Garry thought for a moment, and wondered what made the manager presume they would be there only a short time. He was anxious to get going about the camp as soon as possible and see what there was to pick up in the way of information, so he decided that the board house would do as well as one built entirely of logs.
“That is a fine suggestion and we will accept. Building a hut is nothing new to us, and we are anxious to begin fishing and wandering about, so if you will show us where we can cut enough good heavy saplings for supports, we will start right at it. We can have them cut and in place before dinner and then the men can bring us the boards after dinner and we will be all shipshape by nightfall,” said Garry.
“I think that is the best thing to do,” the manager answered. “It is about an hour to dinner time, and you will have ample time to do all that can be done this forenoon.”
So saying, Barrows led the way to a spot near the camp, where there was a clump of saplings that were not big enough to be used for sawed lumber.
“You might as well pitch your shanty here as anywhere, and it will save you from dragging your saplings to any great distance. I’ll gash each of the saplings that you will need. You will only want ten as I figure it.”
“No, we will want twelve so that we may have a window,” interposed Garry.
“That’s a fact,” answered the manager, looking sharply at Garry. “I see that you know rather a bit about shanty building. Do you know much about logging operations? I suppose you do, however, since you are of a family that has always made logging a business.”
Garry felt that the manager was asking this question for a purpose, but he promptly answered:
“No, we know very little about logging, surprising as that may seem, since as you say it ought to run in the blood. About the only thing we understand about timbering operations is the log drive in the spring. We were up once to watch the fight for the river, and had a mighty exciting time, but the entire business is something new to all of us.”
Garry finished speaking and then looked sharply but guardedly at Barrows. He thought he noticed a relieved expression on the face of the manager.