with a glance of irritation. He was in no smooth temper, but neither was Joe. “Morris and I have looked over most of the tract, Mr. Burnam,” Joe began. “Nearly half the timber looks to be down, or all tangled up. We can save a lot of gum by gathering up the cups right away, but everything is in bad shape.” Burnam said nothing, but frowned as if he knew this already. “Is the camp going to go on, or shut down?” Joe ventured. “That’s my business!” Burnam snapped. “Mine, too. You’re forgetting that all my money is tied up in this outfit. It was supposed to be a good investment.” “Well, ain’t you getting ten per cent. on it?” Burnam demanded. “Yes—so far. But will I ever get the principal back?” Burnam gave him a furious glance. For a moment Joe expected one of the turpentine man’s famous explosions of rage; but then Burnam leaned back in his seat, took off his hat and put it on the table, and grinned. “I don’t blame you much for being worried, Joe,” he said. “You can bet that I’m worried myself. But I’ll pull through. I’m going to turpentine the river orchard.” “All right,” said Joe, surprised and relieved. “Do you want me to ride it?” “Sure. I hadn’t intended to turpentine that tract, but now I’ve got to. I was looking over it this morning, and there’s right smart of good pine there.” “All right,” said Joe. “I’ll do the best I can—I’ll work like any nigger—for myself as well as for you.” “I reckon you’ll pull us through, then,” returned Burnam, with some dryness. “You were fixing to take a few days off now, I think.” “I was—but of course I won’t now,” Joe hastened to say. “I wouldn’t leave the camp in this fix.” “No, that’ll be all right. For the rest of this week the men’ll be doing nothing but clearing up fallen timber. You go and visit with your kin-folks for three days if you like; we can spare you as well as not. I can’t let you have the car to-day, but to-morrow’s boat day, and you can ride down to the landing and take your horse with you on the boat.” Joe had no hesitation about accepting this
Prev.
Back
Top