Trapper Boy

by Hugh R. MacDonald

  “I thought you weren’t coming, but I’m happy to see you,” she said.

  “I wasn’t sure if I could make it today, but Ma said you might be waiting for me, and Da said I mustn’t keep a lady waiting. Thanks for waiting. I’m happy to see you too,” JW said and felt himself blush again.

  “Anything new?” Beth asked.

  “Nothing new. Oh, yes there is. I took Tennyson home this morning.”

  “What did people say when they saw you with a rat?” Beth asked.

  “No one knows,” JW said and noticed the bewildered expression on Beth’s face. “I took him out in my satchel,” he said and tapped the leather case.

  Beth moved away and asked, “Is he in there now?”

  “No. I let him go in the barn. He turned back to look at me when I let him go. I’m not sure if he was saying thanks or was angry that I took him from his home.”

  “I thought you said he was getting better. Why did you take him home?”

  JW explained to Beth that he had the night off and that Patty would be working his trap. “I was afraid he’d hit him with his shovel.”

  “I’m glad you took him out. Do you really think Patty would kill him?”

  “Yes. Many of the men would do the same thing, but some see the rats, like the canaries, as a warning sign of a gas build-up. If they’re leaving the mine, so are the men. Still, rats have been feared since the Middle Ages. Remember where the plague came from?”

  “The fleas that infested the rats. Yes, I remember. But that’s last year’s history, and we’ve got to learn this year’s,” Beth said.

  “Yes, I know. I’m going to try to stay for the day, but I’m pretty tired. I told Ma I’m going to sleep for the rest of the day and all night too,” JW said and tried to stifle a big yawn.

  The school came into view, and they hurried to get inside before the bell rang.

  JW was surprised when at the end of first class Mr. Cantwell asked him some questions about the coal mine. He was more surprised when he was asked to go to the front of the class and tell his classmates what happens underground. He pulled the pictures from his satchel and told everyone that his father had drawn them. His classmates asked many questions. One of the new boys seemed particularly interested and JW spent his recess telling Davey Brown details his father had told him.

  “You’re not thinking about working in the pit, are you?” JW asked. “It’s not where I’d be if I didn’t have to be.”

  “No, but I probably will end up involved in the coal mines, nonetheless,” Davey said. “My father is the mine manager.”

  JW looked at Davey, but before he could respond, the bell rang, and they rushed back inside. Before long, JW knew he was done for the day. He packed up his satchel and quietly left the room. He didn’t see the looks from Mr. Cantwell and Davey Brown, but he did see Beth smile, and he smiled back just as he pulled the door closed.

  Chapter 35

  “Hi, Ma,” JW said as he entered the house. “I got the morning in. Well, most of it anyway.” He started to tell her about school, but the thought of his bed won out, and he told her he would see her tomorrow morning. He climbed the stairs, and after placing the satchel on his dresser, he crawled under the blankets and was asleep almost immediately. Hours later, he woke up and looked out at the moon. Sleep overtook him again and, if he dreamed, he couldn’t remember any of it in the morning.

  Although it was early, he wasn’t surprised to see his parents at the kitchen table having a cup of tea. He hurried outside to the toilet and then washed up in the small basin. After combing his hair, JW walked into the kitchen.

  “Morning, JW. You’ll be on time for school today,” his father said. “It’s only six o’clock.”

  “Morning, Da. I have to do some homework before I go. Morning, Ma. Can I study in the dining room?”

  “Sure, dear. Go right in and I’ll bring in a bite of breakfast for you. Do you want some eggs?” his mother asked. “Beth was here last night and left some papers for you. I put them on the table.”

  “Thanks, Ma. I’d rather porridge, if that’s okay,” JW said settling at the dining room table. He went over what he’d done the day before and read the homework he’d been given. Next, he went over the notes that Beth had left for him. The math was getting increasingly difficult. He’d have to stay for that class today; he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep up otherwise.

  He heard the clock’s chimes announce it was eight o’clock and put his books and scribblers in the satchel, along with the lunch his mother had prepared for him, and hurried outside. Gulliver was there to greet him and walked with him to the hill overlooking Beth’s house.

  “Run on home, boy. I’ll see you after school,” JW said, petting him. He watched for a moment as Gulliver bounded toward home. Turning, he saw Beth come out of her house and he ran down to meet her. As they walked along, he felt Beth’s hand slip into his. He turned to look at her and realized that this was the time to kiss her again. Afterwards, they laughed and ran hand in hand to school.

  If JW had ever had a better day, he couldn’t remember it. He stayed for every class and walked home with Beth.

  He ate supper with his parents and heeded their words about going upstairs to get some sleep before his shift. Try as he might, he couldn’t fall asleep. All he could think about was Beth. Finally, he fell asleep, but it seemed like only minutes before his mother’s voice carried from the bottom of the stairs.

  “Be right down, Ma,” he called. The moon was full in the sky, and he gazed at it through his bedroom window as he drifted back to sleep.

  “Hurry now. I thought you were up. It’s past ten. You’ll have to run part of the way,” his mother said.

  “Sorry, Ma. I fell asleep looking at the moon.” He dressed quickly and was on his way in minutes.

  —

  Arriving at the mine, he saw Patty standing off on his own.

  “Hi, Patty. How was your first night?”

  “Hi, JW. The door stuck a few times, and Mickey’s pa hollered at me, but Red was on the other side of the trap and told him to go easy on me. He don’t seem so tough when he’s talking to other full-grown men.”

  “He did the same thing to me, and the door wasn’t even stuck,” JW said. “Don’t let it bother you.”

  “It’s not as easy as I thought it’d be. I wish I hadda stayed at the breakers. I wonder if Red’d let me go back.”

  “He might,” JW said, “but is that what you really want? The money’s better at the trap, and once you get used to it, the only hard part is staying awake.”

  “I didn’t sleep last night. I kept an eye out for the ghosts and rats. I jumped at every noise.”

  “Yeah, it can be spooky down there. What I do is think about my most favourite place I want to be and then pretend I’m off on some adventure.”

  “Whaddaya mean?” Patty asked.

  “What do you like to do?”

  “Fish, but playing baseball’s my favourite,” Patty said.

  “Well then, think about the best game you ever played and close your eyes and try to remember everyone who was there that day. Who struck out? Who hit the home runs? And who won?” JW watched as Patty closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he saw a smile come over Patty's face and couldn’t help smiling himself.

  Patty opened his eyes, and his smile remained. “Holy gee, JW. I could see the field and even feel the sun on my face. I hit three homers that day.”

  “It’ll work for your fishing trips too,” JW said. As much as he felt the pit was the wrong place for him, he figured working underground was better for Patty than at the breakers.

  He watched the rake start to fill up, and he and Patty made their way over and sat together. He missed Mickey and was glad that Patty was there.

  “I’m getting used to the rake. H
ow about you?” JW asked. It seemed that it was always travelling faster than it should.

  “I’m getting used to it. I sat with Mickey last night, and he hollered all the way down, so no one could've heard me if I hadda made any noise,” Patty said.

  When the rake started its descent, JW hollered as loud as he could for as long as he could. Patty laughed beside him.

  Chapter 36

  The night passed slowly, and sleep beckoned him constantly, but JW knew better than to let Red catch him sleeping again. He threw the handful of oats that was left in the bottom of his satchel to the rats. They rushed forward, pushing and squealing, climbing over each other in their attempt to get to the oats first. JW noticed they stayed together in a pack but did not appear willing to share. The oats lasted less than a minute, and the rats looked his way hoping for more. They had to wait until he ate his lunch for the blackened crusts of bread with the tasty strawberry jam.

  JW didn’t see Mr. McGuire coming, but he heard him in plenty of time to have the door opening just as he came into view. There was a look of disappointment on Mickey’s father’s face when he made his way through. No words were exchanged. By shift’s end, JW realized there was no way he could attend school that day. Staying for the entire day yesterday and not getting enough sleep meant he had to miss the whole day. Now he would really be behind. He heard Patty whistling as he came down the tracks. JW waited and walked with him to the rake.

  “I’m so tired I don’t even feel like washing up,” JW said.

  “I feel the same way,” Patty said. “I’m going home and gonna sleep all day. I don’t work until tomorrow or the next day. I better check with Red to be sure,” he said, and JW watched as he ran over to Red once they reached the surface.

  The water washed away the dirt and some of the weariness. JW was hopeful as he began the walk home, but by the time he passed the graveyard, he knew he wouldn’t be heading to school. He took a slight detour and passed by Beth’s house. He was glad to see she was outside. He was almost standing next to her when she turned from the clothesline.

  “Oh, you startled me, JW,” she said, her voice filled with surprise.

  “Sorry. I just wanted to let you know I won’t be going to school today. I’m just too tired.”

  “I’ll bring over your homework, and I’ll let Mr. Cantwell know that you won’t be there. Should I tell him you’ll be there tomorrow?” Beth asked. Her eyes searched JW’s face.

  “I hope so, so yes, please tell him I plan to be there tomorrow. But to be honest, if I don’t start getting more sleep, it won’t matter, because I didn’t get last night’s homework done, and now I’m going to miss today and then be two days behind.” The frustration he was feeling was present in his voice, but JW kept his emotions in check. He turned to leave, walked a few steps then turned back to Beth. “Thanks for all your help. I’d never have been able to keep going without you.”

  Beth smiled. “Well, I don’t want any excuses if I win any prizes this year.”

  “Oh, I’m pretty sure I won’t be any competition for you. At least not this year. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “See you then.”

  He slowed his pace as he started up the hill. He turned when he reached the top and was surprised Beth was still outside. He waved to her and waited until she waved back before heading toward home. Gulliver barked as JW neared the house. His tail wagged furiously in reaction to being petted. JW pushed his satchel around his back and stooped to pick up some logs for the fire. He heard Lightning whinny and dropped the logs. He decided he would clean out the stall first. The barn door swung open with a low groan. The hinges needed a little grease. He pulled the door shut behind him and laid his satchel on the floor.

  He shovelled the manure from the stall, threw in some fresh hay and picked up some oats for Lightning to eat from his hand. “Hello, boy, how was your night? It’s starting to get colder and I can see you’re getting your winter coat. You’re going to need that when we haul the wood home.” JW brushed some loose hair from Lightning’s back. “See you later, boy.” He was surprised and happy to see Tennyson standing by the satchel, sniffing it, looking for oats. Scooping some up, he called out, “Hey, Tennyson, I thought you’d have found a whole lot of food by now. Here you go, boy.” JW dropped the oats onto the floor, and Tennyson scurried over by his feet. He stood and watched the rat eat his fill. Tennyson soon disappeared through a passageway in the hay.

  Chapter 37

  “Breakfast is ready,” Mary Donaldson said to her son as she heard the back door close behind him.

  “Today it’s supper, Ma. I’m too tired to think of anything but sleep. I stopped by Beth’s and told her I wouldn’t be going today. It’s only October and I’ve already missed a week of school, not counting the half days. That’s more than I missed in the first nine years. I really want to keep going, but I don’t know how I can. I’m so tired all the time.”

  “Well, see how you feel tomorrow. The teachers said they understand,” his mother said.

  “I know, but I’m starting to fall behind. I’m missing too many math classes, and it’s getting harder to catch up. But yes, I’ll go to bed now and see what tomorrow brings.”

  JW trudged up the stairs, sad that he had to miss the day of school and sad that he wouldn’t get to spend time with Beth. He hadn’t wanted to tell his mother that he felt like giving up on school completely. She tried so hard and felt so bad that he couldn’t attend like all the other children. But JW believed that the time was coming soon when he would just have to give up on his dream of finishing school. He knew he didn’t need to finish to work in the mines, and he had enough education that he could one day be an overman like Red. The thought of walking all those tunnels for the next fifty years brought an involuntary shudder.

  JW picked up The Count of Monte Cristo and tried to read a few lines, but sleep came quickly. He heard the book hit the floor just as his eyes closed. There were no dreams, good or bad, but he woke once to the sound of his parents’ voices. His eyes closed, and he returned to the land of sleep and didn’t wake again until he heard the clock strike eight. He had slept for twelve hours and felt rested.

  Pulling on his clothes, he hurried down the stairs. JW saw that his mother was reading her prayer book, so he went to the kitchen and spread jam on some of the fresh-baked biscuits. The teapot was bubbling on the back of the stove. JW poured a cup and took the biscuits and tea into the dining room. He saw that Beth had been there with his homework. He started into the French lesson and felt comfortable with it after saying it aloud several times. He reached for his math book and saw a note sticking out of the pages. In her neat handwriting, Beth had informed him there was a math test the following day. Panic seized him as he looked at the notes that Beth had provided him. If he had known, he would have gotten up hours earlier. There was no way he could even get his homework done and it was absolutely impossible for him to review all the lessons he had done, as well as the ones he had missed. He only had an hour and a half before he had to leave for the pit. There was English and science homework as well. He started opening and closing books, slapping one closed before opening another.

  “Is everything alright, dear?” his mother asked from the doorway.

  “No, Ma, it isn’t! I just found out I have a test tomorrow in math. I have a whole lot of other homework to do, so I don’t know what to do first. And I only have a little over an hour before I have to head to work.”

  He watched as his mother pondered his dilemma. Her brow furrowed, and after a brief moment, she said, “Just do the most important work tonight, which I’m sure is the math. Let the other stuff go until you get more time.”

  The solution was so obvious, but JW hadn’t been able to see it. “Thanks, Ma, that makes perfect sense. I can’t get it all done, so I’ll do what I can.” He watched her smile as she walked toward the kitchen. He heard the oven d
oor open, and the inviting smell of bread wafted into the dining room. A short time later, she brought him a piece of bread, dripping with butter and molasses. He ate holding the bread with his left hand while he scanned the math notes and tried the various equations. The clock chimed ten. JW did a few more equations before closing the books for the night. He packed the books into his satchel, careful not to wrinkle the pictures his father had drawn. His plan was to go directly to school from the coal mine.

  “Ma, would you pack another sandwich? I’m going to go right to school after my shift.”

  “Sure thing. That’s the spirit,” Mary Donaldson said as she hugged him to her. She watched as he headed down the pathway toward the pit. She wished his cross were easier to bear, but at least he had a plan for tomorrow. Tomorrow is promised to no man, she recalled from her earlier reading. Not promised to boys either, she thought, and shivered.

  Chapter 38

  The weeks spent underground had made JW quite adept at hearing the trams long before they came into sight. He never planned on sleeping. It was just that sometimes when he blinked, his eyes took their time reopening, several minutes in some cases. Since getting caught by Red, JW had been careful to remain vigilant at all times. Tonight he believed would be no problem, because he had slept for half a day. As he rested with his back against the wall, he thought about the summer spent with Beth at the swimming hole and wished he had that to look forward to next year.

  “Caught you, didn’t I? Sleeping on the job. Are you trying to get everyone killed? Won’t be so smart when I tell Red ’bout what I seen!” Shawn McGuire shouted at the top of his lungs.

  JW came fully awake and slid down the wall to the floor of the tunnel. He rose to his feet and stared into the eyes of Mr. McGuire. “So, you’re saying that you’re going to squeal to the boss on me. I wonder what the other men will have to say about that when I tell them? Boy, won’t Mickey be proud of you?”