The difficulties which presented themselves to our boys in fulfilling
the engagement they had made with Major Morris were of no trifling
account, for it was a great question if so large a quantity could be
found in the place, above what was pledged to Mr. Grizzle for debts
already incurred. Again, if they should succeed in finding the quantity,
how could they pay for them? and lastly, where was a boat to be
procured, in which to carry them at a season of the year when storms and
high winds were to be expected? But as difficulties are apt to vanish
before a resolute mind, Jim felt not at all daunted by them.
He had resolved, first of all, to make a thorough trial as to the
possibility of finding persons willing to engage specific quantities to
him. And it was for this purpose that the boys were assembled early in
the morning of a bright and beautiful day in June; Jim and Sam to go on
the expedition, and Ned to see them off.
'Well, boys, I hope you'll find all you'll want; but it looks to me like
a hard case.'
'So it does to me, Ned, too; but Jim has been thinking it all out, you
know. I should feel better, however, if we knew where the _money_ was to
come from to pay for them; I do hate so to ask folks to trust us.'
'I have no idea, Sam, of doing any such thing; I mean to offer them the
money down as soon as they deliver the potatoes.'
'Just hear _that_ Ned,' said Sam, looking verily confounded.
'Well,' said Ned, kicking away a small stone that lay in reach of his
foot, 'that is a good plan enough if one had the money; but it will take
all of a hundred dollars: and it looks dark to me where such a sum as
that is to come from.'
'That is the least of the difficulties, boys; we shall make, I hope, by
our summer's work enough money to pay for twenty-five bushels of
potatoes, which will be the most we shall be able to carry at a trip,
and Major Morris will pay us for them as we deliver them to him.'
Ned and Sam looked at each other. 'I told you, Ned, that Jim would think
it out somehow.'
'And besides,' continued Jim, 'I have great hope that our offering them
the money on delivery, will induce them to sell to us in preference to
Grizzle. But what troubles me the most is, how to get a boat sufficient
for our purpose.'
'Supposing I should say'--and Sam's bright eyes sparkled as he looked
from one to the other of his companions, while a smile played around the
corners of his mouth--'I hope to have a good new boat, not very
handsome, but tight and strong, and able to go in rough weather, and
carry twenty-five bushels of potatoes at a load; what would you say to
that?'
'Now, Sam Oakum, what do you mean?'
'I mean just what I say. My father told me last night, that as soon as
he could get the stuff, he would go right to work and build a boat as
large as that, and that it should be mine; and I am going to take my
money as I can earn it, and buy the stuff. What do you think of that,
Jim?'
'It is the best news I have heard this long while;--how strangely things
work! but look out for Ned there.'
The warning was too late, for Sam was lying on his back, laughing
heartily; and Jim was scolding Ned for his folly, and Jowler was barking
at them all. As soon as matters were composed again, Jim and Sam started
on their expedition; while Ned, with Jowler at his heels, went with
right good-will to his work in the garden.
A blacksmith's shop is a very necessary article in all social
establishments, as the place where persons are likely to be met with and
news collected or circulated. The one which answered the demands of this
place was not a very extensive establishment; it was a little
dark-looking hovel, with an exceedingly high chimney. It was situated at
the meeting of several roads, and was surrounded with a multitude of
articles that had once seen better days, but _when_, the oldest
inhabitant could scarcely remember. Mr. Cutter, the proprietor of this
establishment, was now somewhat advanced in life, but by no means so old
as his appearance indicated. From some cause not well ascertained, he
had begun about his thirtieth year to increase in flesh, and had for
more than twenty years been adding to his stock; neither wielding the
sledge-hammer in his shop, nor the worrying of his good wife in the
house, could keep it back; but I believe it was all the increase, of any
consequence, that resulted from his labors, and yet he was, in
comparison with his neighbors, 'well to do in the world.' He was,
moreover, of a good disposition, ready to oblige, and of sound judgment,
and as well acquainted with persons and things for many miles round as
any other man in the place, and a little better.
Our boys had determined to make their first call at 'Uncle Sam
Cutter's,' as he was generally styled.
'He's a clever man,' said Sam, 'and he knows every body, and all about
every thing in the place; and it may save us a great many steps.'
It was a very warm day, and Uncle Sam was sitting outside his shop, on
what had once been the hub of a large cart-wheel; there was a fine shade
where he sat, a large apple tree which stood in an adjoining lot,
extending its branches almost to his shop door. He had his hat in his
hand, and was using it violently as a fan; the heat was making terrible
work with him, for on his bald head and down his fat cheeks and sunburnt
breast, the perspiration was running in streams.
'A pretty warm day, Uncle Sam, ain't it?'
'Here, you young rogue, take this, and blow a little wind on to me, if
there's any to be got, for I'm most dead,' (handing Sam his great
broad-brimmed chip hat.) 'I guess you'd think it warm, blowing them
tarnel old bellows all day long, with such a lump of fat lugging to you
as I've got; I can't hardly waddle under it, let alone handling them
bellows.'
'Why don't you have the boys blow for you, Uncle Sam?'
'The boys! ah yes, the boys! I'd like any one to tell me what the hul
kit on 'em is good for, but to eat mush and milk. Do blow away Sam, if
there's any wind in all creation any more. I want to git this carcass o'
mine cool a little, just so I shan't go _all_ to soap-grease. Talk of
the boys, they're wus than wild cats; I wouldn't give my old mare for
all the boys between this and the barrens--don't talk to me about boys,
Sam--don't stop blowing, or I'm a dead man. Here, Jim, my good fellow,
spell him a little.'
'Yes, that I will, with pleasure, sir.'
'That's like a man, there's no boy about that--ah, Jim, I knew your
father well, and a likelier man never came to this place; but what he
came _here_ for was more than I could ever see--it seems to me there's
a cus on it; the men are bad enough, but the boys are the old Nick's
property altogether. I tell you what, if we don't have a preacher, or
something of that kind, along here pretty soon, we're a gone case;
there'll be another sort of bellows blowin' than my old groaner, I tell
you. Ah, Jim, that feels good, I won't touch a hammer agin' to day; if
Grizzle wants his old plough mended, he may come and sweat away at it
himself, it will do his old dry carcass good, won't it Sam? It won't
hurt him, will it?' And the old man went off into a good hearty laugh,
his whole body shaking like a lump of jelly--the idea of sweating
Grizzle amused him so much, that he forgot about the heat, and taking
his hat clapped it on his head.
'And now, boys, what are you up to? going crabbing down to the mill, I
know; for my boys have been there this hul blessed morning.'
'Oh, no sir,' said Jim, 'we were not thinking about that this morning;
but are wishing to find out who would be willing to engage some beans
and potatoes for the fall.'
'Beans and potatoes? why, you blessed child, are you crazy? You ain't
grown up here, not to know better than to try to sell sich things in
this place. You must go to Grizzle with them, and he won't take them
only for jist what you owe him.'
'Ah, but we don't want to sell, but to buy.'
'Want to buy!--you're wus off than I thought you was. Why, didn't you
plant any? How did you think you was goin' to live? like Bill Moore and
his brother down the lane here? eh?'
'Oh, no sir, we have plenty for our use; but we can sell quite a
quantity of these articles, more than we shall have.'
'And pray tell me what you call a quantity, mister.'
'Why, we want two or three hundred bushels.'
'_Two or three hundred bushels!_' And the old man took off his hat and
began to fan himself again very fast. '_Two or three hundred
bushels!_--you boys wasn't neither on you brought up to lie, but I don't
know but you've taken up the trade; it's pretty easy larnt, to be sure.'
'It's true, Uncle Sam, what Jim tells you; _true_ as we stand here.'
'Sam Oakum, them eyes o' yourn warn't made to help a lyin' tongue; so
don't stand there looking so honest, and telling me sich stuff as
that.'
'It is true, Mr. Cutter, just as Sam says; we are telling you the truth,
and no joke about it.'
But the old man kept shaking his head and fanning himself; so that Jim
felt called upon to tell their whole story.
'Now boys, _is_ this _true_, you're tellin' me? Sam, you're a smilin';
there's some catch about it, ain't there, you rogue?'
'No, there ain't, Uncle Sam, upon my honor.'
'Well, it's a queer story, any how; _three hundred bushels potatoes_;
why you'll take all that's raised, and Grizzle won't have none for Cross
this year; you know he sends all he takes in up to Cross, who keeps the
store or tavern, or whatever they call it, in the barrens; but it ain't
much matter, they're two precious rogues, both on 'em. And you say you
want to know where you can find so many: I raally can't say; but the
Widow Andrews would be like to have _some_. Bill tell'd me he had
planted a considerable patch, beans and potatoes too; but whether
they'll come to any thing I don't know, for he's got like the rest on
'em--he's round to Grizzle's too much, I guess. Sorry for it; Bill's a
likely fellow if he'd mind his own business. And then there's my
namesake, Cutter; he may have a few, not a great many. I tell you what,
you'll have to hunt considerable, boys, afore you'll find all you want.
And then there's Billy Bloodgood, deaf Billy, you know him; but you'll
have to holler loud enough to wake the dead to make him hear--he ought
to have a speakin' trumpet fastened into his ear, it's enough to give a
man the consumption to talk with him. And may be I'll have a few myself,
and I would as leave you'd have them as Grizzle, the old varmint; I
don't believe I shall owe him much this year. What are you goin' to
give, boys?'
Sam looked at Jim for an answer.
'Why, if they are fair-sized potatoes, we can give twenty-five cents a
bushel.'
'I wish I had more on 'em, for that's double what Grizzle gives; and
_beans_ you want _too_; well, I guess I shall have three or four
bushels. I can't say but they ought to be hoed now, and I can't do it,
no how; for a man like me to work out in the sun, it's idle to talk
about it. Why I should die in the operation, and the boys don't care for
nothin'; but when they hear what a price you're givin', it may spur them
up a little.'
The boys thanked him for his information, and started off at a good
pace on their way to the Widow Andrews'. Bill was at work in the field,
fighting manfully with a large growth of weeds; he greeted them kindly,
but continued his labors.
'You will excuse me if I don't stop working; things are so behind-hand
with me, that if I don't labor hard, I shall not catch up with my work,
all summer.'
'By no means stop,' said Jim; 'we can say what we wish to, just as well
while your hoe is going.' He made known their errand in few words, but
no sooner did Bill hear what Jim had to say than he stopped hoeing, and
looked with some surprise, first at one and then at the other of the
boys.
'Yes, certainly, you shall have them; how many bushels do you want?
Haven't you planted any this year?'
Jim then acquainted him with his reasons for wanting them, and the
quantity he wished; stating also the price he could afford to give.
'And the money shall be paid to you when you deliver them.'
'You shall have every potato and bean I have for sale. I supposed I
should be obliged to let Grizzle have them, but he may whistle for them,
for all me; he allowed me last year but ten cents for potatoes, and
fifty cents for beans. He will be angry, probably, but if I can have the
money to pay, I shall not fear him any more than you seemed to the other
day'--looking at Sam.
'No, I don't fear him; and all I wish is that father didn't owe him any
thing.'
'Well, he is a very bad man, and will injure us all, if he can in any
way, when he finds he is to be disappointed in getting things at his own
price. He and Cross work into each other's hands, and they will not, if
they can help it, have any one interfere with them; but I don't well see
how they can.'
William Andrews was not mistaken in his views of the effect these things
would have upon the minds of such men. But it will be time enough to
meet trouble when it comes; at present we must hasten with our boys on
their way to Billy Bloodgood's, much elated with their success, and with
the change which seemed to have taken place in the views and feelings of
young Andrews.
Mr. William Bloodgood--or Billy, as he was generally called--was the
best to do of any of the folks for miles round, that is, he had more
land, and a few more head of cattle, and managed a little better than
his neighbors. But his house was rather a small concern, and his fences
were in all sorts of shape, and his barn had far too many rents in it,
and things lay in all directions around. Still, he did better than his
neighbors, for Billy did not drink, and he kept himself busy, flying
round on his farm, and made out almost always to raise quite a
respectable quantity of one thing and another. He was a very
good-natured man, and was blessed, as many good-natured men are, with a
wife that could take his part, and her own too, sometimes. He had a
peculiar way with him of going from one piece of work to another,
without finishing either. Before his field of corn was half hoed, he
would begin the potato patch, and leaving that unfinished, would be
among the beans; and so on. This habit he carried with him into smaller
matters, to his disadvantage, certainly, and very much to his
discomfort; for his good woman was sorely annoyed by it, and whatever
troubled her, he was sure to be obliged to bear a part of it. They lived
happily however; for although Billy did not practise sound philosophy in
his work, he did in that very delicate matter of conjugal relationship.
He knew it would never answer for both to have their own way, one or the
other must rule sometimes; and as he saw very soon that it would be a
very difficult matter, if not an impossibility to get his better half to
yield, unless she had a mind to it, he very properly decided to give up
the reins to her. He was a wiser man than many took him to be.
As the boys entered the gate, Billy was coming out of the house, having
just finished his dinner; he had a knife in one hand, and a piece of
pigtail in the other, from which cutting a fair allowance, he put it
into his mouth with a manifest relish. Without apparently noticing the
boys who were walking towards him, he made directly to a great pile of
brush which lay in the yard, and commenced chopping. They walked up to
him, and endeavored to catch his eye, but he took no notice of them.
After cutting a few sticks, he threw down the axe, and, looking at Jim,
asked in a very loud voice,
'Did you speak to me?'
Jim shook his head in the negative, and then began to say something
about his errand; he spoke, as he thought, in a pretty loud voice. But
Billy only noticed his negative reply to the question he had put, and
started for another corner of the yard, where lay a heap of farming
utensils, and began dragging forth an old one-horse plough. After
separating it from the rest, he commenced tinkering the rigging; Jim, in
the meantime, trying to catch his eye, long enough to let him know
that, although he had not yet spoken to him, he wished to do so. Twice,
as he raised himself, Jim made a desperate effort, and called out as
loud as he thought necessary,
'Mr. Bloodgood!'
But it availed nothing. He stared at him an instant, and then ran across
to another side of the yard to a little old corn crib; and jumping into
it, began to overhaul a box of old irons, for something probably that
belonged to the plough. In the midst of all his hurry, however, he would
find time every now and then to put his hand into his vest pocket, and
taking out large pinches of snuff, would regale his olfactory sense, and
apparently with great zest. The boys began to feel that it was a
desperate case, and at the same time were so amused, that they could
with difficulty refrain from showing it. In fact, Jim did once or twice
give a kind of whine, just the beginning of a peculiar laugh he had, and
Sam would go off with a very slight sneeze. As Billy appeared to be in
no hurry to come out of the crib, they walked slowly across to where he
was.
'You try him this time, Sam? see if you can make him hear.'
'I can't, Jim, no how. I should burst out laughing in his face.'
'I am afraid, then, we must give it up, for I can't get him to look at
me.'
Mrs. Bloodgood, however, saw their dilemma, and out she came. The boys
hardly knew whether she was for peace or war, for she advanced towards
them with tremendous strides, muttering as she came. Her appearance was
indeed rather dubious, for her hair was flying, and her face was very
red, from the joint exercise of cooking and eating, and helping half a
dozen children. And as to the dress, having great respect for the female
sex we will say nothing about it; it was, moreover, very warm weather,
and a Calamink petticoat was warm enough without the burden of its upper
companion, the short gown--but she was just as she was, and we cannot
help it. She had a little more nose than most women, that is, it was a
very long, sharp, and crooked nose; but the good woman had use for it.
And never were boys more astonished when they saw how well it answered
her turn; it was a veritable speaking-trumpet, and, although the sounds
which issued from it were rather of the nasal order, they were the
better calculated to penetrate the very narrow passages to her husband's
sounding-board. Having been so long accustomed to use a very high pitch
in her communications with the good man, she made no allowance for the
more delicate organs of other people, but so drove the sounds into them
as truly made their ears to tingle, not only at the time, but a great
while after.
'What is it you're wanting?'
Jim started; he could not help it.
'Do you want to speak to Bloodgood?'
'Yes, ma'am; I should like to speak with him about some beans and
potatoes.'
With that she made off to the crib, where she met her good man coming
out with a piece of old iron in his hand, and making for the other side
of the yard where the plough was. He seemed as regardless of her as he
had been of the boys; but as he was stooping over the plough, she put
her hand on his shoulder, and gave such a blast in his ear that his soul
must have stept out of his body not to have heard it; he immediately
raised himself, and, looking at the boys, roared back to her in a strain
scarcely less loud,--
'What do they want?'
'I don't know; something about potatoes and beans.'
'Bees? We 'aint got no bees;' and with that he took one of his
tremendous pinches of snuff.
'Beans, beans! don't you hear _that_?' And then turning to Jim and Sam,
who had walked up beside her--
'He grows wus and wus; and it's my candid belief that it's his snuffin'
and snuffin' all the time so; his ears, I s'pose, is all stopped clean
up; and the only way the sound can git into his head is through his
nose, like; and when he stuffs that full, it's like hollerin' agin' a
log.'
But he did hear _beans_, as she last spoke it.
'Beans? What of 'em?'
'Well, do tell _me_, boys, what you want on 'em, and I'll try to make
him hear, for _you_ never can.'
With that Jim communicated to her his business, and when she understood
it clearly, appeared not a little pleased.
'I didn't know but you'd come from Grizzle's, and I don't like him; he's
a good-for-nothin' old varmint, and he's spilin' all the men and boys in
the place; and I told Bloodgood I'd rather throw the potatoes in the
creek than let him have one on 'em.' So she went to work with a good
will to tell their errand.
'Who sent 'em? Grizzle?'
'No, no; you think there is nobody in the whole creation world to buy
anything but Grizzle.' And then raising her voice to the very loudest--
'Nobody sent 'em; they come o' themselves, and they'll pay you the money
right down when you take 'em the things.'
'Well, well, that will do,'--and he smiled then, for the first time, as
he looked at the boys--'that'll do; you shall have 'em; let me know when
you want 'em.'
And now Mrs. Bloodgood would insist upon their going in, and taking
something to eat. In vain it was they protested that they were not
hungry, having eaten a lunch on their way.
'I know better than that. I know what boys are; they can always eat; so
if you won't go in, don't either on you stir one step till I come out.'
In she ran, and in a moment appeared again with one-half of a large
bread-cake, which she had just taken from the griddle, with a lump of
butter on the top of it, and she with a knife spreading it on; but there
was no occasion for the knife, for the butter was running like snow in
summer, and dripping over the sides of the cake.
'Here, boys, take this;' breaking it in two, and giving each half 'I
_know_ it will taste good.'