Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1909-01-09
and went down to meet him. Va

wich- Nate backed and filed, as us
ual, telling how busy he was, and how
he hadn't ought to leave, and SO on.
But Van corks him right up with a
fye-dollar bin and of they went
lugged the milk and butter and the
rest of the truck up to the house and
started in on another stretch of work
I'd had a vacation of ten minutes or
SO; now twas time to begin again.
After I'd cleared up round the kitchen
and the like of that, went of down to
the Dora Bassett and tackled her. Van
Brunt had cut away about everything
but the mast, and I had to rig new
halliards and sheets and downhauls
and land knows what. Drat that Heav-
emily! twas a two days job.
While was making a start on it
Hartley comes loafing down from the
house.
Skipper" he says, lets have an
| other one of your chowders for lunch,
will you? They're the real thing.
well, tell you, Mr.. Hartley" says
I, IF we have chowder I'd ought to go
and dig the CLAIMS right now, on ac-
count of the tide. And, honest, 1 hate
to leave this work I'm on. Still, of
| course, if you say so. why"
Whats the matter with my digging
/ emp he says.
1 grinned. why, nothing" 1 says,
so far as 1 know, except that it's
something of a job
"Job." he says. It'll be fun. Tell
me where to so-and what to dig EN-
with, and-and how to do it,
1 told him to take the skiff and
| clam hoe and couple of buckets and
CLAIMS all alongshore there, knew.
| You go along till you see lot of
| little holes in the sand,'' says, then
you dig. Want to look out that they
amt sand-worm holes, nor razor fish,
And when you begin to dig" 1 says,
| you want to lay right into it, cause
| the CLAIMS are likely to be 'run-downs'
and they get under fast. So
| Hold on a minute" says he. How
am 1 going to tell worm-hole from a
| clam-hole, or a clam hole from a-what
was it?-barber fish ho1e?"
| Razor fish," says l. Not barber.
| Well, don't know how to tell you, ex-
actIy. If it's sand-hole there's likely
| to be little tiny hole alongside the
regular one; that is, there is some
times and sometimes there amt. And
if it's a razor fish-well, can tell 'em,
but I cal'late you'll have to use your
own Judgment"
He said all right, he guessed he'd
/ get along. So OF he went, and pretty
| soon him and Lord James comes down
and gets aboard the skiff. His lord
| ship was loaded with no less than four
buckets, besides a clam hoe and the
| garden hoe and the stove shovel Twas
the most imposing clam hunt outfit
| see that battery coming my way I'd
4 have took to tall timber.
Sure you've got hoes and buckets
| enough" 1 asks, sarcastic.
| Il guess so,'' says he, looking around
at the weapons. I'VE might need an
other pail, perhaps, but if we do I'll
| send James after it,
His Iordship started rowing, taking
| strokes first with one hand and then
| with the other, and the fleet got under
way and waltzed, as you might say,
zigzag across to the main. Twas as
calm as millpond and they hit land
up towards the point by the Neck Road.
Then the clam slaughterers got out
and disappeared round behind the
point 1 went on with my rigging.
/ 1t got to be IL o'clock and no signs
| of 'em. Then IL; lunch time Tide
| was coming in fast, you couldn't have
! got a clam now without a diving outfit.
/ But still all quiet on the Potomac.
| went up to the house and commenced
| to slice ham and fry potatoes. 1 had
| my doubts about that chowder.
Everything was ready by and by
| and 1 stepped to the door to take an
| observation. And then see 'em COM
ing, rowing more crab fashion than
! ever 1 walked down to the inlet to
| meet EN-. And such sights as they
was. Blessed if they didn't look like
| they'd been through the war-Lord
James especial.
Hi. Soil" sings out Hartley, as the
skif floats in, broadside on My! but
I'm glad to see you Give James a
| lift with the CLAIMS and things, will
you? I'm done up
He looked it. He was barefoot and
barearmed, with his trousers rolled up
above his knees and his shirt sleeves
above his elbows. And the valet was
| the same, and both of 'em soaking wet
| and just plastered with wet sand and
| clay.
l gave one glance at them bare legs
and arms.
For the land sakes," / sings out
Pull down your pants and your
sleeves. You're burned to blister al
ready"
| And so they was. Tender white
skins like theirs, wet with salt water
I