“Sam!” he called. “What in the world are you doing here?”
The negro, grinning broadly and sheepishly, approached and put down his bundle.
“Dunno, Mr. Joe,” he said. “I seen you come outer de camp ’fore day, an’ I jes’ follered arter you, to see what you was fixin’ to do.”
“I’ve left Burnam’s, Sam,” said the former woods-rider.
“Now, I jes’ figgered dat what you ’bout to do,” said the negro boy, earnestly. “So’m I, too. All de hands is fixin’ to go. Dey says dere won’t be no more wages paid at dis camp, now de still’s done burnt.”
“I’m afraid you’ve got it about right,” said Joe. “But you’ll be all right. You’re a good turpentine man now, and fellows like you can get a job anywhere. There’s a big camp across the river where I hear they want men. And here,” he added, taking out two silver dollars, “I’m a little short myself, but this’ll help you to get there.”
“Thank you, Mr. Joe. Much obleeged!” said Sam, making no move to take the money. “But I’d lots ruther go ’long with you, wherever you fixin’ to go. Mebbe you’ll be woods-ridin’ at some other camp, an’ I kin git a job dere, too. But I don’t want no money, nohow. No-suh, Mr. Joe! Ef you let me stay with you, I don’t want no wages, an’ mebbe I kin help you some.”
“I’m going to live a wild life in the woods, Sam,” said Joe, gravely.
“Glory!” Sam shouted. “Dat’s de life for me! Now you jes’ ’bliged to take me with you, Mr. Joe! I kin snare rabbits, an’ cotch birds in traps, an’ I kin cotch fish where no one else can’t cotch none. I knows how to make a canoe, an’ I kin make a fire without no matches. I kin cook, too. Whoop-ee! You jes’ wait till you tastes some of my cookin’. I tells you we’ll live high. Yes-suh, Mr. Joe!”
Joe laughed, a little touched too at the boy’s loyalty. Then it came upon him that here was just the helper he needed for his work with the rosin. Sam was as strong as a young mule, and absolutely faithful. For a moment he hesitated about getting Sam mixed up in this surreptitious business, but he quieted his conscience by telling himself that he would carry all the responsibility, and if the venture succeeded he would give the boy good wages.