Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-03-08
THE NAPLES
A Sugar Camp Story for Boys.

Halo! you're just the chap l wanted
to see. said Harry Bancroft to George
Woodman, boy a little more than d
year older than himself.
Whats up now, that you want to see
me so much ?" asked George.
swell. 1 have an idea that has money
in it. ] tell you George, it is a scheme
big enough for man, and I'm going to
give yoa chance to make slice out of
| it with me; and, besides, We can have
plenty of fun"
"I'm in for anything where there is
fun aud money but what's your scheme
Don't keep me waiting" replied George.
Harry had been thinking the matter
over and pieturing it to his imagination,
ias boy often does when new idea
dawns upon him, until he had become
much 'enthused' concerning it. George
noticed this. and his interest and curl
ositY almost instantly awoke as he list
ened eagerly to his companion, who
said:
"You know that large forest tract of
fathers, way back near the mountain
stream?"
"Oh, yes, of course; but what are you
going to do in that great, lonesome
placer"
"I'm going into the sap business, and
that's the best chance for maple trees l
know of. There are 800 OF 400 of them,
and they are large and sound. l calcu-
late they would run two barrels of sap
any good day. Father says l can tap
them if like. Now, my plan is to take
you as partner, if you like the idea
and want to 60 in with me. will al
low you one-third of the profits, and
will furnish everything for carrying on
the business, and will do half of the
work. Is that fair, and do you want to
do it?" .--t
Yes replied George. "By Jovel that
is an idea, sure enough. Guess we can
make good thing out of it. Why, just
think of Sam. Jones, that lives at the
Three Corners. He tapped about fifty
trees last year and made $40 worth of
sugar from them. Ii we should tap all
of your trees we ought to do pretty well.
But say, wing not allow me half of the
profts?"
Don't you see" said Harry, Il furnish
the sap-orchard, the spilss, the troughs,
and the.wood to boil the sap with. These
things all cost something; and. besides,
l can hire Jack Farnum so could make
more money ont of it than to take you
in as partner; but l had rather have you,
so gave you the first chance"
"Oh, / didn't think about the cost"
replied George. Anyway, 1 will go in
with you; those naples are a long dis
tance from here or from any, house.
How shall we get the sap out hereP
1t would cost more to keep the road
open and to furnish teams than we could
make out of the business, wouldn't it 2"
"Why, yon didn't think we would haul
the sap out. did you? Iguess, not much; ;
there wouldn't be any fun in that. My
plan is to build a camp there-One that
and boil the sap down to sugar or syl-
up right on the spot. Only think of the
game. too, that we could get by being in
the woods all of the time! The part
ridges. rabbits,and foxes are thick there.
But we must get things ready, as there
is so much work to be done in making
the troughs and spiles, and building the
camp"
The foregoing conversation occurred
between two boys in shed chamber on
the farm of j. d. Bancroft, which is To-
Gated in thickly wooded district of
Maine. Harry Bancroft was a bright.
smart boy of fourteen, and, considering
his age, showed remarkable tact for
money getting. He often had schemes
for earning penny that the other boys
of the neigborhood never thought of,
and, possibly, he even excelled some OF
the man in this reSDect
George WoOdman. as we have said,
was older and somewhat larger than
Harry, and of an entirely different make
up; but, nevertheless, they were fast
friends. and spent much time together.
Though Harry WAS the younger, he al.
most always ruled, while George seemed
content to follow his friend and accede
to his propositions. This may seem q
little peculiar to my readers, however IL
is true, and. perhaps. it is not very un-
common for the younger and smailer
party to possess the stronger will.
From the time the boys first discussed
the scheme, they spent ali their spare
moments in planning and preparing for
their business enterprise. They maus
their spiles, which consist of pieces OF
pine wood an inch and half in diame-
ter and about twelve or fifteen lncnes
long, with hole running lengthwlse
through each. They are whittled ous
round at one end, two inches from which
IL