“Perhaps that he wouldn’t bother us any more,” replied Jack slowly.
“An’ he didn’t give you any money, nor nothin’,” grumbled René, as they started out of Halifax for the second time that day. “I thought if anybody helped anyone else they always gave ’em a—a—re—reward.”
“We did get a reward,” said Desiré softly, “but not the kind you mean.”
“Where’s his wagon?” demanded Priscilla.
“Probably he left it in Halifax,” replied Jack carelessly, as he wondered just what harm to themselves the pile of stones might have thwarted.
Progress on the way back toward Wolfville was necessarily slow; for housewives all along the route were preparing for the coming winter when indoor occupations must replace the activities of the warm months. Thread, wool, and notions of all kinds were in great demand; for the women folk must keep busy with more feminine tasks, the hands that during the summer had helped in gardens and farmyards, as well as in picking blueberries to be shipped to the States. Daily great trucks stop at the scattered houses along certain sections rich in that fruit to gather up supplies and take their loads to the seaports where ships are waiting for them. The average tourists en route from Nova Scotia to the States little know, when they are pacing the decks of the comfortable steamers, that far below are crates and crates of berries which will later be consumed by themselves at home or in hotels.
Several times Jack had to replenish his stock as best he could from some town through which they passed; and Desiré daily rejoiced at the steadily increasing number of coins in their little iron bank.
“We’ll be rich yet!” she exulted, shaking it merrily as they drove away from Mount Uniacke.
“Sorry to destroy your hopes,” said Jack, half under his breath, so as not to be overheard by the two children on the floor behind them, playing a hotly contested game on the board which Mrs. Auberge had given them. “Had you thought that we’ll have to get some kind of furniture for the Godet house?”
Desiré looked at him wide-eyed with surprise and dismay.