Carl and John were makin two big old triangles with three two inch trees to each side. These would go on the two small ends of the house, one of which contained the door. One of them climbed up on the roof with his hammer and nails and hauled one of the triangles up and started nailin it to the house. Carl said, “This is slow goin, balancin the wood and trying to hammer at the same time. Could you clim on up here John and hold this heavy thang fur me?”
Once John was up on the roof, it didn’t take no time at all to get that part securely nailed to the cabin. They did the same thing on the other end and before you’d a knowed it, they were ready for a ridgepole, betwixt the two! Carl’s hollow leg started actin up and they had to stop fur a bite before lookin fur the right ridgepole. Their ma had packed them some cold fried chicken and potato salad and they made short work of that!
They went into the woods, looking fur just the right tree. Once they found it, they had to lop off the tiny branches to prepare it. John and Carl hauled it up on the roof and nailed each end to the triangles. This made it secure and ready fur the small trees goin from the ridgepole to the cabin. They were makin real progress. Well, after decidin the size of the rest of the small trees they would need to form the rest of the roof, it was off into the woods they went.
Meanwhile, Pa and Timmy had made it to the still site and were unaware of Steve watchin them. They poured the sacks of corn in a barrel, adding in yeast, sugar and water and then covered the whole thang. “There, that’ll need to sit about 7 or 8 days and we kin put the still together while we is up here,or at least a good part of it today.” They got to workin on assemblin the still.
Steve’s heart started racin and all kinds of things went through his mind. He could bust them right now and be justified fur it. However, he really did want the thrill of bustin up a workin still. What good was it to bring back parts that hadn’t even been used to make some moonshine? He sat real still and listened to Earl’s plans, to help him decide when to strike.
Earl said, “Let’s dig a hole to put the metal can in fur our fire. You go collect some good old red clay whiles I dig. Then we can collect some old flat rocks to pack around the can with the red clay sealin it.” He droned on about how they were goin to put it together and then when he started talkin about goin back home for a few days while the corn turned to mash, Steve’s ears perked up. “Let’s get Cora on the way home. She’s probably ready to git home about now. We’ll get an early start tomorrow.
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Steve had heard enough. He would leave silently like he came and go to town to stock up on supplies and then watch for when Earl and the boys would leave again so he could follow them and make his bust when they got the still working. He was so excited about his first bust bein just around the corner! He considered bringing some fellow officers, but decided against it cuz he didn’t want to chance another officer getting his promotion. With this under his belt, he would be likely the next in line fur sheriff! He managed to get back to his car without makin a sound and left that evenin.
John and Carl hadn’t completed the cabin, but it was gettin mighty close. When Pa and Timmy got back to camp, there was a fine smell in the air. The boys ate and went to bed and even without the bunks bein finished and without the roof on the cabin, they slept great. The next mornin, after breakfast and clean-up, they took off for home.
Cora and Donna were hangin up laundry and the young-uns were playin in the yard when Earl’s crew got there. They jumped out and asked what they could do to help out. Donna had done some cannin and asked if they could run the jars down to the root cellar. They also milked the cow, collected the eggs and weeded the garden which was doin better because of Cora’s daily waterin. Donna expressed her gratitude at all of their collective help and she looked so perked up, that she might have been a different person from the one they saw a few weeks before.
Earl said, “We’ll be passin this way in a few days, Donna and will stop in to check on you. On the way back from the huntin cabin we should have some venison for you, Lord willing. Is there anything you need us to bring to you?”
Donna said, with tears in her eyes, “No, Earl. You done that. I’m mighty grateful fur you all bringing me back to life! I’ll always remember this!”
Earl responded, “Oh, twernt nuthin. You’d of done the same fur us. You are like one of my young-uns!” They all waved as the Higgins drove out of the driveway and on towards home.
