The Story of Sugar

ir mountain trip, and Mr. Carlton, who had worried no little about them, and who w

st on a mountain was an every-day occurrence with you. That is the difference between sixtee

sm

d. "In fact, this very minute we're going out to help David

Well, you seem to have your morning's work mapped out. Just don't get lost a

ton," Van replied, giving a fin

your boots. You will just walk off and leave them in some snow-drift or mud puddle and

d lent me; your father sa

et on somehow. We want to cut across the road and make for that hill over to the right. That's where the sugar-house is; it stands in the middle of an orchard of maples w

ather make maple

ntry; and so, as it had to be brought from the East Indies, Spain, and South America, it was pretty expensive. Grandfather told me once that when he was a b

realized that before,"

a little shaver, he used to have white

, doesn't it

he West Indies from Spain, the Canary Islands, or Madeira and then transplanted along the Mississippi delta. Dad says tha

ew about sugar until then?" inquired Van inc

ho did, and they did not use it at all as we do

is chum steadi

ast, "how did you come

ppen to remember a few scraps Father has told me fro

ow. You never said anyth

watched Van

t's

hy

iness too. Don't you recall my telling you

I suppose they're business friends. I've been wondering why Father kept watching y

ay, tell me more about sugar. You'd think with my father right in the business I'd know something

grapes, and milk, and the date palm, and in maize; but it is

no

until I get back home and astonish my father with

the thought. Then, as he started t

into your old yellow mud until now I can't stir. I can't-upon my word. My feet are in perfectly solid. You can laugh if you want to, but you've

t your feet out," was

gmire or something. Look at me. I'm up to my knees now, and if you don't hurry you'll see no

offer aid; instead he stood on a large roc

cried to Van. "Wh

dge my feet. I never saw such mud in all my life. It must be y

emember, when the crocodile let go the nose of the little elephant how he suddenly sat down plop. I've no notion

nd then sit and howl when you see me losing my life in them. Well, you needn't come into the mire if you don't wan

do t

a long branch

. "Catch hold of

ged at opposite

uite without warnin

had been standing and landed in a snow-drift; while Van, much to h

boys could nowher

s feet. Shaking the snow out o

r mother could only see you now. Well, your feet are out, if you did have to get in all over

e banter go

ou! I'm tall and could keep my head out; but the mire would long since have clos

was sensitive a

um Van scooped up a handful of clean sn

th. "I'm just as tidy as

uess you'll have to do. Come on now. Goodness only know

ried up

said, as they reached

rnessed into a great sledge surmounted by a barrel into which David was pouring the sap as fast as he gat

ys joi

ing, Dave?" aske

inly ain't writing a book or taking a wireless

re you doing? You know this busi

ple-sugar made?" David's

ev

y soul! Where

Colo

. If you'd been brought up i

never seen maple-sugar made," piped Bob, inst

maple-syrup or maple-sugar made,

N

t are we c

urveyed the bo

th yourself all your da

n going t

n't never inside a schoolhouse in my life, but I've known from the time I was knee-high to a grasshopper how to make m

ed conte

his small piece of hollow wood-it is like a trough, you see; and the sap runs through it into the buckets we hang beneath. All day and all night it drips in and each morning we go round and empty every pail into the cask we carry on the sledge. The sap, as you see, is thin, because only part of it is sugar;

it has been boiled en

would candy. Generally speaking, I can tell by the feel of it, and by the way it drips from the spoon. Sometimes, though, when I'm in doubt I try it on snow myself. If it gets kinder soft and waxy you can be sure it is

n?" asked Bob. "Shall we trail David or

Me for the su

it is

ugar-house

inc-lined tank the foaming sap was boiling furiously. Beside it s

g to cast an eye on the maple-sugar! Last week we m

lf. "We'll seal them to-morrow or next day and get the labels on, and then they will be

to test the bubbling

over there and fill it with snow; I'll spoon some of thi

the heap of snow the foreman poured several heaping spoonfuls of hot syrup which, to their surpr

kewers from the shelf and use

ught the id

p up on the end of the sticks

st like toffy!

nything you could buy at the

, Mac," Bob said. "Somehow it melts a

resh snow and held it out fo

illed it go

tended the fourth and fifth

vacation in bed and wondering what's the matter with you. Why, we'd have no sugar at all if you should stay here eating at this rate. If it's candy you're wantin', ask the cook to boil some m

, and thanks for the su

ts and stir them in; I'll recommend the result and will

the temperature of

cakes for our own use. I reckon you can have some of them to take back to college when you go. We'll certainly have a plenty to spare you some, for your father will make a handsome thing out