“And Nassau,” repeated the open-mouthed Andy—“where’s that?”
“I reckon I’ll have to get down the map for you,” answered the amused captain. “Nassau is the only town in all the three thousand or more Bahama Islands. And it’s about two hundred and fifty miles from here. But you can strike the Bahamas long before that. In one place they’re not over eighty-five miles from America.”
As Andy’s eyes contracted, a mind reader would have detected these thoughts already linking themselves in the boy’s brain: “working engine, boat, Indian River, ocean, Bahama Islands.”
“I guess I know what you’re thinkin’ about,” ventured Captain Anderson, with a mischievous laugh. “And if I’m not mistaken, in the next few days there’s goin’ to be a pretty busy boy around these parts.”
“Well,” answered Andy, with a similar smile, “wherever I am, I’m not in the habit of takin’ root. And I won’t need a gong to get me up in the morning.”
By the time the man and the boy had secured the broad-wheeled trundle cart that Captain Anderson used in transporting freight, and had gone for the trunks, Mrs. Leighton had refreshed herself by removing the stains of travel, and Mrs. Anderson was well forward in the preparation of a supper for the strangers.
“It’s a long way to haul the trunks for just over night,” said Mrs. Leighton, as Captain Anderson and Andy carried them onto the gallery.
“It’s the easiest way,” explained Captain Anderson. “When you want to send them to Mr. Leighton’s house, we’ll take ’em by water. Goat Creek empties into the river just above here, and it winds back right past your brother-in-law’s place. I’ll have to lend Andy one of my rowboats.”
“Supper’s all ready,” announced Mrs. Anderson. “We haven’t any real milk or cream, and no real butter, but we get used to substitutes.”
With this apology she seated her guests to a repast of fried lake trout, fried yams, homemade bread, orange marmalade, guava jelly, tea, and by way of dessert, an enormous pineapple ripened on the plant. By the time the tired and hungry travelers had shown their full appreciation of Mrs. Anderson’s culinary skill it was well after ten o’clock. Mrs. Leighton and Mrs. Anderson having arranged Andy’s bed on the couch, they withdrew.