The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-09-16
THE CATHOLIC BULLETIN, SEPTEMBER 49, 1911.

If we may have some of those little
trees that grow down IN the swamp;
he cuts them for bean-poles: they're
just the thing. Come on. Well bring
lunch and stay all day. Come on"
The boys whistled for Fleet and
then ran home as fast as they could
BY and by they came back, armed
with axes and nails and rope and q
lunch basket.
| Now" said Billie, well sharpen a
stick, and you get some holes made
all round the tree while I go down
to the swamp and cut the trees; then
Wen stick them in the ground and
tie the tops to the trunk of the big
tree. Well leave place for a door.
What shall we cover it with 2"
asked Dryden.
Dried leaves and hemIocK branch
es. It'll be water-tight, and warm as
toast. We can come here every Sat
urday all winter and bring our lunch.
Well get some boards, and next Sat
urday we'll make floor. Come on. !"
The two boys worked like beavers
all day long. They got the little trees
cut and trimmed and driven into the
ground; then the next thing was to
get the ends of the trees tied to the
trunk of the big tree It didn't look
very easy, and it was almost supper
time before they commenced STILL
they wanted to see how it was boing
to look, so they worked away as fast
as they could
"Ill' tell you what we'll do" cried
Billie. IF you'll boost, I'll get up on
that first branch, you bend down, the
sticks and I'll lean over and tie then
to the trunk"
Well, after trying a number oil
times, Billie managed to get up into
the spruce tree; then Dryden begaI
bending sticks for Billie to tie. They
were almost done when all of a sud
den Fleet gave a furious bark an6
dashed off into the woods; Billie los
his balance, and came crashing dow1
through the shack. He hit his foo
against stone, and turned as white
as sheet.
Have you hurt yourself?" criet
Dryden.
"Awfully," groaned Billie.
What shall we do?"
Billie tried to get up, but fell bacl
with a groan.
Say, I'll run to your house ant
get your father cried Dryden. :"
won't be gone long. Fleet can sta.
with you. Here, Fleet; here, Fleet!
4 Poor Billie! 1t was pretty dark il
under the spruce, and his foot painet
him, and Fleet was uneasy; it dit
seem as if his father never woul,
come. He began to think all sort
of dreadful things. Suppose some
thing had happened to Dryden, an,
suppose he and Fleet should have t,
stay in the shack all night! Suppos
there were Indians about, and bears
Just here Billie felt cold nos
pressed close to his hand, and then
great warm tongue licked his face
It was Fleet, saying as best he could
} II love you, Billie, and I'll bite any
thing that comes to harm YOU"
Now, Billie was just little boy
you know, and his ankle did pain hir
dreadfully, and of course it was lionel
in the woods; but Billie had no nc
ton of being a coward-not he. H
patted Fleets neck.
Were not afraid, are we, Fleet?
Fleet laughed at the idea, or a
least he wagged his tail, which is
dogs way of laughing; then he prick
ed up his ears.
What is it, Fleet?' Billie's hear
was in his mouth. Fleet gave shorr
joyful bark.
Hello, Fleet" called voice
where's Billie?''
Here l am father" shouted Billie
for it was Billie's father, and yo
never saw happier boy than Bill
was. His father took him in his arm
and carried him home; his mothe
came down to the brook to meet hin
Father put him on the couch, mothe
took off his shoe and stocking, bah
toddled up and put her pretty littl
pink finger on his ankle. POO Bi'ee,
she said, Ear hurled" and there wa
such a funny little anxious look i
her baby eyes that Billie had to gis
gle right out. The doctor came pre-
ty soon and bandanged his ankle, an
then he had nice supper and wa
put to bed. He dreamed he was dow
at the shack all alone, and it was yer
dark, and he was lonesome; and the
all at once he dreamed he opened hi
eyes, and there were father and mott
er and baby and Fleet.
Wasn't he glad!
-Ernncos. Il loLnno IL, tha Ch,rrnhrnau