Raftmates | Page 9

Brackett," as all his friends called
him, was a young civil engineer of more than usual ability. He had
already gained a larger stock of experience and seen more of his own
country than most men of his age, which was about twenty-six. From
government work in the East and on the lower Mississippi he had gone
to the Kansas Pacific Railway, been detailed to accompany an
exploring party across the plains, and, after spending some time on the
Pacific coast, had just returned to the Mississippi Valley--out of a job,
to be sure, but with the certainty of obtaining one whenever he should
want it. From the moment of leaving San Francisco he had intended
making the Caspars a visit, and had directed his journey towards their
home. In Chicago he had run across an engineering friend named
Hobart, who was at that moment regretting the pressure of business that
forbade his trying for what promised to be a most profitable contract. It
was one for furnishing all the bridge timber to be used in the
construction of a new railway through Wisconsin. The bids were to be

opened in Madison two days later. Acting upon the impulse of the
moment, Billy Brackett hastened to that city and tendered a bid for the
contract, which, to his surprise, was accepted.
In doing this the young engineer had counted upon the assistance of his
brother-in-law, from whose mill he expected to obtain the timber he
had thus contracted to furnish. As the work must be begun immediately,
he hurried on to the Major's house with an offer of partnership in this
promising undertaking, and arrived as we have seen.
"It's a big thing Major," the young man said in conclusion, after
explaining these details at the dinner-table; "and it's not only a big thing
in itself, but it will lead to other contracts equally good."
"I should like nothing better than to join you in such an enterprise
Billy," replied the Major; "but I don't see how I can go into it just now,
with this affair of Winn and the raft on my hands. You say the work
must be begun at once?"
"Yes. It really should be started this very day, and it can, if you'll agree
to the rest of my plan. You see, I've only told you the half I thought out
before getting here. Since then I have added as much more, which is
something like this: Suppose you and I change places. You take my
horse and go to Madison in the interests of the contract, while Bim and
I will take your skiff and start down the river in the interests of Winn
and the raft. You know a heap more about getting out bridge timber
than I do, while I expect I know more about river rafting than you do.
Not that I'm anything of a raftsman," he added, modestly, "but I picked
up a good bit of knowledge concerning the river while on that
government job down in Arkansas. If you'll only give me the chance,
I'll guarantee to find the raft and navigate it to any port you may choose
to name--Dubuque, St. Louis, Cairo, New Orleans, or even across the
briny--with such a chap as I know your Winn must be for a mate. When
we reach our destination we can telegraph for you, and you can arrange
the sale of the ship and cargo yourself. As for me, I've had so much of
dry land lately that I'm just longing for a home on the rolling deep, the
life of a sailor free, and all that sort of thing. What do you say? Isn't my
scheme a good one?"

"I declare I believe it is!" exclaimed the Major, who had caught a share
of his young kinsman's enthusiasm, and whose face had visibly
brightened during the unfolding of his plans. "Not only that, but I
believe your companionship with Winn on this river trip, and your
example, will be infinitely better for him than mine. I have noticed that
young people are much more apt to be influenced by those only a few
years older than themselves than they are by persons whose ideas they
may regard as antiquated or old-fogyish."
"Oh, papa, how can you say so?" cried Elta, springing up and throwing
her arms about his neck. "How can you say that you could ever be an
old fogy?"
"Perhaps I'm not, dear, to you," answered the Major, smiling at his
daughter's impetuosity; "but to young fellows mingling with the world
for the first time nothing pertaining to the past seems of any value as
compared with the present or immediate future. Consequently a
companion who is near enough of an age to sympathize with the
pursuits and