CHAPTER X
THE WATER GARDEN COMPLETED.
Farmer Ames brought another cartload of manure the next morning, so the muck heaps could all be mixed and finished that day. The scouts from camp had asked to be allowed to help the work along this last day, and Mrs. James gladly accepted their offers.
Breakfast was early, so a long day could be given to the various tasks to be done before the water could be turned into the reservoir. The cement was waiting beside a wooden trough that Sam had quickly constructed, the gravel that had been carted the day before was in a pile, and the sand for the concrete work had also been brought from the pit down the road.
Mr. Ames had selected such lumber at the barn as he could use and hitched the boards to Ben’s harness; the horse was driven over to the site for the new dam and the planks were then roughly framed up to make two standing partitions with about a foot of space between.
As breakfast was over at such an early hour, Rachel felt justified in taking the spare time to visit the scene of work, and give her opinion on the water garden which was to be. She stood with her hands on her large hips and surveyed the wide depression for a while, then spoke to Mrs. James and any one who was concerned.
“’Pears to me you-all is goin’ to a hull lot of trouble jus’ to fill dis holler wid water. Diden you-all know dat you cud stop up the crick down by the barn and back all the water you want into this place?”
“But the reeds and briars had to be removed, Rachel,” said Mrs. James.
“Jus’ chop ’em down wid a sickle—da’s all,” was the lofty reply.
“We had to get the roots out, too,” added Mrs. James.
“Diden you know dey woul’ rot ef dey was under water a long time?” asked the maid, with astonishment at such ignorance.
“They would sprout before they would decay, and we had to clean off the bog so the roots would come out with the marsh muck,” was Mrs. James’s patient reply.
Rachel made no further comment for she was too intent on watching the girls carrying the well-mixed soil from the banks back into the hollow again. Here they carefully spread out the enriched soil to the depth of about twenty inches.
“Well—sus!” ejaculated Rachel. “Dem gals is carryin’ all dat muck back where Ames tuk it from all dis week!”
“It has been so thoroughly mixed with manure that it is now ready to use for plants. All the roots and rocks have been cleared out of it while it was spread out upon the banks.”
Rachel felt that her valuable advice had been ignored in this direction, so she walked along until she came to the piles of rocks. Some had been rolled into place where they were to be left, but many were piled up waiting to be artistically arranged in various spots.
“I ain’t never hear tell of plantin’ rocks fer a garden, but nuttin’ is queer dese days, ’cause the hull world is gone clean crazy!” commented Rachel scornfully.
Norma and Natalie overheard her remark and laughed. Then Rachel looked back at Mrs. James and said: “I s’pose growin’ rocks is one of dese gals’ crazes—and you let ’em do such stunts?”
“You wait until the garden is finished and then judge if the rocks look crazy where we intend putting them,” laughed Mrs. James, hoping to quiet Rachel’s fault-findings.
But the maid took offense at being told to waive judgment for the time being and turned away to stride back to the house without another word or look for the gardeners.
There was too much to be done, however, for anyone to pay the least attention to Rachel’s wounded pride, and soon the scouts were bustling about like bees at a hive. The wooden mold, or frame, for the dam was completed and Ames now gave his attention to the islands.
“You show me about where you want them made,” said he to Norma and Mrs. James. “I sent Sam to the barn to bring some more small boards for more frame-ups.”
The three most interested ones now descended to the floor of the hollow and prospected carefully before locating the main island which was to be in the wildest part of the pool. The distance from the bank to the desired spot, had to be taken into consideration, as the rustic bridge must not have piers or supports in the center of it—the foundations on either end were to be sufficient to uphold it. When the location was finally decided upon, Mr. Ames drove his crowbar into the hard ground to mark the site.
The sites for the two smaller islands were next considered and located, before the farmer paid any attention to Sam who had been trying to attract notice from the three in the depression.
“Now—whad do you want?” bawled Farmer Ames, going toward Sam as he spoke.
“I ain’t found no board what’s big enough for making islands,” shouted Sam.
“I told you to fetch all the strong boards you could find, ’cause I’ll make them big enough!”
Sam went back to do as he was told, and Mr. Ames came up out of the hollow to start mixing the materials for the concrete. The scouts all stood around during this interesting process, as they wished to learn how to do the work in order to be able to build whatever they needed in the future.
A temporary floor of heavy planks was laid and upon this the farmer proposed mixing the cement. He took a bag of cement, added a barrow full of fine sand, another barrow full of gravel and scrap junk,—such as bits of iron, trap-rock, slate and other hard sharp splinters—and mixed all thoroughly together. Before he began adding water to this preparation, he called to Sam to carry the boards he had brought from the barn down to the place where the largest island was to be built.
A number of boards were adjusted to form a frame about the size of the basis for the island, and these were braced and fastened in place to keep them from being pushed outwards once the concrete was poured into the mold. Then the farmer called to Sam to help him in mixing the cement and other materials. The water was slowly added and Sam kept mixing with a steel hoe, until the composition was the required consistency to easily pour.
When Mr. Ames gave the word, every one helped filling buckets and pans and boxes and carrying them over to the island. They were quickly emptied into the large mold, and the scouts ran back for more concrete. Here and there Mr. Ames pressed a rock or a number of smaller stones into the soft preparation, and as this hardened and set, the rocks became embedded as firmly as if cast that way by Nature.
When the concrete reached the top edge of the board mold Mr. Ames topped it off with a rim of rocks, and into this hollowed center, more concrete was poured until the mold was filled still higher. Its full height from the floor of the basin now reached to about thirty inches, and this was considered high enough. The large rocks were now placed as Mrs. James directed, so that the effect was one of Nature’s handiworks. In between the crevices and hollows made by the large and jagged rocks, the soil would be filled when the concrete was set. And in this soil the vines and plants or shrubs would be planted.
The side of the island nearest the shore had been kept smooth and flat as the concrete rose higher about the rocks, and upon this wide flat wall the end of the rustic bridge was to be laid.
The two smaller islands were now formed in the same way, Mrs. James being careful to superintend the sides which had to be left smooth for the bridges to rest upon.
It took all morning and into the middle of the afternoon to finish the concrete work on the islands, but once they were done, the scouts felt that the hardest part of the water gardening was completed. Mr. Ames then began work on the concrete dam, but was concerned to discover that all the sand had been used for the islands.
“Somebody’s got to drive Ben to the sand pit and fetch a load of sand for the dam. And then git more for the covering of that soil, ’cause you said you wanted at least an inch of white sand spread over the muck to keep the water clear and clean,” said Farmer Ames.
“Let me drive Ben and get the sand!” exclaimed Janet.
“Norma and you can drive Ben, and we girls will use the car to reach the place. Then all hands can shovel and fill the cart the sooner. We can then fill baskets or bags and put them in the car and bring them here to help out for the concrete work. By that time you can have Ben back at the pit again, and fill the cart a second time,” suggested Frances eagerly.
This was a very good plan and the scouts all approved heartily of it, especially so because it offered a possibility of sport. So Norma and Janet climbed to the seat of the cart and made Ben quit his feast on the luscious lawn grass.
Mr. Ames stood smiling while he watched the merry scouts jump into the automobile and call for Frances to hurry and get off. Then he turned to Janet who was chirping to Ben to make him go faster to keep up with the car.
“If you saw away at Ben’s mouth like that he will balk and never move a step. He knows a woman is drivin’ when you do that way, and he takes a mean advantage of you for it,” laughed Ben’s owner, as the two girls in the cart endeavored to inspire the easy-going horse with more ambition.
Then he turned to Mrs. James and said: “While I have to wait for that sand, Sam and I may as well begin placing the posts for the bridge ends. I brought my post-hole digger over this morning in case we had a need of boring holes in the ground.”
Mrs. James had never seen a post-hole digger at work, so she watched curiously while the wonderful tool bored the holes the required size of the posts. It worked after the manner of an augur, but it bored the hole in the ground instead of through wood. The holes were made so rapidly that Mrs. James was amazed, and Mr. Ames laughed at her expression.
“I don’t s’pose anyone brought the railroad ties I told you of the other day?” ventured Farmer Ames.
“Yes, Si Tompkins had them given him by the station agent who said he was glad to have them moved out of his way. He even offered to help get them over to the farm, as they had cluttered the ground ever since the new ties had been laid down a few months ago. So they were left by the fence just outside the front gate,” explained Mrs. James.
Ames and Sam then brought in several posts—or ties—and fixed them securely in the holes; earth and gravel were tamped down in the holes, and when it was well filled, the posts were as firm as if they had grown there.
Still no sight nor sound of the cart with sand could be had, so Mrs. James suggested that Ames and Sam help her build an artistic flight of steps from the clump of pines down to the place where the bridge would span the water to the first island.
As there were enough railroad ties for this purpose, as well as for bridge supports, Mrs. James felt that she need not stint herself in the use of them. So she marked out the line she wished the steps to follow. They were to curve gracefully down to approach the bridge indirectly, and not straight down from the high knoll of pine trees to the lake edge.
Sam and Mr. Ames cut out the solid ground where the steps were to be set, beginning at the bottom near the bridge posts. The ties were set for treads, the flat side facing upward and when it was fitted in place, Sam took it up again while Ames poured a smooth foundation of concrete on the ground. Then the log was replaced and pressed down to make the cement bite into the rough wood. At the final securing of each log, enough concrete was filled in back of it, to form a solid wall of cement when it hardened, and this made the basis of the back of the step, or riser, for the next tread.
As Mrs. James wanted the steps to be shallow in order to use the more and curve the flight more artistically before coming to the bridge, it was easier to build the concrete risers at the back of each log. The moment the two men had finished with a step, Mrs. James carried large stones and rocks to the spot and pressed them firmly in at the sides where the concrete oozed up and out, and these would not only keep the logs from loosening and moving out of position, but also help the rustic appearance of the entire flight. Back of these rocks she purposed having vines and shrubs to grow and droop over the rocks and ends of the logs.
The building of the picturesque steps took the rest of the afternoon, and when Mrs. James realized how late it was, with no report from the sand-diggers, she began to feel anxious about them.
Then, just as she ordered Sam to hurry away and learn what had happened to detain them, the car came in sight, far down the road.
“Oh, Jimmy! Such a time as we have had with that Ben!” exclaimed Norma, the moment the girls were within calling distance.
Mrs. James, Ames and Sam stood leaning over the fence, anxiously awaiting further news, but so many scouts wanted to tell the story that nothing could be made of the account. Finally Norma was appointed to tell the experiences, so she began.
“All the way to the sand pit that lazy Ben had to be coaxed and coaxed, because he kept turning his head backward to look at the lawn just as long as the place was in sight. Then he got a little pep into his ‘Amity Ketchum manners’ and gamboled for a little distance.” The laughter which greeted Norma’s description of Ben’s style of laziness interrupted her for a moment.
“Well, after all the scouts had been digging sand and filling every receptacle we had taken with us Ben arrived at the pit. We began filling the cart and soon had it full, but then he refused to start back. We coaxed and pulled and pushed with might and main, but all to no good. Ben just stood and balked.
“Then Janet got a willowy hickory and cracked him soundly to induce him to change his mind. He started suddenly and ran three paces, and as suddenly stopped short, almost breaking my neck, because I was driving. I was sitting on top of the sand heaped in the cart and at the sudden start and stop, a lot of the sand slid off the back of the cart, toppling me backwards with it.
“Of course, I let go of the reins and will you believe it! At the moment Ben felt the reins dangle about his feet he gave a jump that rolled more sand, and me with it right off the back of the cart into the road. Then he galloped on down the road with no one driving, or to stop him.
“Frances jumped in her automobile and started to speed after Ben. She never waited for any one of the scouts to jump in to help coax Ben back to duty again, but tore along the road until she had passed him and then turned to block the road with the car.
“Ben must have laughed in his sleeve—or whatever a nag uses for a covert laugh—when he saw Frances waiting for him. He stopped where he was, turned about so abruptly that the cart upset and almost threw him from his feet, too.
“Now there he was! The cart couldn’t right itself, and he wouldn’t budge again to try to turn it right side up. The whole side road was blocked by the cart and horse so that Frances could not pass the obstruction and come back for us to help turn the cart up again. So she had to walk back to call on us to go and help Ben out of his troubles.
“All the sand was dumped when the cart went over, so we led Ben back to the sand pit and filled the cart again. This time the horse made no attempt at balking, but started humbly along the road until we came out on the main road. He ambled slowly along and we were all rejoicing in the vain belief that soon we would be at Green Hill, with enough sand for you to work with, while we could return to the pit for another load.
“But Ben knew of a nice ford down by the wooden bridge, and before I knew that he intended turning down there for a drink, he had left the main road and was descending the steep bank. I tried to keep my balance on the sand pile in the cart, but the unexpected angle made me slide and I alighted on Ben’s broad back instead of remaining seated where I had been.
“A great deal of the sand slid out and fell into the stream, when Ben tilted the cart so sharply on the bank. I wish you could have heard those unsympathetic scouts laugh when they came up in the car and saw me straddling Ben and clutching on to his old harness for all I was worth!”
The scouts shouted with laughter at remembrance of the funny sight, and the three adults who had anxiously awaited the coming of the sand-diggers, also laughed heartily at Norma’s story.
“But that is not all, Jimmy! When Ben finished drinking he refused to go on again. We began coaxing and threatening again, but all to no avail. So there we were. I could not slide back to the cart because I would have fallen into the water. And Ben would not go on, because he liked the running water about his feet. The girls could not help us because the cart was pitched at such an angle that the least shove to urge Ben onward would have thrown it over again and perhaps thrown Ben and me with it.
“Suddenly Frances had a brilliant idea—or she thought it was. She drove the car across the bridge and then backed it down the other side of the ford until it reached the water. Then she carefully steered until it should reach Ben’s nose. It was her plan to tie a rope to Ben’s head and let the scouts in the back seat hold the leading hold. Then start the car up the slope on the side opposite Ben, and thus haul him across the stream whether he wanted to go or not.
“Well! Ben would not budge, but the car did. And both the scouts who held for dear life to the end of the rope in order to drag Ben along, were dragged half way out of the car and were left dangerously near to being pulled over into the water, but they let go of the rope. It had stripped the skin from their palms, and left Ben just where he had been before the attempt at coercion had been made.
“After a conference held with the girls in the car and me seated on Ben’s back eager to abdicate in honor of anyone who wanted my throne, Frances said we would have to use the chain and tackle which had been left in the box under the rear seat of the automobile. This could be hooked to the cart and then the cart would start through the ford, dragging the cart upon Ben’s heels so that he would have to move!
“Just as we had everything ready to give the signal for the engine to be started, Ben suddenly reconsidered his ultimatum and started through the water of his own accord.
“But the chain pulled the cart so far off his proposed trail that the rear wheel clutched with the rear side wheel of the car, and there we were, hard and fast, with Ben trying to go forward and only causing the wheels to lock the tighter. Frances had to get out of the car, into the stream, and get hold of Ben’s bit to try and back him again. Meantime I took advantage of my golden opportunity and jumped from my perch into the front seat of the automobile.
“Well, Jimmy! Had it not been for a nice good man who drove past in his runabout at this time, we would still be marooned in the creek. But, thank goodness, here we are with as much sand in the cart as could stand all this pitching and sliding.”
When Norma ended her tale, Mrs. James and her companions laughed heartily at the tricks played by Ben. Mr. Ames laughed loudest of any, because he understood his horse so well. But enough sand was brought in to supply the first mixture of concrete in the morning, and Mr. Ames promised to furnish a bait for Ben to prevent another such delay in carting more sand.
The next morning when Ames appeared with Ben and another cart full of manure for the lake soil, he also produced a feed bag of oats. “If Ben acts up again, just hold this bag under his nose and he will go for it. Don’t let him get any, but just tease him along the road until you bring him where he is to stop.”
“My goodness!” laughed Frances. “Do you have to get out and walk ahead of him when you are alone and he balks?”
“He never balks when I drive. He seems to know the minute a female gets hold of the reins and then he balks,” explained Ames.
So the scouts started for the sand pit again, but Ben was on his good behavior that day, and no one needed to use the oats bag under his nose to induce him to run. In fact, he was over-eager to reach the farm when the girls were ready to return, and all the sand piled up high on the cart was thrown off before the horse turned in at the side gate of Green Hill.
When Mrs. James took account of stock of sand, she said: “We will save time and labor by leaving Ben to mow the grass on the lawns, and use the baskets and the empty cement bags to bring in the sand in the automobile.” So another load was brought in that fashion, always carefully protecting the inside of the car by covering it well with old sheets and newspapers to keep it clean.
The concrete work of the dam was now finished and left to harden within the side walls of timber. Farmer Ames had made a door opening at the bottom of the wall so the water could be drained out of the lake at any time. Now he devoted all of his time, and thought, to the building of a good stout door for this opening, and had Sam help him build two grooves in which it was to slide. When this particular kind of work was finished, Sam was sent to the store at Four Corners for a heavy chain and rings, such as were generally used to hold a bull in the pasture lot. Ring bolts and screws and nuts had been brought from Ames’ own tool house that day. So that afternoon the sliding door of the dam was completed and hung so that it was readily raised and lowered at will. The heavy chain was secured to a sturdy chestnut post set in concrete at one side of the dam, and Mrs. James was shown just how to use the outfit that worked the door at the bottom of the dam.
While Ames and Sam had been making the door of the dam, the scouts had dug up various shrubs and plants in the woods and had planted them in groups about the lake shore. Mrs. James and Miss Mason had turned their attention to finding and digging up small pines, spruce and cedars, and bringing them to the garden where they were planted in the heavy metal pails and sunken in between the rocks on the islands, and at various places on shore.
Most of the planting and arrangement of rocks and other picturesque details was now completed, and all the following day was to be devoted to the construction of the bridges. For this purpose, the heavy planks that had been used in the molds for the concrete, were to be utilized for the flooring of the bridges. The largest planks for the longest bridge and the other shorter boards for the smaller and shorter bridges.
The rustic rails and decorative brackets for the bridges were to be made of knotty pine or cedar trees found in the woods.
As the next day would be Saturday, the enthusiastic lake gardeners were very anxious to have the work all completed and the water diverted into the lake proper, so it might fill up by Sunday, when Mr. Marvin and their parents were expected to motor to the farm for a short visit.
It was dark on Friday night, before the scouts could be persuaded to stop work and come in for supper. Rachel had called many times, that everything was being ruined by waiting so long for someone to eat supper, but such warning had no effect until night virtually halted all further work.
While talking eagerly, as they all sat about being served by the attentive Rachel, one of the scouts spoke of the time it would need to find proper trees and then cut them down and lop off the branches to leave a rustic effect on the trunks.
“What a pity we don’t know of a rustic furniture maker where we might be able to buy our material ready trimmed,” said Norma, thoughtfully.
At this suggestion, Mrs. James sprang up and ran over to her desk. She hastily scanned the pages of a Business Directory for White Plains, and then laughed joyfully. “I’ve found it!”
The girls waited eagerly for her to explain. “I’ve found the name and address of a man who builds rustic lawn furniture to order. He is located at North White Plains, and his shop is back of his home, so that I can telephone him now and find out if he can supply us with any such material as we want for our bridges. If he can, Frances can drive me over there early in the morning and we can carry back as much as will go in the car.”
“I’ll see to it that all we may have need of will go in the car, all right!” declared Frances, to the satisfaction of her audience.
Mrs. James soon had the man on the wire and told him what was needed at once, for the bridges. He replied that he had had a new supply of rustic wood delivered the day before, and he was sure that everything she desired in the way of posts for the hand-rails, large brackets to fasten to the supporting posts underneath the foot-bridge, and also all kinds of trim for the edges and ends of the bridge, could be found in the carload which came from the pine forests in Middle New York State.
This was such encouraging news that the scouts could not restrain themselves, and such a babel followed that Rachel ran from the room with both hands placed over her ears. When she reached the kitchen where Sam sat eating his supper, she said: “My sakes! Them scouts is enough to make me deef!”