Page:November Joe.pdf/23

 "Thanks, but I have had the trouble of training Noel already."

Once again Sir Andrew allowed his penetrating black eyes to rest upon me. Then he broke into his short, rare laugh.

"I can guarantee that you will not find it necessary to train November Joe."

"November Joe?"

"Yes, do you know him?"

"Curiously enough, I do. He was with me as dish-washer when I was up with Tom Todd some years ago in Maine. He was a boy then."

"What did you think of him?"

"I hadn't much opportunity of judging. Todd kept him in camp cooking most of the time. But I do remember that once when we were on the march and were overtaken by a very bad snowstorm, Todd and the boy had a difference of opinion as to the direction we should take."

"And Joe was right?"

"He was," said I. "Todd didn't like it at all."

"Tom Todd had quite a reputation, hadn't he? Naturally he would not like being put right