Paul’s Camp In Maine

by Wallace Wadsworth

Paul‘s first task, after he and the Seven Axmen had finally come to the place in the Deacon‘s woods where he intended to build his camp, was to get rid of the Gumberoos and Agropelters. So while the Axmen all seated themselves, leaned their backs comfortably against broad tree trunks and lit their pipes, Paul stood thinking out some method of driving the troublesome creatures away. Paul was a great thinker, and there was never any problem that could keep him puzzled long.

"The Gumberoos are afraid of fire," he said to himself "and they will run away if they notice even the least sign of it. Now that is a weakness that I ought to be able to use against them -— but how?" and he thought so hard over the matter that the Seven Axmen could hear the low whir of his brain working. Just then a big cloud of smoke from one of the Axmen‘s pipes floated up and encircled Paul‘s head, and when he finally stopped coughing and had caught his breath again a look of great satisfaction spread over his face. He had figured out a way to drive the Gumberoos away.

"I want you bullies to rest up for a few days," he said to the Seven Axmen, and there was a twinkle in his eyes. "There‘s plenty of hard work on the job ahead, but I’m not quite ready for you to start on it yet. So just you sit around and take things easy for a while until I am ready for you to begin," and he tossed down his big tobacco pouch where all could reach it and sauntered away.

The Seven Axmen looked at one another and grinned, and then they proceeded to fill up their pipes again. If their new boss wanted to pay them their wages just for loafing, why, they were perfectly willing to accommodate him. They had often looked forward to such a time as this, when they might take their ease and talk and smoke together, all without being worried by the thought that they were leaving necessary tasks undone or were losing valuable working time. Never before had the opportunity of indulging in such fancied leisure come to them, and now they settled back to enjoy themselves to the fullest extent.