Free Hoggee by Anna Myers

before they were assigned to a boat. Last year Jack and Howard had both been assigned to the packet boat
The Blue Bird,
but Captain Travis also owned two other packet boats,
The Yellow Bird
and
The Red Bird.
What if they were not assigned to be on the same boat this year? It might feel good not to have Jack watching him always, but then there would be no Jack to take up for him in the fights that always erupted at the locks. There would be no Jack to make him laugh.
    Jack came in, took his haversack from his back, and dropped it near the door. There was food inside, andHoward knew Jack would have to keep the bag with him after the others boys arrived. Most of the boys were hungry and would not hesitate to steal Jack’s food.
    Howard brushed away the straw and stood up. “Jack,” he called, “over here.”
    â€œHoward?” Jack waited for Howard to come to him, but Howard did not move. Jack came to stand beside Molly’s stall.
    Howard stepped out of the stall. They punched at each other’s arms, both grinning. “How’s Ma?” Howard asked. “And the little ones?”
    â€œMa was real put out with you for not coming home. She said to tell you not to do that again, said she didn’t need money so bad as to have you stay here all winter just to spare your travel money.”
    Howard looked down. “Well, I won’t be tempted to work for O’Grady next winter. That’s for sure.”
    â€œDidn’t fare well, did you?”
    â€œO’Grady gave the job to Mac.”
    Jack closed his eyes and shook his head. “How did you live, then, all winter with no job?”
    â€œI got another job.” Howard took his own haversack from the rail where it hung on a nail. He opened the pack and brought out the reader. “I’m teaching old Cyrus’s granddaughter to read.”
    Jack frowned. “He pays you for that?”
    â€œI eat with the family.” He started to tell Jack about the purse and the money, but he decided not to. Perhaps he would tell him later.
    Jack looked closely at Howard. “You’re thin,” he said.
    â€œI got pneumonia. Mac beat me up pretty bad, and I stayed for a long time in the snow. After I got sick, they took me in at Cyrus’s house.”
    â€œHow sick?”
    Howard shrugged his shoulders. “Pretty sick, I reckon. They had the doctor and all.” He shrugged again. “I’m fit as a fiddle now though.”
    Jack closed his eyes again, let out a sigh, and shook his head. “It’s a thousand wonders I found you still alive.”
    Howard turned away. “Want to get your bag and sleep in here with me?”
    Jack laughed. “No,” he said, “I’m not sleeping in there with a mule. I don’t trust her not to kick me or step on me.”
    â€œMolly wouldn’t do that.” Howard laughed. “Not unless you riled her.”
    â€œI’m not taking any chances.” Jack turned to go back to the front of the barn. “I’ll find a spot up front. Come on with me. I’m near about starved.”
    Howard followed. Jack dropped to the straw-covered barn floor, opened his haversack, and took out a cloth that had bread and meat wrapped in it. He tore the bread apart and held out a piece to Howard. “Want some?”
    Howard shook his head. “I had plenty for supper.” He stretched beside his brother.
    â€œAt old Cyrus’s house?” Jack smiled. “Eating at old Cyrus’s house, if that doesn’t beat the Dutch! Remember how he always told us hoggees that he would fire any one of us that happened to be caught even close to the path to his place?”
    Howard frowned. “He doesn’t like people around his granddaughters. That’s all. One’s deaf and mute, and he’s afraid she’ll be made sport of.”
    Jack took out his pocketknife and cut himself a piece of meat. “Deaf and mute.” He shook