Chain Locker by Bob Chaulk Read Free Book Online

right?”
    â€œBest kind.”
    â€œAnd that granddaughter? She’s not after getting sick, I hope?”
    â€œShe’s fine, too.”
    â€œWell, praise God for that. I pray for all of ye all the time, you know, that nobody will come down with TB or nothing. Is she getting a bit of fat onto her bones?”
    â€œShe’s on the go too much, sure. Fat don’t get a chance to take root on ’er.”
    Dorcas laughed warmly. “No, I s’pose. I know that daughter of yours is feeding her good. How is Olive, by the way?”
    â€œNumber one.”
    â€œGood. Well, Henry and Eli was looking out for you. You just missed them. They decided they had time to go for another load of wood before you got here. They won’t be too long. Come in, now, and I’ll get the kettle on. Eli says it’ll be duckish by the time Dorman and Selby get here from Exploits.”
    As Alf and Bert went into the house, Simeon stopped and took his sister’s arm. “How’s Henry gettin’ on?”
    â€œOh, good, good. He says he’s all ready to go back aboard ship.”
    â€œHe better be. I went through a lot of trouble to get him this berth.”
    It was just getting dark when Dorman and Selby arrived from across the bay. The two groups were together for the first time since returning from the annual fishing voyage to Labrador late the previous summer, and there was a lot of catching up to do. Crammed into the modest household, they were eager to get reacquainted.
    â€œOkay, b’ys,” said Henry, rolling his sleeves up over his muscular arms. “Let’s see what we can do about lowerin’ the level on this pot o’ soup Mom got cooked up here. Sit down, now, Mom; you been on the go all day. I’ll serve these fellers.”
    â€œYou’ll be doing nothing of the sort! Nobody’s takin’ over my kitchen while I got strength in my body.”
    They were a loud lot, shouting over one another to be heard, as Dorcas kept a steady stream of soup and bread flowing, followed by a huge figgy duff and all the tea they could put away.
    â€œAny word on how the train has been gettin’ on over the winter, Eli?” Simeon asked.
    â€œYes, I was talkin’ to Ellis Manuel from Lewisporte. She been snowed in a couple of times up around Red Indian Lake, but he says that so far this year the goin’ between Lewisporte and St. John’s has been good.”
    â€œLet’s hope it stays good for a few more days, at least until we get to St. John’s,” said Simeon.
    â€œWhat time will she be leaving Lewisporte?” Dorcas asked.
    â€œTomorrow night around midnight, if the engineer is still awake.”
    â€œHe better be!” Dorman laughed.
    Dorcas furrowed her brow. “My dear, youse’ll be good and tired.”
    â€œWe’ll likely have the whole train to ourselves,” said Simeon. “We should have lots of room to spread out and get some sleep. The big crowds won’t come on board until we get to Gambo, and by the time we make St. John’s she’ll likely be chinched full. I can put up with the crowd so long as she keeps movin’ and we don’t get bogged down in the snow.”
    Henry had been trying to get Simeon’s attention but Simeon, who never missed an opportunity to tease his nephew, kept avoiding eye contact. He finally grinned broadly towards Henry as he got up from the table. “I got something here for you, young fella, from a certain young miss in Twillingate.”
    Henry could not hide his delight. I knew she would write, he told himself.
    Simeon reached into his pocket. His weatherbeaten face suddenly looked grave as he started checking his other pockets. “Well, I s’pose I didn’t go and lose it now, did I?”
    Usually quick with a comeback, Henry’s sense of humour collapsed with the thought that the letter might be back on the ice somewhere, tumbling