It was in the green zenith of June when MacPhairrson went away. When
he returned, hobbling up with his tiny bundle, the backwoods world was
rioting in the scarlet and gold of young October. He was quite cured.
He felt singularly well. But a desperate loneliness saddened his
home-coming. He knew his cabin would be just as he had left it, there
on its steep little foam-ringed island; and he knew the Boy would be
there, with the key, to admit him over the bridge and welcome him
home. But what would the island be without the Family? The Boy,
doubtless, had done what he could. He had probably taken care of
Stumpy, and perhaps of Ananias-and-Sapphira. But the rest of the
Family must inevitably be scattered to the four winds. Tears came into
his eyes as he thought of himself and Stumpy and the parrot, the poor
lonely three, there amid the sleepless clamour of the rapids,
lamenting their vanished comrades. A chill that was more than the
approaching autumn twilight could account for settled upon his heart.
Arriving at the little bridge, however, his heart warmed again, for
there was the Boy waving at him, and hurrying down to the gate to let
him in. And there at the Boy's heels was Stumpy, sure enough.
MacPhairrson shouted, and Stumpy, at the sound of the loud voice, went
wild, trying to tear his way through the gate. When the gate opened,
he had to brace himself against the frame, before he could grasp the
Boy's hand, so extravagant and overwhelming were the yelping Stumpy's
caresses. Gladly he suffered them, letting the excited dog lick his
hands and even his face; for, after all, Stumpy was the best and
dearest member of the Family. Then, to steady him, he gave him his
bundle to carry up to the cabin, and proudly Stumpy trotted on ahead
with it. MacPhairrson's voice trembled as he tried to thank the Boy
for bringing Stumpy back to him--trembled and choked.
"I can't help it!" he explained apologetically as soon as he got his
voice again. "I love Stumpy best, of course! You kept the best fer me!
But, Jiminy Christmas, Boy, how I miss the rest on 'em!"
"I didn't keep Stumpy!" explained the Boy as the two went up the path.
"It was Mike Sweeny took care of him for you. He brought him round
this morning because he had to get off to the woods cruising. I took
care of Bones--we'll find him on his box inside--and of cross old
Butters. Thunder, how Butters has missed you, MacPhairrson! He's bit
me twice, just because I wasn't you. There he is, poking his nose out
of his barrel."
The old woodchuck thought he had heard MacPhairrson's voice, but he
was not sure. He came out and sat up on his fat haunches, his nostrils
quivering with expectation. Then he caught sight of the familiar
limping form. With a little squeal of joy he scurried forward and fell
to clutching and clawing at his master's legs till MacPhairrson picked
him up. Whereupon he expressed his delight by striving to crowd his
nose into MacPhairrson's neck. At this moment the fox appeared from
hiding behind the cabin, and sat up, with ears cocked shrewdly and
head to one side, to take note of his master's return.
"Lord, how Carrots has growed!" exclaimed MacPhairrson, lovingly, and
called him to come. But the fox yawned in his face, got up lazily, and
trotted off to the other side of the island. MacPhairrson's face
fell.
"He's got no kind of a heart at all," said the Boy, soothing his
disappointment.
"He ain't no use to nobody," said MacPhairrson. "I reckon we'd better
let him go." Then he hobbled into the cabin to greet Bones, who
ruffled up his feathers at his approach, but recognized him and
submitted to being stroked.
Presently MacPhairrson straightened up on his crutches, turned, and
gulped down a lump in his throat.
"I reckon we'll be mighty contented here," said he, "me an' Stumpy,
an' Butters, an' Bones. But I _wisht_ as how I might git to have
Ananias-an'-Sapphira back along with us. I'm goin' to miss that there
bird a lot, fer all she was so ridiculous an' cantankerous. I s'pose,
now, you don't happen to know who's got her, do you?"
"I know she's got a good home!" answered the Boy, truthfully. "But I
don't know that I could tell you just where she is!"
At just this minute, however, there came a jangling of the gate bell,
and screeches of--
"Oh, by Gee! Jumpin' Jiminy! Oh, Boy! I want Pa!"
MacPhairrson's gaunt and grizzled face grew radiant. Nimbly he hobbled
to the door, to see the Boy already on the bridge, opening the gate.
To his amazement, in strode Black Angus the Boss, with the bright
green glitter of Ananias-and-Sapphira on his shoulder screeching
varied profanities--and whom at his heels but Ebenezer and the little
ring-tailed raccoon. In his excitement the old woodsman dropped one of
his crutches. Therefore, instead of going to meet his visitors, he
plumped down on the bench outside his door and just waited. A moment
later the quaint procession arrived. MacPhairrson found Black Angus
shaking him hugely by the hand, Ebenezer, much grown up, rooting at
his knees with a happy little squeal, and Ananias-and-Sapphira, as of
old, clambering excitedly up his shirt-front.
"There, there, easy now, old pard," he murmured to the pig, fondling
the animal's ears with one hand, while he gave the other to the bird,
to be nibbled and nipped ecstatically, the raccoon meanwhile looking
on with bright-eyed, non-committal interest.
"Angus," said the old woodsman presently, by way of an attempt at
thanks, "ye're a wonderful hand with the dumb critters--not that one
could rightly call Ananias-an'-Sapphira dumb, o' course--'n' I swear
_I_ couldn't never have kep' 'em lookin' so fine and slick all
through the summer. I reckon----"
But he never finished that reckoning. Down to his bridge was coming
another and a larger procession than that of Black Angus. First, and
even now entering through the gate, he saw Jimmy Wright leading a lank
young moose cow, whom he recognized as Susan. Close behind was old
Billy Smith with the two white cats, Melindy and Jim, in his arms; and
then Baldy Fallen, with a long blanket bundle under his arm. Behind
them came the rest of the mill hands, their faces beaming welcome.
MacPhairrson, shaking all over, with big tears in his eyes, reached
for his fallen crutch and stood up. When the visitors arrived and gave
him their hearty greetings, he could find no words to answer. Baldy
laid his bundle gently on the ground and respectfully unrolled it. Out
stepped the lordly James Edward and lifted head and wings with a
troubled _honk-a, honka._ As soon as he saw MacPhairrson, he came up
and stood close beside him, which was as much enthusiasm as the
haughty gander could bring himself to show. The cats meanwhile were
rubbing and purring against their old master's legs, while Susan
sniffed at him with a noisy, approving snort. MacPhairrson's throat,
and then his whole face, began to work. How different was this
home-coming from what he had expected! Here, wonder of wonders, was
his beloved Family all gathered about him! How good the boys were! He
must try to thank them all. Bracing himself with one crutch, he strove
to express to them his immeasurable gratitude and gladness. In vain,
for some seconds, he struggled to down the lump in his throat. Then,
with a titanic effort, he blurted out: "Oh, hell, boys!" and sat down,
and hid his wet eyes in Stumpy's shaggy hair.