Little Fishers: and Their Nets

  CHAPTER XV.

  A WILL AND A WAY.

  "THE next thing we want to do is to earn some money."

  This, Jerry said, as he sat on the side step with Nettie, after sunset.They had been having a long talk, planning the campaign against theenemy, which they had made up their minds should be carried on withvigor. At least, they had been trying to plan; but that obstacle whichseems to delight to step into the midst of so many plans and overturnthem, viz. money, met them at every point. So when Jerry made thatemphatic announcement, Nettie was prepared to agree with him fully; butnone the less did she turn anxious eyes on him as she said:

  "How can we?"

  "I don't know yet," Jerry said, whistling a few bars of

  Oh, do not be discouraged,

  and stopping in the middle of the line to answer, "But of course thereis a way. There was an old man who worked for my father, who used tosay so often: 'Where there's a will there's a way,' that after awhilewe boys got to calling him 'Will and Way' for short, you know; his namewas John," and here Jerry stopped to laugh a little over that methodof shortening a name; "but it was wonderful to see how true it proved;he would make out to do the most surprising things that even my fatherthought sometimes could not be done. We must _make_ a way to earn somemoney."

  Nettie laughed a little. "Well, I am sure," she said, "there is a willin this case; in fact, there are two wills; for you seem to have alarge one, and I know if ever I was determined to do a thing I am now;but for all that I can't think of a possible way to earn a cent."

  Now Sarah Ann Smith was at this moment standing by the kitchen window,looking out on the two schemers. Her sleeves were rolled above herelbow, for she was about to set the sponge for bread; she had her largeneat work apron tied over her neat dress-up calico; and on her head wasperched the frame out of which, with Nettie's skilful help, and somepieces of lace from her mother's old treasure bag, she meant to makeherself a bonnet every bit as pretty as the one worn by Miss Sherrillthe Sabbath before.

  "Talk of keeping things seven years and they'll come good," saidMrs. Smith, watching with satisfaction while Nettie tumbled over thecontents of the bag in eager haste and exclaimed over this and thatpiece which would be "just lovely." "I've kept the rubbish in that baggoing on to twenty years, just because the pretty girls where I usedto do clear-starching, gave them to me. I had no kind of notion whatI should ever do with them; but they looked bright and pretty, and Ialways was a master hand for bright colors, and so whenever they wouldhand out a bit of ribbon or lace, and say, 'Cerinthy, do you wantthat?' I was sure to say I did; and chuck it into this bag; and now tothink after keeping of them for more than twenty years, my girl shouldbe planning to make a bonnet out of them! Things is queer! I don't evermean to throw away _anything_. I never was much at throwing away; nowthat's a fact."

  Now the truth was that Sarah Ann, left to herself, would as soonhave thought of making a _house_ out of the contents of that bag, asa bonnet; but Nettie Decker's deft fingers had a natural tact forall cunning contrivances in lace and silk, and her skill in copyingwhat she saw, was something before which Sarah Ann stood in silentadmiration; when, therefore, she offered to construct for Sarah Ann,out of the treasures of that bag, a bonnet which should be bothbecoming and economical, Sarah Ann's gratitude knew no bounds. She wentthat very afternoon to the milliner's to select her frame, and had itperched at that moment as I said, on her head, while she listened tothe clear young voices under the window. She had a great desire to behelpful; but money was far from plenty at Job Smith's.

  What was it which made her at that moment think of a bit of news whichshe had heard while at the milliner's? Why, nothing more remarkablethan that the color of Nettie Decker's hair in the fading light wasjust the same as Mantie Horton's. But what made her suddenly speak herbit of news, interrupting the young planners? Ah, that Sarah Ann doesnot know; she only knows she felt just like saying it, so she said it.

  "Mantie Horton's folks are all going to move to the city; they areselling off lots of things; I saw her this afternoon when I was at themilliner's, and she says about the only thing now that they don't knowwhat to do with is her old hen and chickens; a nice lot of chicks asever she saw, but of course they can't take them to the city. My! Ishould think they would feel dreadful lonesome without chickens, norpigs, nor nothing! _We_ might have some chickens as well as not, ifwe only had a place to keep 'em; enough scrapings come from the tableevery day, to feed 'em, most."

  Before this sentence was concluded, Jerry had turned and given Nettiea sudden look as if to ask if she saw what he did; then he whistled alow strain which had in it a note of triumph; and the moment Sarah Annpaused for breath he asked: "Where do the Hortons live?"

  "Why, out on the pike about a mile; that nice white house set back fromthe road a piece; don't you know? It is just a pleasant walk out there."

  Then Sarah Ann turned away to attend to her bread, and as she did soher somewhat homely face was lighted by a smile; for an idea had justdawned upon her, and she chuckled over it: "I shouldn't wonder if thoseyoung things would go into business; he's got contrivance enough tomake a coop, any day, and mother would let them have the scrapings, andwelcome."

  Sarah Ann was right; though Nettie, unused to country ways and plans,did not think of such a thing, Jerry did. The next morning he was up,even before the sun; in fact that luminary peeped at him just as he wasturning into the long carriage drive which led finally to the Hortonbarnyard. There a beautiful sight met his eyes; a white and yellowtopknot mother, and eight or ten fluffy chickens scampering about her."They are nice and plump," said Jerry to himself; "I'm afraid I haven'tmoney enough to buy them; but then, there is a great deal of risk inraising a brood of chickens like these; perhaps he will sell themcheap."

  Farmer Horton was an early riser, and was busy about his stables whenJerry reached there. He was anxious to get rid of all his live stock,and be away as soon as possible, and here was a customer anxious tobuy; so in much less time than Jerry had supposed it would take, thehen and chickens changed owners and much whistling was done by the newowner as he walked rapidly back to town to build a house for his family.

  Mrs. Smith had been taken into confidence; so indeed had Job, beforethe purchase was made; but the whole thing was to be a profoundsurprise to Nettie. Therefore, she saw little of him that day, and Iwill not deny was a trifle hurt because he kept himself so busy aboutsomething which he did not share with her. But I want you to imagine,if you can, her surprise the next morning when just as she was ready toset the potatoes to frying, she heard Jerry's eager voice calling herto come and see his house.

  "See what?" asked Nettie, appearing in the doorway, coffee pot in hand.

  "A new house. I built it yesterday, and rented it; the family moved inlast night. That is the reason I was so busy. I had to go out and helpmove them; and I must say they were as ill-behaved a set as I ever hadanything to do with. The mother is the crossest party I ever saw; andshe has no government whatever; her children scurry around just wherethey please."

  "What are you talking about?" said astonished Nettie, her face growingmore and more bewildered as he continued his merry description.

  "Come out and see. It is a new house, I tell you; I built it yesterday;that is the reason I did not come to help you about the bonnet. Didn'tyou miss me? Sarah Ann thinks it is actually nicer than the one MissSherrill wore." And he broke into a merry laugh, checking himself tourge Nettie once more to come out and see his treasures.

  "Well," said Nettie, "wait until I cover the potatoes, and set theteakettle off." This done she went in haste and eagerness to discoverwhat was taking place behind Job Smith's barn. A hen and chickens!Beautiful little yellow darlings, racing about as though they werecrazy; and a speckled mother clucking after them in a dignified way,pretending to have authority over them, when one could see at a glancethat they did exactly as they pleased.

  Then came a storm of questions. "Where? and When? and Why?"

  "It is a stock com
pany concern," exclaimed Jerry, his merry eyesdancing with pleasure. Nettie was fully as astonished and pleased ashe had hoped. "Don't you know I told you yesterday we must plan a wayto earn money? This is one way, planned for us. _We_ own Mrs. Biddy;every feather on her knot, of which she is so proud, belongs to us, andshe must not only earn her own living and that of her children, butbring us in a nice profit besides. Those are plump little fellows; Ican imagine them making lovely pot pies for some one who is willing topay a good price for them. Cannot you?"

  "Poor little chickens," said Nettie in such a mournful tone that Jerrywent off into shouts of laughter. He was a humane boy, but he could nothelp thinking it very funny that anybody should sigh over the thoughtof a chicken pot pie.

  "Oh, I know they are to eat," Nettie said, smiling in answer to hislaughter, "and I know how to make nice crust for pot pie; but forall that, I cannot help feeling sort of sorry for the pretty fluffychickens. Are you going to fat them all, to eat; or raise some of themto lay eggs?"

  "I don't know what _we_ are going to do, yet," Jerry said with pointedemphasis on the we. "You see, we have not had time to consult; this isa company concern, I told you. What do you think about it?"

  Nettie's cheeks began to grow a deep pink; she looked down at thehurrying chickens with a grave face for a moment, then said gently:"You know, Jerry, I haven't any money to help buy the chickens, and Icannot help own what I do not help buy; they are your chickens, but Ishall like to watch them and help you plan about them."

  Jerry sat down on an old nail keg, crossed one foot over the other, andclasped his hands over his knees, as Job Smith was fond of doing, andprepared for argument:

  "Now, see here, Nettie Decker, let us understand each other once forall; I thought we had gone into partnership in this whole business;that we were to fight that old fiend Rum, in every possible way wecould; and were to help each other plan, and work all the time, and inall ways we possibly could. Now if you are tired of me and want to workalone, why, I mustn't force myself upon you."

  "O, Jerry!" came in a reproachful murmur from Nettie, whose cheeks werenow flaming.

  "Well, what is a fellow to do? You see you hurt my feelings worsethan old Mother Topknot did this morning when she pecked me; I want tobelong, and I mean to; but all that kind of talk about helping to buythese half-dozen little puff-balls is all nonsense, and a girl of yoursense ought to be ashamed of it."

  Said Nettie, "O, Jerry, I smell the potatoes; they are scorching!" andshe ran away. Jerry looked after her a moment, as though astonished atthe sudden change of subject, then laughed, and rising slowly from thenail-keg addressed himself to the hen.

  "Now, Mother Topknot, I want you to understand that you belong to thefirm; that little woman who was just here is your mistress, and if youpeck her and scratch her as you did me, this morning, it will be theworse for you. You are just like some people I have seen; haven't senseenough to know who is your best friend; why, there is no end to thenice little bits she will contrive for you and your children, if youbehave yourself; for that matter, I suspect she would do it whether youbehaved yourself or not; but that part it is quite as well you shouldnot understand. I want you to bring these children up to take care ofthemselves, just as soon as you can; and then you are to give yourattention to laying a nice fresh egg every morning; and the sooner youbegin, the better we shall like it." Then he went in to breakfast.

  There was no need to say anything more about the partnership.Nettie seemed to come to the conclusion that she must be ashamed ofherself or her pride in the matter; and after a very short time grewaccustomed to hearing Jerry talk about "Our chicks," and dropped intothe fashion of caring for and planning about them. None the less wasshe resolved to find some way of earning a little money for her shareof the stock company. Curiously enough it was Susie and little Satewho helped again. They came in one morning, with their hands full ofthe lovely field daisies. The moment Nettie looked at the two littlefaces, she knew that a dispute of some sort was in progress. Susie'slips were curved with that air of superior wisdom, not to say scorn,which she knew how to assume; and little Sate's eyes were full of thehalf-grieved but wholly positive look which they could wear on occasion.

  "What is it?" Nettie asked, stopping on her way to the cellar witha nice little pat of batter which she was saving for her father'ssupper. Butter was a luxury which she had decided the children atleast, herself included, must not expect every day.

  "Why," said Susie, her eyes flashing her contempt of the whole thing,"she says these are folks; old women with caps, and eyes, and noses,and everything; she says they look at her, and some of them arepleasant, and some are cross. She is too silly for anything. Theydon't look the least bit in the word like old women. I told her so,fifty-eleven times, and she keeps saying it!"

  Nettie held out her hand for the bunch of daisies, looked at themcarefully, and laughed.

  "Can't you see them?" was little Sate's eager question. "They are justas plain! Don't you see them a little bit of a speck, Nannie?"

  "Of course she doesn't!" said scornful Susie. "Nobody but a silly babylike you would think of such a thing."

  "I don't know," said Nettie, still smiling, "I don't think I see themas plain as Sate does, but maybe we can, after awhile; wait till I getmy butter put away, and I'll put on my spectacles and see what I canfind."

  So the two waited, Susie incredulous and disgusted, Sate with a hopefullight in her eyes, which made Nettie very anxious to find the oldladies. On her way up stairs she felt in her pocket for the pencilJerry had sharpened with such care the evening before; yes, it wasthere, and the point was safe. Jerry had made a neat little tube ofsoft wood for it to slip into, and so protect itself.

  "Now, let us look for the old lady," she said, taking a daisy in handand retiring to the closet window for inspection; it was the work ofa moment for her fingers which often ached for such work, to fashiona pair of eyes, a nose, and a mouth; and then to turn down the whitepetals for a cap border, leaving two under the chin for strings!

  "Does your old lady look anything like that?" she questioned, as shecame out from her hiding place. Little Sate looked, and clasped herhands in an ecstacy of delight: "Look, Susie, look, quick! there sheis, just as plain! O Nannie! I'm _so_ glad you found her."

  "Humph!" said Susie, "she made her with a pencil; she wasn't there atall; and there couldn't nobody have found her. So!"

  And to this day, I suppose it would not be possible to make SusieDecker believe that the spirits of beautiful old ladies hid in thedaisies! Some people cannot see things, you know, show them as much asyou may.

  But Nettie was charmed with the little old woman. She left the potatoeswaiting to be washed, and sat down on the steps with eager littleSate, and made old lady after old lady. Some with spectacles, and somewithout. Some with smooth hair drawn quietly back from quiet foreheads,some with the old-fashioned puffs and curls which she had seen in old,old pictures of "truly" grandmothers. What fun they had! The potatoescame near being forgotten entirely. It was the faithful old clock inMrs. Smith's kitchen which finally clanged out the hour and made Nettierise in haste, scattering old ladies right and left. But little Sategathered them, every one, holding them with as careful hand as thoughshe feared a rough touch would really hurt their feelings, and went outto hunt Susie and soothe her ruffled dignity. She did not find Susie;that young woman was helping Jerry nail laths on the chicken coop;but she found her sweet-faced Sabbath-school teacher, who was sureto stop and kiss the child, whenever she passed. To her, Sate at onceshowed the sweet old women. "Nannie found them," she explained; "Susiecould not see them at all, and she kept saying they were not there; butNannie said she would make them look plainer so Susie could see, andnow Susie thinks she made them out of a pencil; but they were there,before, I saw them."

  "Oh, you quaint little darling!" said Miss Sherrill, kissing her again."And so your sister Nettie made them plainer for you. I must say shehas done it with a skilful hand. Sate dear, would you give one littleold wo
man to me? Just one; this dear old face with puffs, I want hervery much."

  So Sate gazed at her with wistful, tender eyes, kissed her tenderly,and let Miss Sherrill carry her away.

  She carried her straight to the minister's study, and laid her on theopen page of a great black commentary which he was studying. "Didyou ever see anything so cunning? That little darling of a Sate saysNannie 'found' her; she doesn't seem to think it was made, but simplydeveloped, you know, so that commoner eyes than hers could see it;that child was born for a poet, or an artist, I don't know which.Tremayne, I'm going to take this down to the flower committee, and getthem to invite Nettie to make some bouquets of dear old grandmothers,and let little Sate come to the flower party and sell them. Won't thatbe lovely? Every gentleman there will want a bouquet of the nice oldladies in caps, and spectacles; we will make it the fashion; then theywill sell beautifully, and the little merchant shall go shares on theproceeds, for the sake of her artist sister."

  "It is a good idea," said the minister. "I infer from what thathandsome boy Jerry has told me, that they have some scheme on handwhich requires money. I am very much interested in those young people,my dear. I wish you would keep a watch on them, and lend a helping handwhen you can."