“Why, Jack, how stupid I am! I never once thought of it.”
“Nor I, until today. I don’t know what was the matter with our brains.”
As if stunned by the discovery, they drove for some time in utter silence. In the protection afforded by an upturned coat collar, and a hat pulled far down over her curls, the girl let fall a few tears. Jack, gazing fixedly ahead, half buried in a coat at least two sizes too large for him, was apparently oblivious of her distress.
The day was grey and cold, with a brisk wind whirling the golden leaves of the birches in all directions, scattering the piles of brushwood collected and left beside the road by some native for firewood; rolling the pine cones merrily along in the dust, and making the great firs and balsams toss their branches ceaselessly. Its chill warned of the near approach of snow and ice.
“Jack,” began Desiré at last.
“Yes?” untangling himself from his problems with a start, and turning toward her.
“I’ve been thinking about expenses for the winter. Of course food will cost more, because while we were on the road we had fish and berries to help out; but in regard to the furniture, we could get only what is absolutely necessary for now, and add other pieces as we were able to. We could doubtless pick up used articles at low prices. Think how little we got for our own things when we sold them.”
“But you and the children have got to be comfortable, and warm,” said Jack decidedly. “Camp life in the summer is all right; but too much makeshift doesn’t work in the winter time.”
“You must be comfortable, too,” added Desiré affectionately; “but we can do with a couple of mattresses on the floor, and a table and four chairs for the present. Maybe we could buy those from someone in Wolfville who had more than they needed, and get them cheaper that way.”
“We must have a stove, dishes, and bedding,” added Jack.