The words were scarcely out of his mouth when they rounded a curve and came upon a little settlement set back in a clearing in a pine grove. It consisted of two large quonset huts and three small log cabins. The warm glow of lights in the small windows of the buildings gave Sandy a feeling of well-being. The station wagon slowed down, tooted twice with its horn and swerved off the highway into the circular drive that had been plowed up to the entrance of the main building. As the truck’s headlights swept across the front of the other larger quonset hut, they could see that it had big sliding doors that allowed one entire wall to open up like an airplane hangar. And as the lights probed the interior of the hut, they could make out a neat two-engine plane mounted on skis. The brief glimpse also revealed a big bulldozer plow and other snow-fighting machinery.
“Road crew,” Charley told the boys. “They good fellers. We eat good, drink good and sleep good.”
“You were so right, Charley,” Jerry said later, as he pushed himself away from the big plank table after sharing a hearty meal of roast lamb, fried potatoes, home-made rolls and apple pie with Superintendent MacKensie and his maintenance gang. “I never ate so good.” He polished off a pint mug of milk that was half cream and sighed. “Or drank so good either.”
Superintendent MacKensie, a big florid-faced man, tugged at one side of his blond handlebar mustache. “Here now, you’re not finished, are you?” he asked.
Jerry patted the round swell of his stomach. “If I ate another mouthful, I’d burst, sir.”
“That’s a shame,” MacKensie said solemnly. “Now Cooky’s feelings will be hurt and he’ll make you wash the dishes.”
A swarthy giant of a man at the far end of the table pounded the planks with hamlike fists. “By gar, I weel!” he roared in mock anger. “You no like Frenchy’s cooking?”
Everyone laughed as Jerry looked around uncertainly.
Dr. Steele patted his mouth with a napkin. “As Jerry so aptly put it, Frenchy, ‘We never ate so good.’”
“We’re happy you enjoyed it, Doctor,” Superintendent MacKensie said. “Now if you’d like to go into the other room and toast your feet by the hearth, I’ll have one of the lads stir up that fire in your cabin.”