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Show Bonner -jFU THE PLAN When John became eleven his father fa-ther gave him ai a birthday present part ownership lo Daniel, the sleigh, tlie buggy and the ' open runabout No birthday present pres-ent could have delighted John more for It carried car-ried w 1 1 h It so much. It meant that now John could take Daniel Dan-iel out by himself. him-self. Ever since, he had been a child John had gone out with his fa- Now That They her ,n,d hJb"1 Were Old. fn " TV? drive all he had wanted, and be was very fond of it. But he bad not gone out alone save for little rides to call for his father when his business day was over down In the town. Or be had gone on errands er-rands to the market or down to see the old falling couple who lived Just this side of Green Bank. When he was much younger he had gone to them for fish, but now that they were old he went to take them large baskets filled with great bundles of sugar and tea, biscuits and Jam. Hs had often been put alone with Daniel. Often and often. But this birthday present was different It meant that he could go off on Saturday afternoons, when bis futher had not already planned a trip with htm, with another boy. They could go fishing1 when the spring came and when the trout streams were filled with pink, silvery trout They could go, baskets over backs, high rubber boots reaching to their knees, stout coats and sweaters underneath to keep them warm should it rain, camping camp-ing kit compactly packed, with a dog, John's dog, for good company. A camping trip without the dog would not be a camping trip. The dog had become too much of a personage to be left at home. And they would take along first aid to a dog encountered by a porcupine. Of course they would be careful that he did not get far sway from them, for then he was sure to meet a porcupine and have an argument which would leave the dog the less well off of the two though the porcupine porcu-pine would part with a number of his quills. ' ' They could Join other camping trips and of course John's father would often come too. John's father could camp as no one else could camp. Others camped well, but his father camped grandly. The fire always went so well from the very start The steak was cooked to Juicy perfection, the potatoes baked Just so, the tea hot and refreshing. , And anyone knew that John's father would never, even In the dryest season, sea-son, leave any fire behind him. He always knew Just how and where to build a fire. He understood where the fire could creep through cracks and holes in the rocks to other patches where the grass was bard and dry and Inflammable. He knew the true oven rocks. But there was a tribute In being given an actual part ownership In Daniel. It lifted John to the level in manhood. It was winter when John's birthday occurred and the first opportunity op-portunity for having hav-ing his part-ownership In Daniel res II zed was when Beatrice's mother, who lived In the next street at the top of the hill, sent out Invitations In-vitations for; , a dinner party. It vjas to be :They Could Qo glveq down the , ' pUhn(J-road, pUhn(J-road, about eight- een miles through the woods; at a club 'p.which all the tattters beltfhM and )yhlch they used, ad 'a shelter-abod during rainy periods on camping' trips. '-'; :- Sometimes in the whiter they rfponetl It for dinners and dances and all the mothers ; and fathers '' wOifi'd1 drive .down early on Sarurd9y-jantl twrne home very late In the evenings vBdt this was the first time a daughter Had-given Had-given a party here. Beatrice's moth-" er would be the only adult present Such was the gorgeous plan. |