Freckles

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV Wherein Freckles Bravely Faces Trouble And Opens The Way For New Experiences On Duncan's return from his next trip to town there was a big store-box loaded on the back of his wagon. He drove to the west entrance of the swamp, set the box on a stump that Freckles had selected in a beautiful and sheltered place, and made it secure on its foundation with a tree at its back. "It seems most a pity to nail into that tree," said Duncan. " I haena the time to examine into the grain of it, but it looks as if it might be a rare ane. Anyhow, the nailin' winna hurt it deep, and havin' the case by it will make it safer if it is a guid ane." "Isn't it an oak?" asked Freckles. "Ay," said Duncan. "It looks like it might be ane of thae fine-grained golden anes that mak' such grand furniture." When the body of the case was secure, Duncan made a door out of the lid and fastened it on with hinges. He drove a staple, screwed on a latch, and gave Freckles a small padlock?so that he might safely fasten in his treasures. He made a shelf in the top for the books, and last of all covered the case with oil-cloth. It was the first time in Freckles' life that any one had ever done that much for his pleasure, and it warmed his heart with pure joy. If the sides of the box had already been covered with the rarest treasures of the Limberlost, he could hav. been no happier. When the big teamster stood back to look over his work, he laughingly quoted, "' Neat, but no' gaudy,' as McLean says. All we're needing now is a coat of paint to make a cupboard that would turn Sarah green with envy. Ye'll find that safe an' dry, lad, an' that's all that's needed." "Mr. Duncan," said Freckles, "I don't know why you are being so mighty good to me; but if you have any jobs up at the ca...