but never in the presence of his father or his brothers. Always the battle took place between Faye and his mother.
As for his mother, she was shocked so greatly she could not even speak for a while. She was completely against the idea.
Finally Faye said, “I’m going away for a few days. Maybe even a month.”
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, I’ve never gone anywhere. I want to wander around and learn to take care of myself. When I come back we’ll talk some more about what I want to do.”
“Yes, you think it over carefully. It would be the wrong thing, I’m sure.”
CHAPTER 5
T he next morning Faye left his house before breakfast, leaving his mother to explain his vacation to the family.
He took a train to upper New York State and got out at a small stop where there seemed to be nothing but three or four buildings. The trees were huge, and it was a large enough forest to intimidate him.
He went at once to the livery stable and said, “I want a very tame horse. No bucking broncos.”
“Why, I’ve got just the horse for you, Mr. Riordan. Name is Patsy. She’s just as gentle as a mother. She’s never thrown a man in her life, I don’t think. You’re not going to win any races with her, however.”
Indeed, Patsy was a gentle horse. She was strong enough and could carry his weight easily. He led Patsy down the street to a general store, and when he left he had bought a frying pan, a saucepan, salt, a knife to hang on his belt, a spoon, and matches. He already had a blanket, some soap, a fishing line, and some hooks. He also took a toothbrush, and the biggest part of his load was feed for Patsy.
That afternoon he loaded Patsy and stepped awkwardly into the saddle. “Well, Patsy, we’re going out into the woods, and I’m going to stay there for about a month. The only food I have will be what I shoot with this.38. I’ll sleep on the ground, and if I don’t learn to hit something with this pistol, I’ll live on grass and leaves.” He suddenly felt good about the whole thing and slapped her on the neck. “Come on, girl. Let’s go make a man out of Lafayette Riordan!”
It was cool but not uncomfortable as Faye walked through the woods. It was two weeks into his experiment, seeing if he could survive, and now he was feeling doubt, for he had not been able to secure much in the way of food. He had learned that squirrels are quicker than a man’s hand. Even when he would see one behind a tree, the creature could scoot around on the far side of the tree quicker than Faye could draw a bead on him. Up until this time he had caught two frogs and forced himself to eat them, but the only animal he had killed with his revolver was a porcupine who was a slow-moving beast to say the least. He had almost given up, but he had turned the porcupine upside down and dug out enough meat to at least fight off his hunger pangs.
Suddenly Faye heard what he thought—and hoped—was a flock of geese. Looking up, he could barely see them through the trees. They were in a familiar V-formation and crying their familiar
“K-whonk! K-whonk! K-whonk!”
To his delight, they descended quickly, and although Faye knew little about wild geese, he assumed late in the afternoon they were looking for a place to spend the night. He was fairly sure that they stayed near water.
As he moved forward, he realized that he was famished and beginning to feel a bit weak from hunger. More than once he had been tempted to give up his plan, but he had doggedly stuck with it. Once while out there, he had found a tree with berries on it that he could not identify. Hoping they were not poisonous, he ate them. They had filled his stomach, although they provided little nourishment. The other meal he had supplied himself was one he had never thought to sample. He had been moving through the woods when he heard a rattle. Whirling around he saw a huge snake in a coil, ready to strike. He had pulled his.38 and got off three shots. One of
As for his mother, she was shocked so greatly she could not even speak for a while. She was completely against the idea.
Finally Faye said, “I’m going away for a few days. Maybe even a month.”
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, I’ve never gone anywhere. I want to wander around and learn to take care of myself. When I come back we’ll talk some more about what I want to do.”
“Yes, you think it over carefully. It would be the wrong thing, I’m sure.”
CHAPTER 5
T he next morning Faye left his house before breakfast, leaving his mother to explain his vacation to the family.
He took a train to upper New York State and got out at a small stop where there seemed to be nothing but three or four buildings. The trees were huge, and it was a large enough forest to intimidate him.
He went at once to the livery stable and said, “I want a very tame horse. No bucking broncos.”
“Why, I’ve got just the horse for you, Mr. Riordan. Name is Patsy. She’s just as gentle as a mother. She’s never thrown a man in her life, I don’t think. You’re not going to win any races with her, however.”
Indeed, Patsy was a gentle horse. She was strong enough and could carry his weight easily. He led Patsy down the street to a general store, and when he left he had bought a frying pan, a saucepan, salt, a knife to hang on his belt, a spoon, and matches. He already had a blanket, some soap, a fishing line, and some hooks. He also took a toothbrush, and the biggest part of his load was feed for Patsy.
That afternoon he loaded Patsy and stepped awkwardly into the saddle. “Well, Patsy, we’re going out into the woods, and I’m going to stay there for about a month. The only food I have will be what I shoot with this.38. I’ll sleep on the ground, and if I don’t learn to hit something with this pistol, I’ll live on grass and leaves.” He suddenly felt good about the whole thing and slapped her on the neck. “Come on, girl. Let’s go make a man out of Lafayette Riordan!”
It was cool but not uncomfortable as Faye walked through the woods. It was two weeks into his experiment, seeing if he could survive, and now he was feeling doubt, for he had not been able to secure much in the way of food. He had learned that squirrels are quicker than a man’s hand. Even when he would see one behind a tree, the creature could scoot around on the far side of the tree quicker than Faye could draw a bead on him. Up until this time he had caught two frogs and forced himself to eat them, but the only animal he had killed with his revolver was a porcupine who was a slow-moving beast to say the least. He had almost given up, but he had turned the porcupine upside down and dug out enough meat to at least fight off his hunger pangs.
Suddenly Faye heard what he thought—and hoped—was a flock of geese. Looking up, he could barely see them through the trees. They were in a familiar V-formation and crying their familiar
“K-whonk! K-whonk! K-whonk!”
To his delight, they descended quickly, and although Faye knew little about wild geese, he assumed late in the afternoon they were looking for a place to spend the night. He was fairly sure that they stayed near water.
As he moved forward, he realized that he was famished and beginning to feel a bit weak from hunger. More than once he had been tempted to give up his plan, but he had doggedly stuck with it. Once while out there, he had found a tree with berries on it that he could not identify. Hoping they were not poisonous, he ate them. They had filled his stomach, although they provided little nourishment. The other meal he had supplied himself was one he had never thought to sample. He had been moving through the woods when he heard a rattle. Whirling around he saw a huge snake in a coil, ready to strike. He had pulled his.38 and got off three shots. One of
Similar Books
