"Good day, Mr. Douglass!" said the doctor. "You see I'm so fortunate as to have got the start of you."
"Very good," said Earl, contentedly; "you may have it: the start's one thing, and the pull's another. I'm willin' anybody should have the start, but it takes a pull to know whether a man's got stuff in him or no."
"What do you mean?" said the doctor.
"I don't mean nothin' at all. You make a start to-day, and I'll come ahint and take the pull to-morrow. Ha' you got anythin' to boil down in, Fleda? There's a potash kittle somewheres, aint there? I guess there is. There is in most houses."
"There is a large kettle I suppose large enough," said
Fleda.
"That'll do, I guess. Well, what do you calculate to put the syrup in? Ha' you got a good big cask, or plenty o' tubs and that? or will you sugar off the hull lot every night, and fix it that way? You must do one thing or t'other, and it's good to know what you're a-going to do afore you come to do it."
"I don't know, Mr. Douglass," said Fleda. "Whichever is the best way: we have no cask large enough, I am afraid."
"Well, I tell you what I'll do. I know where there's a tub, and where they aint usin' it, nother, and I reckon I can get 'em to let me have it I reckon I can; and I'll go round for't and fetch it here to-morrow mornin' when I come with the team. 'Twont be much out of my way. It's more handier to leave the sugarin' off till the next day; and it had ought to have a settlin' besides. Where'll you have your fire built? in doors or out?"
"Out, I would rather, if we can. But can we?"
"La! 'tain't nothin' easier; it's as easy out as in. All you've got to do is to take and roll a couple of pretty sized billets for your fireplace, and stick a couple o' crotched sticks for to hang the kittle over: I'd as lieve have it out as in, and if anythin', a leetle liever. If you'll lend me Philetus, me and him 'll fix it all ready agin you come back; 'tain't no trouble at all; and if the sticks aint here, we'll go into the woods after 'em, and have it all sot up."