Adam Blake - 109. Chapter 109

The boys all sat around the fire, “Tomorrow we need to go to the store for marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars. I have to introduce them to Smores.”

“While you are running around, look for twigs. Maybe Hans can go and get some.”

“While I am running maybe you can tell Hans and then show him what to get. You need at least 110 of them.”

I saw that some of the boys were headed to their chalet. I wished them all good night reminding them of the run in the morning. I got a hug from each of them even the ones that went to their chalet came back for a hug. Evan wanted a kiss, which Marie gave him on the cheek.

Walking back to the cabin, Marie and I followed Mom and Dad. They were holding hands. “Do you think when we are married that long we’ll still be holding hands?”

“Can I have a day to think about it?”

“Ouch, you pinched me.”

Mom and Dad looked back, they shook their heads as we continued to walk to the cabin. Mom fixed us a tea, “We’re going to go fishing tomorrow, while I go running I need you to go and buy the makings for Smores. It’s time these foreigners learn about camping American style. You don’t have to worry about breakfast, the cooks will handle everything. They brought enough food to feed them breakfast and dinner. Supper will be fish, hopefully. While we are fishing, Marie will check-in at the clinic and I’ll get the boys who have been here to take the boys for a walk. Maybe there’s enough dandelion for a salad.”

“I’ll take the boys on a walk. Hans can take Mom to the store.”

“Good, we’re going to sleep here tonight, and then tomorrow I’m going to air out the house. We’ll probably sleep there tomorrow night.”

Climbing in bed, “Well, you always wanted to sleep in my bed. Now you can. Ouch, you know you need to stop hitting me like that. What are my boys going to say when they see all of these bruises? They’ll never want to get married.”

“Shush, there are no bruises.”

“You do know I’m royalty and I could have you thrown in the dungeons for this.”

“How did you become royalty?”

“When Gerry’s dad died, he was the Prince, normally Gerry would ascend to the throne. There was the fear he may not live that long because of his stepmother. So I was made Gerry’s guardian and under their laws, I became the Prince. When Gerry reaches the age of 21, I’ll abdicate my position and Gerry will be installed as the Prince. But since I’m the current Prince, you’re my Princess.”

“I’m your Princess without you being royalty.”

“Yes, you are my Princess, but that does not give you the right to pinch me or hit me.”

“Do you want me to kiss your arm to make it better?”

“My lips hurt, not my arm.”

She started to giggle as she kissed me, only the kiss wasn't serious, she kept giggling. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you how to kiss?” I kissed her which led to other things and finally I fell asleep.

The alarm went off at 4:30. I was unceremoniously kicked out of bed. “Please shut off that alarm. No one in their right mind gets up this early.”

“I do every day, so get used to it,” I said that as I was leaving the room.

I took the old moose horn and blew it a few times

I grabbed a glass of orange juice and headed outside to see who was up. The running team was there and few other boys. I went and got a glass of orange juice for them all. “Ok, warm-ups. Johnny, help those boys to be sure they warm up the right way.”

While doing warm-ups I heard, 'wait for me'.

I looked and there was Billy with a big smile on his face. Scotty waved as he headed for the house. Susanna came over and said hello. “Susanna, why don’t you go and get some sleep or something to drink. Ask Scotty to show you a bedroom.”

“Today we are only going to run to that house across the lake. Tomorrow we are going to run all the way around the lake. Johnny, you ran this route before so lead off remember the boys who aren’t runners.”

We did start to run at a leisure rate, after 30 minutes we kicked it up a bit, then after 15 minutes, we kicked it up again. We ran this speed until we got to Marie’s house, turning I told the runners to take off, we would finish at a rate the other boys could maintain. I thought for non-runners the boys did very well. By the time we got back to the cabin, Billy and Johnny had finished their cool-down exercises and were headed to the lake. I led the boys through a cool-down exercise. “Ok guys, let’s cool off in the lake”

I wasn’t sure who could swim or not, so I stayed rather close to the shore. “Sir, are we going fishing today?”

“Yes, we have to fish for our supper. We have two boats so when everyone in the boat has caught a fish, we will go back and while you clean your fish, another group will go fishing until everyone has caught a fish.”

When I thought we had cooled off enough, Billy led them to the water pump. He pumped while the boys rinsed the lake water off, handed them a towel, and told them to be sure they laid their wet clothes out to dry.

While the boys did that, I went and took a shower. Leaving the shower, Billy was ready to jump in. Mom and Marie were up and helping Caleb and Gaston with breakfast. They were sitting have a cu[p of coffee while the boys did the cooking. I noticed that Caleb was speaking a little French. I’ll make a point that he gets French lessons at school. The ladies were served when Susanna joined them. The boys came down to the cabin, sitting anywhere they could find a seat as Caleb brought out breakfast wraps. Mom, Marie, and Susanna must have felt guilty they brought orange juice and followed that up with hot cocoa. Scotty came out with two wraps, that boy could eat. Caleb came out with another wrap for the boys followed by Gaston with a banana for the boys. “Dad, if I keep bringing these guys here, we are going to need picnic tables.”

“While we were sitting there enjoying breakfast, I heard a gunshot. “Boys quick into the cabin, Marie, Mom, Susanna you get in there also.” Hans and his men took off toward where we heard the shot. I waited, I couldn’t figure out who would be shooting.

“It’s hunting season for rabbits but that sounded like a rifle and not a 22 that they would use for rabbits.”

One of the men came back, he asked that I followed him. I walked into the woods and Hans was holding a man. Hans handed me the rifle, laying on the ground was a deer. “Who are you and why were you shooting a deer? This isn’t deer season and you are on private property.”

“This isn’t private property. Everyone knows the county owns this land.”

“Actually, I owned this land and it is posted. I could have you put in jail for trespassing and shooting deer out of season. What’s your name?”

“None of your damn business.”

“Well, Hans, I guess we got a deer to roast.”

“That’s my deer”

“No, it's mine, you shot it on my property therefore it’s mine.

“I need that to feed my family.”

“Ok, how are you going to get it back to town?” Now I remember who he was. On several trips to town for groceries, I saw him sitting in front of an old rundown house drinking from an old jug.

He called, “Jer, Abe, get over here and carry this deer home.”

Two boys came out of the woods, they were scared. “Hans, take the deer to his home, you boys come with me?”

“The boys looked at their father but it didn’t matter as two of Hans's men took them by the arm and led them to the cabin.

“Caleb. Gaston, can you fix a few more wraps for these boys?” Mom saw them, she gave each a glass of orange juice, Marie knew the boys.

“What happened Adam?”

“Their dad was hunting deer, that was the shot we heard.”

“Mom, see if you can round up some clothes for these boys. They need a shower.”

I knew we had some of my old clothes, they would be too big for Jer but ok for Abe. I later found out their names were Abraham and Jericho.

“Marie, what do you know about these boys?”

“They live on the edge of town. Their father lost his job about 5 years ago, he’s an alcoholic and refuses to do anything about it. I have treated the boys and his wife, he gets mean when he’s drunk. What are you going to do, I know you’re going to do something?”

When Hans came back, “He didn’t care about the boys. I gave him 20 dollars and he ran off leaving the animal on his porch. The boys cut it up, I got the pelt.”

“What about the woman, his wife?”

“She looked like someone who has lost hope. It’s a shame.”

“Abe, go with Hans. Tell your mom to pack what she wants to keep, you do the same for yourself and your brother. You are staying here with your mother, now scoot.”