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While there was still use for the cowboy, there was less call for Jonas's peculiar abilities. Having land which seemed to call for a house, he built one on it; but at first he did not occupy it himself. During his absences it was occupied by "white" families of the sort that move often by wagon and work cotton on shares; meantime his fancy was playing about the place and taking root.
But come, boys, be helping me load, while we are settling this difficulty, so as not to lose our time." So the boys began to put wood upon Jonas's sled, while the conversation continued as follows: "Can't two persons work together, unless one is master, and the other servant?" asked Josey. "At least," replied Jonas, "one must take the lead, and the other follow, in order to work to advantage.
Jonas's mind was busy with a new invention. The boys thought he would make his fortune by it. He was determined to invent some use for coal ashes. They were the only things that were not put to some use by his mother in their establishment. He thought he should render a service to mankind if he could do something useful with coal ashes.
His hearer was so much interested in this case, that the doctor went on to elucidate it with the assistance of his own finger and thumb and waistcoat; and at Jonas's request, he took the further trouble of going into a corner of the room, and alternately representing the murdered man and the murderer; which he did with great effect.
After supper, he carried out something for Franco, whom he had left in the sleigh in the barn, lying upon a good warm buffalo, to watch the property. "Franco," said he, "here is your supper." Franco jumped up when he heard Jonas's voice, and leaped out of the sleigh.
But he thought it as wrong to waste time gazing up into heaven to see Christ come, as it had been to gaze after Him when He went away. Even Jonas's voice was a little softened by the fearful thought ever present of the coming on of that awful midnight of the eleventh of August. All were surprised to see the two young people come back.
"Ladies," she said, "I think that, just at this time, and while we are all together, we had better call a meeting of the Circle." She took up Jonas's long-handled batter-spoon and rapped three times on the table. The result was that they all sat up a little straighter and came to order.
"He's at Uncle Jonas's; he won't be back till noon. There's no one here." She led him to the front-door, where he stamped and shook himself; he was snow from head to foot. "I'm running away from the good Gomorrah," he said, "but I've stopped to look back, and I'm a pretty white pillar." "I know where you stopped to look back," she answered, brushing him heartily with her red hands.
"Nothing to mind, I mean. Here! We're going this way, not that." They had come to the gate, and as she turned to the right he pulled her round sharply to the left. "We're not going to your house." "Where are we going?" "We're going to your uncle Jonas's." "Why?" she cried, in supreme astonishment. "What do you want to take me there for? Don't you know that he's stopped speaking to me?"
You will find a good deal to the point in Jonas's directions to Rollo, and in Beechnut's directions to those children in Vermont; and perhaps in what Jonas and Beechnut did with the boys and girls who were hovering round them all the time you will find more light than in their directions.
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