Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-29
CHAPTER XIII.

/ 1t was nearly noon on beautiful morn
ing toward the end of April and Jack
was inspecting the work at the last of
the decoy houses. A week ago Crunden
had slipped in, stepping off a ladder and
had wrenched the muscles of one leg.
Since then he had been confined to Kings
cottage, nursing the injured leg, under
the directions of DR.. Blake. and Jack, as
deputy. had been in charge of yard, es-
tate everything.
| The upper decoy house would be really
finished soon; the first hoor was practically
completed and a painter was giving last
touches: CRATES were being set on the
basement floor; two plasterers were doing
something in the ttchen; carpenters
were busy outside the House on gates and
fences There were in all eight men
ou-tks job and the ford man showed Jack
how Ntte> remained NOW to do.
'ThdAe Yenk doors,J said the foreman.
pointin&>fS an empty doorway, are more
trouble Man they're worth. We could
make thefp in our own shop in less time
than n t9kes to ittnem. I've sent two
10 haREa and swing like they should"
II Then the foreman left Jack as deputy
foreman. and went off to the joiner's shop
az the yard. -
1t only wis a quarter to. Here's my
whstle-if you'll kindly blow up at II
sharp
Jack took the foreman's whistle. prom
ised 70 give the SIGNAL at high noon for
the neen to knock off work, and then, sit
ting On a pie of fence -rds outside
the house. waited patiently.
II was warm In the bright sunlight, and
the gentle breeze was sweet and fresh:
the gaiety OF spring was in the air: all
hs. "a 1C1 1<~a%r- Il
as the decoy house itself. From the
open windows came the cheerful voice
of the men. the tapping of the carpenters
hammer. the swishing sound of the plas-
terer's brush. and high over head there
was chatter of birds on the wing Pres
emily. when he looked up. he saw that
the birds were swallows These spring
visitors had returned then. 1t was the
first time that he had seen them this
year. ana for little Whine he watched
them clinging to the newly painted cor
nice. clustering on the glittering new
tiles. circling round the unsmoked Chin
ney pots. crying to one another in sur
prise and delight. as though. Mr.. Crun-
and they had just arrived to take pos
session OF it, Then. patiently waiting
for noon. Jack watched a far-off soli-
tary figure crossing the grass by the new
road. 1t was a child or a woman COM
Ing up the slope. 1t was young woman
in a straw hat. His eyes frightened as
he recognized her; it was Lizzie Crunden.
coming to seek him, no doubt bearing
some message from her father.
Lizzie had not been sent; she had come
of her own accord. She wanted Jack at
the cottage. to cheer up father. Mr..
Crunden. she said. was dreadfully de-
pressed. and rather fretful He had been
upset by some letter: he wanted to be
out and about. and ii was difficult to pre-
vent him from disobeying DIR. Blake's
orders: she thought Jack might be able
- calm him and to cheer him. Jack
|1lked to her first of Mr.. Crunden. then
of the swallows. then of the glorious
spring day and. talking. forgot TO blow UP.
| II say, Guv'nor. . Mister Vincent
please" carpenter was looking out
OF window: a plasterer. brush in hand
was on the threshold: the two men at the
fence were watching him anxiously. "I
say, Guvnor. amt 1t dinner time-time
to knock OFF,
Hastily Jack pulled out his watch. lifted
his whistle and blew up. And at the
sourd of the shrill blast the tools dropped
from the workmen's hands as If by magic.
or as II the whistle had blown the plas-
terer's brush against the skirting board
in the hall and the carpenters hammer
into the corner of the room upstairs:
men who were supporting a crate let the
Iron frame fall with a dull crash; no
man continued working for an instant.
Tor a fraction of an instant. after the
signal told him that the hour of rest
had begun.
That's their way" said Jack. They
workout they're not like your father
and me- They don't enjoy working -
and he called to the two men hurrying
from the fence: 81 locked you of four
minutes. Take it at the other end"
THANK you. sir. / thought you, was
giving US short measure"
Jack walked back with Lizzie. and spoke
to her again of the gaiety and gladness
of these bright spring days.
Make you feel happy, no matter what
you may have TO worry about and he
lglanced at her thoughtfully. Miss Liz
Izie, it's warm now. Isn't that brown
lfrock too thick and heavy?"
And once again he made polite In