Веснянки
Chapter I
“Ididn’tevenhavetostealclothestogetridofstartinginmeHomeones,”Frecklescontinued,“fortheyhadalreadytakenallmeclean,neatthingsfortheboyandputmeintohisrags,andthatwentalmostassoreasthebeatings,forwhereIwaswewerealwayskepttidyandsweet-smelling,anyway.IhustledclearintothisStatebeforeIlearnedthatmancouldn’thavekeptmeifhe’dwantedto.WhenIthoughtIwasgoodandawayfromhim,Icommencedhuntingwork,butitiswitheverybodyelsejustasitiswithyou,sir.Big,strong,wholemenaretheonlyonesforbeingwanted.”
“Ihavebeenstudyingoverthismatter,”answeredMcLean.“Iamnotsosurebutthatamannoolderthanyouandsimilarineverywaycoulddothisworkverywell,ifhewerenotacoward,andhaditinhimtobetrustworthyandindustrious.”
Frecklescameforwardastep.
“IfyouwillgivemeajobwhereIcanearnmefood,clothes,andaplacetosleep,”hesaid,“ifIcanhaveaBosstoworkforlikeothermen,andaplaceIfeelI’vearightto,Iwilldopreciselywhatyoutellmeordietrying.”
HespokesoconvincinglythatMcLeanbelieved,althoughinhisheartheknewthattoemployastrangerwouldbewretchedbusinessforamanwiththeinterestshehadinvolved.
“Verywell,”theBossfoundhimselfanswering,“Iwillenteryouonmypayrolls.We’llhavesupper,andthenIwillprovideyouwithcleanclothing,wading-boots,thewire-mendingapparatus,andarevolver.Thefirstthinginthemorning,IwilltakeyouthelengthofthetrailmyselfandexplainfullywhatIwantdone.
