Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-03


one side was the bay. with the water
looking blue and pretty in the fore
noon sunshine. And on t'other side
was the mile and half strip we'd just
sailed across, with the beach and
mainland over yonder. Not a soul but
US in sight anywheres. The whole lay
out would have made first-rate pho
tograph Of the last place the Lord
made; the one he forgot to finish
Look at IT," hollers Van Look at
It! Now what is it?"
begua to be sorry the keeper
hadn't arrived that time when
, thought ne was coming. cal'lated
he was needed right now. Martin
seemed to think so, too. He looked
puzzled.
What is it," he says. What's
what: What do you mean?"
why this whole business. Island
and house and scenery and quiet and
all. You old blockhead." hollers Van,
/ giving the other Twin an everlasting
bang on the back; Don't you see? It's
what we've been looking for all these
weeks-its the pure. unadulterated,
accept-no-imitatious Natural Life"
set down in the sand. Things were
coming too fast for me. If this kept
on I'd be counting my fingers and
playing cats cradle along with the
rest OF the looms pretty soon.
knew it.
n,,< ~ L.
Hartley didn't seem to think his chum
was out OF his mind. He fetched a
long breath.
by Jove." he says. slow; 81 don't
know but you're right"
Right? You bet I'm right. It's
been growing on me ever since l
landed. Well be alone: no females
native or imported, to bother us.
Here's a bully old house with some
furniture, bedsteads and so on, already
In It, l broke a window and climbed
in for a rummage. Jolliest old ark
you ever saw. Here's a veranda to sit
on, and air to breathe, and a barn for
COW and plenty OF room for gar.
den and whew, Man alive,
it's Paradise. And 7 want to locate
the man that owns it, want to find
him quick"
He didn't have to say It but once.
Nate Scudder was so full OF JOY that
he had to shove his hands in his pock-
cts to keep from hugging himself.
Il own It," he says.
You do Scuddcr, you're a gem.
begin to love YOU like a brother Mar
tin and | hire this place. do you un.
derstand? It's ours from this minute,
for as long as we want it,
Nate commenced to hem and haw.
We'll, don't know" he says. Il don't
knows ought to let you have It,
There's been considerable many folks
after II, and
Never mind. They can't have It.
We outbid EN- See"
What will we do for groceries,"
asks Hartley, considering.
"Scudder II bring EN- to U.S." says
Van Wont you, Scudder?"
well, | don't know, Mr.. Van Brunt.
I'm pretty busy now, and"
Well pay you for your time. OF
course"
sils and so on" asks Hartley. consid-
ering some more.
"scudderll buy en- for us some.
where's"
And milk. and eggs, and butter?"
"Scudder--till We get our own chick
Auc opd
"And-er-well. a cook? Who'll do
the cooking"
Van Brunt stoops down and slaps
me on the shoulder.
Pratt" says he Pratt will come
here and cook for us, and navigate US,
land be our general manager Pratt's
the boy!'
Hold on there" I sings out. "Avast
heaving. will you. II you think for
one minute that I'm going to quit my
summer Job to come to this hole and
live, you're
You're coming" says Van. Never
mind the price; We'll pay it. Now shut
up! you're coming
What can you say to chap like
that? ! groaned'
Live on Horsefoot Bar" I says.
Live on H."
"Horsefoot Bar" says Van. rs that
its name? Well, It's Horsefoot Bar no
more. I've been evolving name ever
since I began to breathe here. Breathe,
Martin" he says. Draw good
breath. That's 1t. That's pure ozone
Gentlemen. permit me to introduce ia
you, Ozone island"
Scudder grinned. He was feeling
ready to grin at most anything just
then.
"Ozone !sland?" says Hartley