Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/32

 to like you awfully; for if you’re green up here you know I’d be green in the city.”

“Yes, that’s probably so,” agreed Stanley, now mollified. “Most people are a bit green on their first trip to town. I was brought up there.”

“And what did you do?”

“Er—why, I haven’t done much of anything.” And Stanley’s voice and bearing were confused, Bub shrewdly observed.

“Hm,” muttered Bub; “never met a feller before but what could do something.”

“I’ve been to school and believe there are many things I could do if I had a chance to learn,” continued Stanley, earnestly.

“I see,” dryly commented Bub. “Well, we’ll have a talk with Mr. Hatton. That is, I’ll tell him you want a job. He’ll say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ and that will end it.”

For about half a mile the two walked along in silence, Bub often stealing a compassionate glance at his foot-sore companion. The wind soughing through the pines came pleasantly to his ears, pricked through now and then with the tuneful call of a blue bird; but Stanley, with knit brows heeded nothing beyond the rough road before him.

“Here’s the mills,” finally announced Bub.