Sra Bellefonte, Pa., July 12, 1912. Porter COPYRIGHT, 1904, BY DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & CO. [Continued from last week | SYNOPSIS. Freckies, a homeless boy, is hired by Boss McLean to guard the expensive tim- ber in the Limberlost from timber thieves, Freckles does his work faithfully, makes friends with the birds and yearns to know more about nature. He lives with Mr. and Mrs, Duncan. He resolves to get books and educate himself. He becomes interested in a huge pair of vultures and calls his bird friends his “chickens.” CHAPTER IV. FRECKLES’ WORLD OF PROMISE. RECKLES had walked the tim- ber line ten months. His pay was $30 a month, and his board cos: $8. That left $22 a month, and the $2 was more than his clothing had cost him. At the very least he had $200 in the bank. “I'll be having a book about all the birds, trees. flowers. butterflies—and. THR SUN GLINTED ON ITS SHARP, HOOKED BEAK. yes. by gummy. I'll be baving one about the frogs—if it takes every ceut I have,” he promised himself. Freckles fell into a rapid pace, for he had fost time that morning, and as he rounded the last curve he was al most running Then, wavering. flickering, darting here and there over the sweet marsh grass, came n groat black shadow. Ha had seen some owls and hawks of the swamp that he thought could be classed as large birds. but never any thing like this. for six feet it spread irs great shining wings. [Its big, strong feet could be seen drawn up among its feathers. The sun xlinted on its sharp, hooked Lenk. It lit on a low tree, and a second later Freckles saw another shadow sweep the grass. They were evidently mates, for with a queer rolling hop the first comer shivered his bronze wings. sidled up to the new arrival and gave her a silly little peck on her wing. Then he co- quettishly drew away and ogled her. He lifted his head and waddled from her a few steps, awkwardly ambled back and gave Ler a sort of kiss on her beak. —— The Jover sidestepped a few feet. He spread his wings and slowly and softly waved them precisely. as if he were fanning his charmer, which indeed was the result he accomplished. Then he hobbled up to his bombardment once more. He faced her squarely this time and turned his head from side to side with queer little jerks and indiscriminate peckings at her wings and head. She yawned and shuffled away indifferently. Freckles reached up, pulled the quill from his hat and. looking from it to the birds, nodded in settled conviction. With a ravishing swagger, half lift- ed wings and deep, guttural hissing the lover came on again. He suddenly lift- ed his body. but the other bird coolly {and sfigure some at school, but_ there have Freckles give up. | yourself if you have the books, don't the saddle until lover, bent over “They're back there in the middle the swamp now,” said Freckles. “Do you suppose there is any chance ‘of them staying with me chickens? | If they do they'll be about the queer- {est 1 have. But I tell you, sir, I am ! getting some plumb good ones. There's 'a new kind over at the mouth of the creek that uses its wings like feet and walks on all fours. It travels like a thrashing machine. There's anoth- | er, tall as me waist, with a bill a foot long. a neck near two, not the thick- ness of me wrist and an elegant color. | He's some blue and gray, touched up with black. white and brown. voice of him is such that if he'd be go ing up and standing by a tree and ! sawing at it a few times he could be | cutting it square off. 1 don't know but it would be a good idea to try him on the gang, sir.” blue herons. Freckles,” he said. it doesn’t seem possible, but your story | of the big black birds sounds like gen- uine black vultures. They are com- mon enough in the south. I've seen them thick about the lumber camps of Georgia, but 1 never heard of any this far north before. They must be strays. You have perfectly described our nearest equivalent to a branch of these birds called in Europe Pharaoh's ; chickens.” | “He was loving cer so,” said Free | kles in a hushed voice. Freckles lift | ed his brave, steady eyes to the boss. “If anybody loved me like that, Mr. McLean, | wouldn't be spending any time caring how they looked or { moved. All I'd be thinking of was how they felt toward me. If they will stay I'll be caring as much for them as any chickens I have.” The face of McLean was a study. “And now, Freckles, what has been the trouble all spring? You bave done your work as faithfully as any one could ask, but 1 can’t help seeing that there is something wrong. Are you tired of your job?" . “I love it.” answered Freckles. “It will almost break me heart when the gang begins tearing up the swamp and scaring away me chickens.” “Then what is the matter?” insisted McLean. “I think, sir, it's been books. Being among these beautiful things every day. I got so anxious like to be know- Ing and naming them that it got to eating into me and went and made me near sick when I was well as | covid be. Of course I learned to read, write was nothing there nor in any of the city that I ever got to see that would make a fellow even be dreaming of such interesting things as there are here. I've seen the parks, but they ain't even beginning to be In it with Limberiost. It's all new and strange to me. 1 don't know a thing about any of it. The bullfrog told me to ‘find out.’ rlain as day, and books are the only way, ain't they?" “Of course,” said McLean, astonished at himself for his heartfelt relief. He had not guessed until that minute what it would have meant to him to “You know enough to study out what you want you?" “I am pretty sure I do,” said Free kles. *I learned all I'd the chance a! in the home, and me schooling was good as far as it went. Wouldn't let you go past fourteen. you know. | plways did me sums perfect, and | loved me history books. I never could ret me grammar to suit them. They said it was just born in me to go wrong talking, but I could knock them all out singing. I was always leader In the home, and once one of the su- perintendents gave me car fare and let me go into the city and sing in a boys’ tholr. The master said I'd the swatest voice of them all until it got rough. like, and then he made me quit for awhile, but he said it would be coming back by now, and I'm railly thinking it is, sir, for I've tried about the line a bit of late. “That and me chickens has been all the company I've been having, and it will be all I'll want if I can have books and learn the real names of things, where they come from and why they do such interesting things. It's been fretting me to be shut up here among all these wonders and not knowing a thing. I wanted to ask you what some books would cost me and It you'd be having the goodness to get me the right ones. I think I have ” enough money. Freckles handed up his account book, and the boss studied it gravely. “You needn't touch your bank ac- count, Freckles,” he said. “Ten dol- lars from this month's pay will get everything you need to start on. will write a friend in Grand Rapids today to select you the very best and : Bik g ie gs ge Bos: Eeg : : i gE | g § R § sleds | 1 ge i g : § 3 2f | The | McLean laughed. “Those must be | “And | entists pin specimens. But I don't | want to hear of your killing any birds. They are protected by heavy fines.” | McLean rode away and left Freckles staring aghast. Then he saw the point | ana grinned sheepishly. Standing on the trail. he twirled the feather and | thought the morning over, | “Well, if life ain't getting to be | worth living!" he said wonderingly. | “Biggest streak of luck 1 ever had! | "Bout time something was coming my way. but I wouldn't ever thought any- body could strike such prospects | through just a falling feather.” On Duncan's return from his next trip to town there was a store bos | loaded on the back of his wagon. He | drove to the west entrance of the | swamp, set the box on a stump that | Freckles had selected in a beautiful ! and sheltered place and made it secure | on its foundation with a tree at its | back. “It seems most a pity to nail into | that tree.” said Duncan. *I badna the | time to examine into the grain of it. | but it looks as If it might be a rare !ane. Anyhow, the nailin’ winna hurt | it deep, and havin’ the case by it will | make jt safer if it is a guid ane.” “Isnt it an oak?" asked Freckles. “Aye.” said Duncan. “It looks like it might be une of thae fire grained golden anes that mak’ such grand fur niture.” When the body of the case was se- | cure Duncan made a door out of the | lid and fastened it on with hinges. He ! drove a staple. screwed on a latch and | gave Freckles a small padlock, so that | he might safely fasten in his treasures. | He made a shelf in the top for the | books and last of all covered the case with oilcloth, It was the first time In Freckles’ life that any one had ever done that much for his pleasure, and it warmed his heart with pure joy. “Mr. Duncan,” he said. “I don't know why you are being so mighty good to me, but if you have any jobs up at the cabin that I could do for you or Mrs. Duncan hours off the line it would make me mighty happy.” “Freckles,” sald Duncan as he began gathering up his tools, “I canna see that it will hurt ye to be told that ye are doin' every day a thing that pleases the boss as much as anything %e could do. Ye're bein’ uncommon faithful, Ind. and honest as old Father Time. McLean ia trustin’ ye as iw would his own flesh and blood.” “Oh, Duncan!" cried the boy. you sure?” “Why. | know.” answered Duncan. “I wadna venture to say else. In those first days he cautioned me na to tell ye that. but now he wadna care. D'ye ken, Freckles, that some of the single trees ye are guardin’ are worth a thousand dollars ?* Freckles looked limp, and his eyes popped “Are “Ye see.” sald Duncan, “that's why they maun be watched so closely. The ether night down at camp some son of Baalam was suggestin’ that ye might be sellin’ the boss out to Jack and let- tin’ him tak the trees secretly and no- body wad ever ken till the gang gets here.” A wave of scarlet flooded Freckles’ face, and he blazed hotly at the insult, “And the boss,” continued Duncan, ignoring Freckles’ anger, “he lays back Just as cool as cowcumbers and says. Just tryin’ to show ye how he felt | toward ye, and I've gone and give ye | that worry to bear.” “I am mighty proud of what you have been telling me, Duncan,” said | Freckles. “1 need the warning sure, | for with the books coming I might be timpted to neglect me work when dou- | ' ble watching is needed.” Freckles picked up bis club and start- | ed down the line, whistling cheerily. Duncan went straight to the lower camp and, calling McLean aside, re- peated the conversation verbatim. | “And. nae matter what happens now | or ever, dinna ye dare let anything | make ye believe that Freckles hasna | guarded faithful as any man could.” | “I don’t think anything could shake | my faith in the lad,” said McLean. | Freckles kept one eye religiously on : the line. The other he divided be- | tween the path, his friends of the | wire and a search of the sky for his ' latest arrivals. Every day since their | coming he had seen them, either hang- ing like small black clouds above the swamp or bobbing over logs and trees with their queer tilting walk. When- i ever he could spare time he entered the swamp und tried to make friends with them, and they were the tamest of all his unnumbered subjects. They ducked, dodged and ambled about him, over logs and bushes, and not | even a near approach would drive them to flight. For two weeks he had found them circling over the Limberlost regularly, | but one morning the female was miss- ing, and only the big black chicken hung sentinel above the swamp. His mate did not reappear in the following days, and Freckles grew very anxious. He spoke of it to Mrs. Duncan, and she quieted his fears by raising a de- lightful hope in their stead. “Why, Freckles, if it's the hen bird ye are missing it's ten to ane she's safe,” she said. “She's laid and is setting, ye silly. Watch him and mark whaur he lichts. Then follow and find the nest. 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