Free THE Nick Adams STORIES by Ernest Hemingway Page B

on them until you’re clear.”
    â€œWhen did you hear about them?”
    She shook her head at him.
    â€œBuying is as bad or worse than selling,” she said. “You stay away until things quiet down. Nickie, you’re a good boy no matter what anybody says. You see Packard if things get bad. Come here nights if you need anything. I sleep light. Just knock on the window.”
    â€œYou aren’t going to serve them tonight are you, Mrs. Packard? You’re not going to serve them for the dinners?”
    â€œNo,” she said. “But I’m not going to waste them. Packard can eat half a dozen and I know other people that can. Be careful, Nickie, and let it blow over. Keep out of sight”
    â€œLittless wants to go with me.”
    â€œDon’t you dare take her,” Mrs. Packard said. “You come by tonight and I’ll have some stuff made up for you.”
    â€œCould you let me take a skillet?”
    â€œI’ll have what you need. Packard knows what you need. I don’t give you any more money so you’ll keep out of trouble.”
    â€œI’d like to see Mr. Packard about getting a few things.”
    â€œHe’ll get you anything you need. But don’t you go near the store, Nick.”
    â€œI’ll get Littless to take him a note.”
    â€œAnytime you need anything,” Mrs. Packard said. “Don’t you worry. Packard will be studying things out.”
    â€œGoodby, Aunt Halley.”
    â€œGoodby,” she said and kissed him. She smelt wonderful when she kissed him. It was the way the kitchen smelled when they were baking. Mrs. Packard smelled like her kitchen and her kitchen always smelled good.
    â€œDon’t worry and don’t do anything bad.”
    â€œI’ll be all right.”
    â€œOf course,” she said. “And Packard will figure out something.”
    They were in the big hemlocks on the hill behind the house now. it was evening and the sun was down beyond the hills on the other side of the lake.
    â€œI’ve found everything,” his sister said, “it’s going to make a pretty big pack, Nickie.”
    â€œI know it. What are they doing?”
    â€œThey ate a big supper and now they’re sitting out on the porch and drinking. They’re telling each other stories about how smart they are.”
    â€œThey aren’t very smart so far.”
    â€œThey’re going to starve you out,” his sister said. “A couple of nights in the woods and you’ll be back. You hear a loon holler a couple of times when you got an empty stomach and you’ll be back.”
    â€œWhat did our mother give them for supper?”
    â€œAwful,” his sister said.
    â€œGood.”
    â€œI’ve located everything on the list. Our mother’s gone to bed with a sick headache. She wrote our father.”
    â€œDid you see the letter?”
    â€œNo. It’s in her room with the list of stuff to get from the store tomorrow. She’s going to have to make a new list when she finds everything is gone in the morning.”
    â€œHow much are they drinking?”
    â€œThey’ve drunk about a bottle, I guess.”
    â€œI wish we could put knockout drops in it.”
    â€œI could put them in if you’ll tell me how. Do you put them in the bottle?”
    â€œNo. In the glass. But we haven’t got any.”
    â€œWould there be any in the medicine cabinet?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI could put paragoric in the bottle. They have another bottle. Or calomel. I know we’ve got those.”
    â€œNo,” said Nick. “You try to get me about half the other bottle when they’re asleep. Put it in any old medicine bottle.”
    â€œI better go and watch them,” his sister said. “My, I wish we had knockout drops. I never even heard of them.”
    â€œThey aren’t really drops,” Nick told her. “It’s chloral hydrate. Whores