As for the short-pipe times, with
a bitter gale dashing the cold spray into his eyes, legs drenched with
sleet, and shivering to the fork, and shoulders racked with rheumatism
against the groaning mast, and the stump of a pipe keeping chatter with
his teeth--away with all thought of such hardship now, except what would
serve to fatten present comfort.
But fatherly feeling and sense of right compelled Captain Zeb to check
idle enjoyment from going too far--i. e., further than himself. Every
other member of his family but himself, however good the times might
be, must work away as hard as ever, and earn whatever victuals it should
please the Lord to send them. There was always a job to be found, he
knew that, if a young man or maid had a mind for it; and "no silver no
supper" was the order of his house. His eldest son Dan was the first to
be driven--for a good example to the younger ones--and now he was set to
work full time and overtime, upon a heavy job at Pebbleridge.
Young Daniel was not at all afraid of work, whenever there was any kind
of skill to be shown, or bodily strength to be proved by it. But the
present task was hateful to him; for any big-armed yokel, or common
wood-hewer, might have done as much as he could do, and perhaps more,
at it, and could have taken the same wage over it. Mr. Coggs, of
Pebbleridge, the only wheelwright within ten miles of Springhaven, had
taken a Government contract to supply within a certain time five hundred
spoke-wheels for ammunition tumbrils, and as many block-wheels for small
artillery; and to hack out these latter for better men to finish was the
daily task of Dan Tugwell.
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