I got a ride off on the railroad, and I wasn't going back. Ididn't know 'Lias had been arrested until Mr. Cameron brought me backup this way and I heard about it from a logger that didn't know me.He said my body had been found. Of course, it wasn't me. Somebodyelse was drowned in Rolling River. There's been a little FrenchCanadian feller missing since last fall and he was supposed to havebeen drowned. It was his body they found, I reckon. The man told methe body was so broken and disfigured that nobody could recognize thefeatures--and the clothing was torn all off it.
"I don't know what marm and the boys will do to me if they find me,"wailed Hatfield, who seemed to be more afraid of the rough usage ofhis big half-brothers than anything else.
But the first sled to get through to Snow Camp brought, besides thedoctor, the boy's mother and 'Lias Hatfield himself. The backwoodswoman showed considerable tenderness when she met her lost boy, andthe young fellow who had suffered in jail for some weeks held noanger against his brother because of it.
"Why, Mr. Cam'ron," he said to the merchant, "I reckon it sarved meout right. I _was_ purty ha'sh with the boy. He ain't naught buta weakling, after all. Marm, she does her best by us all, and westick to her; but if Fred ain't fitten to work in the woods, or onthe farm, we'll find him something to do in town--if he likes itbetter. I don't hold no grudge."
Two days later the boy was well enough to move, and they all wentaway from Snow Camp; but Mr. Cameron had agreed, before they went,to give Fred Hatfield a chance in his store in the city, if theywould send him down there in the spring.
"He's not fit for the rough life up here," he told Tom and Helen andRuth, when they talked it over. "He's not an attractive boy, either.But he needs a chance, and I will give him one. If we only helpedthose people in the world who really _deserved_ helping, wewouldn't boost many folks."
Meanwhile the girls had all recovered from their adventure in theblizzard, and the entire party of young folk found plenty ofamusement in the snow-bound camp. In one monstrous heap in the yardthe boys excavated a good-sized cavern--big enough so that all thegirls as well as the boys could enter it at once; and they lit it upat night with candles and held a "party" there, at which plenty ofwalnut taffy was served--without shells in it!
"This is heaping coals of fire on your head, young man," said Madge,tartly, as she passed the pan to Busy Izzy.
"All right," he returned, with a grin. "Keep on heaping. I can standit."
"If you girls had been right smart," drawled Bob Steele, "when youwere lost the other day, you'd have scooped you out a hole like thisin a snowbank and hived up as snug as a bug in a rug till the stormwas over."
"Oh, yes! we all know lots of things to do when we are lost again,"returned Helen. "But I hope that our next vacation won't have anysuch unpleasant experience in store for us."
"I'm with you in that wish," cried Belle Tingley.
"Well, now, yo've all promised to go with me to our cottage atLighthouse Point for two weeks next summer," cried Heavy. "Iguarantee you won't be lost in the snow down there."
"Not at that time of year, that's sure," laughed Ruth. "But we don'tknow yet, Jennie, that we _can_ go with you."
However, it is safe to state here that Ruth, at least, was able toaccept the stout girl's invitation, for we shall meet her next in astory entitled: "Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point; Or, Nita, theGirl Castaway."
There was plenty of fun around Snow Camp for the remainder of theten days they spent there, and when the time came to go back tocivilization both girls and boys assured good Mr. Cameron that theyhad had a most delightful time. They traveled as far as Cheslowtogether, where Heavy and Belle and Lluella went to their homes for aday or two, to finish out the tag-end of the vacation, while theSteeles and Isadore went home with the Camerons, and Ruth returned tothe Red Mill.
And how glad Aunt Alvirah was to see Ruth! Uncle Jabez didn'tdisplay his feelings so openly; but Ruth had learned how to take themiller, and how to understand him. She helped him with his accounts,made out his bills for the year, and otherwise made herself of use tohim.
"You just wait, Uncle Jabez," she told him, earnestly. "I'm going tomake your investment in my schooling at Briarwood pay you the biggestdividend of anything you ever speculated in--you see."
"I'm sure I hope so, Niece Ruth," he grumbled. "I don't much expectit, though. They teach you too many folderols up there. What's_this_ now?" he asked, pointing his stubbed forefinger to thelittle gold and black enamel pin she wore on her blouse.
"'S. B.'"
"Is them the letters?"
"Yes, sir. My society emblem. We're the Sweetbriars, of BriarwoodHall. And you wait! we're going to be the most popular club in theschool before long. We've had Mrs. Tellingham, the Preceptress, atone of our meetings."
"What good is that?" he demanded, shaking his grizzled head.
"Fraternity--fellowship--helpfulness--hope--oh! it stands for lotsof things. And then, Uncle Jabez, I am learning to sing and play.Maybe before long I can open the old cottage organ you've got stowedaway in the parlor and play for you."
"That won't lower the price of wheat, or raise the price of flour,"he grumbled.
"How do you know it won't, until we've tried it?" she answered him,gaily.
And so she made the old mill, and the farmhouse adjoining, a muchbrighter, gayer, pleasanter place while she was in it. Hercheerfulness and sweetness were contagious. Aunt Alvirah complainedless frequently of her back and bones when Ruth was about, and inspite of himself, the old miller's step grew lighter.
"Ah, Jabez," Aunt Alvirah said, as they watched Ruth get into theCameron automobile to be whisked away to the station, and so toBriarwood for her second half, "that's where our endurin' comfort an'hope is centered for our old age. We've only got Ruthie."
"She's a mighty expensive piece of property," snarled the old man.
"Ye don't mean it, Jabez, ye don't mean it," she returned, softly."You're thawin' out--and Ruth Fielding is the sun that warms up yourcold old heart!"
But this last was said so low that Jabez Potter did not hear it ashe stumped away toward the Red Mill.
In the automobile the young folks were having a gay time. Helen waswith Ruth, and Tom was on the front seat.
"Say, we sure did have some excitement in Snow Camp as well as fun,"came from Tom.
"And that catamount!" gasped Helen.
"And Ruth's shot!" broke in her twin brother. "Ruth, you ought totry for a marksmanship badge!"
"And wasn't it fine how it came out about
Fred," said Ruth, her facebeaming with satisfaction. "I am so glad to know he is no longer ahomeless wanderer!"
"All due to you," said Tom. "Ruth, you're a wonder!" he added,admiringly.
"Oh, Tom!" she answered. Nevertheless, she looked much pleased.
And here let us say good-bye.
THE END
Ruth Fielding at Snow Camp; Or, Lost in the Backwoods Page 25