Trapper Boy (15 page)

Red smiled at JW. “Way to go, boy.” Red hurried the men from the area. He wanted to get them checked over and get the story from them.

JW squeezed his father's hand as he left with Red. “I'll see you on the surface, Da. I think you need to wash up.” Everyone seemed to be walking well and there didn't seem to be any blood. JW listened as Mr. Brown spoke to the other man. The two of them were not dressed to be underground, and seemed uncomfortable in the dust and darkness. He listened as Mr. Brown spoke of Red's retiring and of how difficult it was going to be to replace him.

“There's no one that can fill his spot. No one who knows the workings of all the different jobs,” Mr. Brown said.

“Excuse me, sir,” JW said, interrupting the manager.

“Yes, what is it, lad?”

“My father knows every job that takes place underground and above as well.”

“What does he do?” Mr. Brown asked.

“He's a pick miner, sir, but he knows all the other jobs too,” JW said.

“It's nice to see a lad proud of his dad, but I need someone who knows every facet of every job. Good day to you. You did a wonderful thing here today getting the men out,” Mr. Brown said and began to leave.

JW picked up his satchel from beneath a pile of coal, and reached into it. Pulling the pictures out, he called after Mr. Brown. “Excuse me, sir, would you please take a look at these?”

With obvious impatience, Mr. Brown turned back. “What is it then?” Taking the pictures from JW's outstretched hand, he nodded as he glanced at each one. “Did you draw these, lad?”

“No, sir, my father did, and he explained how each job tied into the other.” Taking the pictures back, JW laid them out in sequence, which showed how each job was interconnected. “My father, Andrew Donaldson, who was one of the trapped men and helped get them out, knows how the ventilation system works and all the underground jobs too. He even took me to the breakers to show me what happens to the coal once it's above ground. I think he could replace Red, sir,” JW said.

“You do, do you? Well tell your father to come and see me tomorrow. Tell him Mr. Brown wants to speak with him. What's your name, lad?”

“John Wallace Donaldson, sir.”

“Mind if I keep these pictures overnight? I'd like to have a closer look at them. I'll give them back to your father tomorrow.”

“That would be fine, sir. Thank you, Mr. Brown,” JW said and turned to leave. “Goodbye, sir.”

“Goodbye, John Wallace.”

Chapter 44

JW
waited outside for his father. He saw him coming toward him. The ordeal of the cave-in could not be washed away with soap and water – it was still present in his eyes. His father smiled an uncertain smile as he came alongside JW. They started on their way home and moments later put arms around each other's shoulders like boyhood friends. Neither said a word, just breathing in the clean air. They both looked at the sky, marvelling at the broad array of colours on the trees below the magnificent blue. All thoughts of the coal mine left their minds. Before long, Gulliver came racing toward them. With JW and his father petting him, Gulliver bounded from one to the other, his wagging tail slapping against their pant legs.

Mary Donaldson held the door open for her two men. She smiled, relieved, as they crossed the threshold.

“There's a pot of stew ready. Can you eat?” she asked.

JW blushed a little as his father took his mother into his arms and kissed her for a long time. Her face was a little flushed when Andrew released her.

“He saved us. Me and five others are alive because of his actions.”

JW sat and listened as his father heaped praise upon him. The stew was hot, and he realized he was quite hungry after the first spoonful. He watched as his father's food turned cold while he retold the story of how his son had been so smart and how he knew right where to dig to get them out. JW looked at the clock and knew he should get some more sleep before his upcoming shift.

“I've got to get some more sleep. Ten o'clock's not far away.” He rose and headed to the stairs. “Goodnight, Ma, Da.”

“Goodnight, son,” they said together.

“Ma, my lunch is still good. I didn't eat any of it.”

“I'll pack you a fresh lunch. Try and get some rest, dear. Goodnight.”

Chapter 45

H
is father had been the one to wake him. More stew awaited him as he made his way down the stairs. After a quick wash, he managed to eat a good amount. As promised, his lunch was fresh. Strawberry jam sandwiches and a couple of molasses cookies. He was so glad that his father was okay, and he saw the appreciation in both his mother's and father's faces. He hugged them both as he left.

JW didn't mind the walk to the pit that evening. His fear of the dark wasn't completely gone, but unless he heard a spooky sound in the night, he was okay. Mind you, he didn't spend much time peering into the dark woods. Gulliver walked part of the way with him at night and that was enough.

There was a loud cheer as he entered the wash house. He wondered what was going on until several men approached him and lifted him on their shoulders. After what seemed like a long time, they set him down. He was clapped on the back and had his hair ruffled many times over before everything quieted down. The ever-present Red was there. It was like he never slept. JW took his seat on the rake and lowered his head. He was surprised when, at the last moment, Shawn McGuire sat next to him. After a moment, Shawn cleared his throat.

“I just want to thank you for saving my boy. You're a smart one alright, just like Mickey says.” Then they both bowed their heads as if in prayer and readied themselves for the descent.

That shift, and the next several days, seemed to fly by. Now, only the ones who had been in the cave-in acknowledged him with a clap on the back or, if it was Mickey, an arm around the neck. The accolades had been great, but JW was glad things were back to normal. He was relieved night shift was over, and he had a day off before starting on the day shift. He washed up and decided he would take his time before heading home. The walk to town was only a couple of miles, and he knew he had lots of time to sleep later. It would be a good time to pick up a few supplies at the Co-op.

The bell above clanged as JW pulled the door open. It clanged again as he closed it. He saw the man behind the counter look up and smile.

“Hello, Mr. Ferneyhough,” JW said.

“Why hello, John Wallace. What brings you in today?”

“I need a new pair of gloves, and I was going to pick up a few candies,” JW said as he reached into the bin with the gloves and pulled out a pair. His eyes fell to the scribblers on a nearby shelf, then he looked away. He placed the gloves on the counter and asked for two cents worth of candy. He watched as Mr. Ferneyhough tallied the items.

“That'll be eighteen cents, John Wallace.”

“Just mark it on my bill, sir.”

“Can't do that, son,” Mr. Ferneyhough said.

“Pardon?”

“Your father closed out your account yesterday.”

JW frowned as he reached into his pocket and pulled nine cents out, half of what he needed. He looked at the gloves and candies on the counter, dropped two cents and picked up the candies. He placed the gloves back in the bin.

“Thank you, sir,” JW said and heard the bell clanging as he pulled the door shut behind him.

—

The long walk home was filled with questions.
Why would Da close my account? I always pay it, and I don't waste money. Well, maybe a few candies. But it's my money.
The questions continued to run through his mind, and he didn't see or hear Gulliver coming. When Gulliver nudged his fingers, JW jumped, then laughed when he looked into the expectant face of his loyal, trusted friend.

“You scared me, boy – and it's daytime.”

Gulliver's response was to raise his head and do his full-body shuffle.

“Thanks for coming to meet me, boy,” JW said, and rubbed the dog's head. The rest of the fifteen-minute walk was in silence, other than the crunching of rocks underfoot.

JW's thoughts were jumbled, and he made a mental note to get back the pictures his father had drawn from Mr. Brown. In all the excitement of the cave-in, JW had forgotten to tell his father that Mr. Brown wanted to see him. He didn't know what he truly expected Mr. Brown to do, but he wanted him to know his father was a smart man. It had been almost a week since he'd given the mine manager the pictures.

A few of the chickens were scratching about in the yard, the younger ones mimicked the older ones in their search for food. He noticed the barn door was open and ran to close it. He didn't want to have to chase after Lightning, although he knew Lightning would come at the sight of some oats. JW was surprised to see his father brushing the horse's coat.

His father turned to him. “We have to haul some wood soon, so I thought I'd spruce him up a bit before I put the bridle and traces on him. You want to brush him some?”

“No, he seems to be enjoying what you're doing.”

“I saw your rat. I think he's got a girlfriend.”

JW felt the blood rush to his cheeks. “What?”

“Oh, I saw you let him outta your satchel. Bad leg and all, he seems to be getting around pretty good.” Andrew Donaldson put down the brush. “Let's go have some breakfast.”

JW held the kitchen door open for his father.

“How come you're so late?” his father asked as they took their places at the table.

JW thanked his mother as she placed eggs in front of him. Then he looked at his father. “I went to the Co-op today after my shift to pick up some supplies.”

“Is that so? How is Mr. Ferneyhough?”

“He seemed well, but when I tried to buy my supplies, I mean, put them on my account, Mr. Ferneyhough told me my account had been closed ... by you.” JW looked from his father to his mother, then back to his father. “Did I do something wrong? Am I being punished? I only bought some candies and a scribbler, other than gloves, last time.”

“No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's just that only miners and people with jobs can have an account,” his father said.

JW looked at his father. “I don't know....”

“Your father shut your account, because starting tomorrow you're back in school,” Mary Donaldson said, smiling. “Full-time.”

“What?”

“I have a new job. Red's job. Mr. Brown called me into his office, and we had a long talk. Apparently, somebody told him I knew quite a bit about the mine but failed to let me know that Mr. Brown wanted to speak to me,” Andrew said, smiling. He pushed the pictures across the table.

“His son Davey told him that you had told the entire class about my drawings and about how the mine works. It means more money and full-time work, so you don't need a job anymore. Hopefully I can keep things running as smoothly as Red did and over time have better working conditions for the men.”

—

JW's excitement was such that he could hardly contain himself. He went outside and shovelled out Lightning's stall and gave him extra hay and a handful of oats. He saw Tennyson slip into the stall to share in the bounty. A moment later another rat joined him. JW suspected this was the girlfriend his father had mentioned earlier.

Leaving the barn, JW bent down and hugged Gulliver again. “I'm going back to school, full-time, boy. You'll be seeing lots more of me around here.” The full-body shuffle said it all: Gulliver was happy too.

JW had been too excited to eat earlier but felt his stomach grumble and went back into the house. He bounded up the stairs and went to his bedroom. The money he had managed to save he took from the jar on his bedside table and put in his pocket. The unfinished novel,
The Count of Monte Cristo,
stood out on his bookshelf. He pulled it down and opened it to the last page he'd read, then laid it face down on his bed for later.

“Hope it ends well,” he said to himself.

He went down the stairs as quickly as he'd gone up. The smell of fish cakes got his attention, and JW put two on his plate. The tea was hot and the biscuits warm.

“I would have got that for you,” his mother said as she entered the kitchen. She held a pair of rabbits in her hands. “I was planning on making you another stew, but maybe a rabbit pie would be nice for a change.”

“That would be great, Ma,” JW said. “When can I start back to school?”

“Why, tomorrow, of course. Your mining days are over for now. Hope you never have to go back.” His mother put her arms around him and hugged him for a long time.

JW pulled the money from his pocket and laid it on the table. “I was saving up to get you and Beth each something for Christmas, but it might come in handy for something else.”

“You keep it, dear,” his mother said. She reached into the cupboard and placed the silver dollar he'd won back on grading day on the table with the other money. “I couldn't bear to spend your hard-earned dollar. So you take your money and spend it on whatever you want.”

—

JW took his time walking to town. As he was about to pass his grade eight teacher's house, he noticed she was in her yard. She looked up as he came near her fence.

“Oh hi, John Wallace. How are you? I was sorry to hear you had to leave school, but you have to be commended for trying so hard. Perhaps next year. Maybe things will pick up.”

JW listened politely, waiting as she spoke, but he couldn't hold back his good news any longer. “Da took another job, and I start back to school full-time tomorrow.”

Mrs. Johnson opened the gate and hugged him. “I am so happy for you. If you need any help, just ask.”

JW thanked her and continued on his way. He walked up the few steps and knocked on the door of his friend Mickey's house and came face to face with Shawn McGuire.

“C'mon in, son. Mickey's at the table. I hear your pa took Red's job.”

“Yes, sir, he did,” JW said.

“Guess there'll be lots of changes then?”

“Da said he'd like to keep it running as smoothly as Red has it. He said with all the experienced men like you and the others, he should be able to.”

“Why don't you have a cuppa tea with Mickey?” Shawn said.

JW took his shoes off by the door and joined Mickey at the table. Mickey's mother poured a cup of tea and put a biscuit and jam on the table for him.

“I hear your da took Red's job. Guess you'll get all the easy work now,” Mickey said, then laughed.

JW looked at his friend. “With Da working full-time, I won't be working anymore. I start back to school tomorrow.”

“I figured you might. Good for you, JW,” Mickey said.

“Maybe we could still meet on some of your days off and—”

“Sure, sure. Ole Long Jack might let an above-grounder travel for free.”

They talked a little longer and tried hard to laugh and keep the conversation light, but as he closed the door behind him, JW felt like he was losing his best friend for the second time in his life.