“But,” resumed the girl, after a short pause, “we have no place to go if Nicolas forecloses; we don’t know how else to support ourselves; so wouldn’t traveling around the country all summer give us a chance to see all kinds of places and people? Mightn’t we get in touch with possibilities for the future? Our living expenses would be small; for we could gather wild things to eat—”
“A few bears, or owls, I suppose,” laughed her brother.
“No, silly! Berries, and—and grapes, and things.”
“Heavy diet.”
“And fish,” concluded Desiré triumphantly.
“Another thing,” continued Jack, resuming his gravity, “you wouldn’t want to spoil old Simon’s route by taking some of his customers.”
“Of course not, but there certainly must be sections where there is no traveling store. We could take one of those.”
Just then a heavy knock on the front door startled them both.
CHAPTER III
TWO CALLERS
When Jack opened the door, Nicolas Bouchard stood frowning before him.