"Hello, dad!"
"No work today?"
"That's right."
Al bent his head to hide the question in his eyes. Something had happened and he knew it. His voice was a little too casual as he said, "Figgered when Tammie fetched my tobacco pouch that he'd made up his mind to go 'round pickin' up after me."
"No, I found it beside the road and sent Tammie with it. You should put a string on that pouch and tie it to your britches."
"Guess I'd ought. Tammie and me took a whirl down the crick to look for mink sign. Must of lost my pouch on the way back."
"Find any sign?"
"There'll be mink on the crick this year. I can take a string of pelts and leave enough so there'll also be mink next year."
"Now that's just swell!" Ted bit his tongue. Wanting to keep his troubles to himself by appearing gay and careless, he'd leaned too far in that direction and been over-emphatic. Al raised his head and searched his son's face with wonderfully gentle eyes.
"Want to tell me?"