The Story of Sugar | Page 5

yet.
It's a great year for maple-sugar, a great year."
"Are some years better than others?" Van inquired.
"Yes, indeed. What you want to make the sap run is a good cold snap,
followed by a thaw. That's just what we've been having. It's a prime
combination."
He jerked the reins impatiently.
"Get up there, Admiral! He's the very worst horse to stop that ever was
made. You see in summer he drags a hay-cart, and he has to keep
halting for the hay to be piled on; then in the fall we use him for
working on the road, and he has to wait while we pick up stones and

spread gravel; in the spring he makes the rounds of the sugar orchard
every morning and stands round on three legs while we empty the sap
buckets into the cask on the sledge. Poor soul, he never seems to get
going that he ain't hauled up. He's so used to it now that he'd rather stop
than go, I reckon."
David's prophecy appeared to be quite true, for the Admiral proved to
be so loath to proceed that every few paces he would hesitate, turn his
head, and seem to be inquiring where the hay, stones, or sap buckets
were to-day. It was only David's repeated urging which kept him
moving at all. In consequence it was dark before the boys caught sight
of the "Pine Ridge" lights gleaming through the tangle of hemlock
boughs that screened the drive, and saw the door of the hospitable old
farmhouse swing open.
"Well, I'll wager you're pretty hungry," a cheery voice called.
"Hungry, Mother! We're starved--hollow down to our shoe-strings!"
Swinging himself out upon the steps Bob bent and kissed his mother.
"Mother, this is my roommate, Van Blake," he added.
"I'm very glad to see you, Van," Mrs. Carlton said, putting both her
hands into those of the big fellow who smiled down at her. "How
strange it is that although you and Bob are such friends and he is
continually talking and writing of you that you and I should never have
met!"
"I don't just know how it's happened, Mrs. Carlton," Van answered. "It
seems as if the times you've been at the school to visit I've either been
away or shut up in the infirmary with chicken-pox or something. I'm
great at catching diseases, you know--I get everything that's going.
Father says he thinks I can't bear to let anything get by me."
He laughed boyishly.
"Speaking of fathers, where's Dad, Mater?"
"He stopped to put another log on the fire. Come in and see what a

blaze we have ready for you."
The two boys followed her into the hall, while David staggered at the
rear of the procession with the luggage.
Mr. Carlton came forward.
"This is Van Blake, Father," Bob said, proudly introducing his chum.
"I'm glad to see you, young man," Mr. Carlton responded. "Bob's
friends will always find a welcome from us."
"Thank you, sir."
Mr. Carlton reflected a moment then asked abruptly:
"I don't suppose you happen to be a connection of the Colorado
Blakes."
"I come from Colorado," replied Van quickly.
"You're not one of the sugar Blakes; not Asa Blake's son."
"Yes," cried Van. "Mr. Asa Blake is my father, and he is in the beet
sugar business. Do you know him?"
"I believe I've met him," Mr. Carlton admitted hurriedly, stooping to
push the glowing back-log a little further forward.
"Why, Father--"
Bob was interrupted.
"Come, boys," said Mrs. Carlton bustling in. "I guess you've warmed
your fingers by this time. Bob, take Van up-stairs and tumble out of
those fur coats as fast as ever you can so to be ready for dinner."
The lads needed no second bidding. They were up-stairs and back in
the dining-room in a twinkling, and so eagerly did they chatter of their

plans for the morrow that hungry though they were they almost forgot
to eat.
"There are so many things to do that it is hard to decide where to
begin," declared Bob. "Of course we want some coasting and some
snow-shoeing; and we must climb Monadnock. Van says he hasn't seen
a real mountain since he came East. Then we want to be on hand for the
maple-sugar making. Why, ten days won't be half long enough to do
everything we ought to do."
His mother laughed.
"You must have a good sleigh ride, too," she put in.
"I draw the line on a sleigh ride if we have to go with that horse that
brought us up from the station," announced Bob.
"Me, too!" Van echoed.
"It would take you the entire ten days to get anywhere and back if you
went sleighing with the Admiral," said Mr. Carlton.
Every one