“We didn’t hardly know what to do when that blizzard came up,” he said. “Wonder if Jim went to meet us.”
“No, he came here and said he was expected to be at the end of the corduroy road for you,” Mr. Keene explained. “I said I guessed you boys would know what to do. Besides, it is doubtful if he could have gotten his wagon through the drifts.”
In the afternoon Bart’s chums came over. Ned said he had spoken to his father about the Perry family, and Mr. Wilding was going to get Jane a place to work. Mr. Keene expressed a wish to help the widow, and arrangements were made to see that she did not suffer any more for lack of food or clothing for herself and daughters. When the roads were better Mrs. Keene went to visit Mrs. Perry, and Jane secured a place in a store in Kirkville, so she could come home every night.
“Now if we could only find the widow’s son for her we’d have that family in pretty good shape,” remarked Bart to his chums one morning early in December as they were on their way to school after the Thanksgiving holidays. “Accidentally we were able to do quite a lot for them, but I’d like to do more.”
“I’m glad Jane has a place,” observed Fenn.
“Good thing it isn’t in Darewell,” said Frank.
“Why?” asked Fenn.
“Because you’d be hanging around the store where she was whenever you had the chance, Stumpy, to see her home.”
Frank did not dodge quickly enough to escape the snowball Fenn threw at him, and caught it on the head. But he laughed good-naturedly. It was the price for his joke and he was willing to pay it.
“Let’s go skating this afternoon,” suggested Bart. “The river edge is fine almost up to the Riffles.”