Vancouver Ch.# XXXI entering the lion's den- part I

                 Vancouver- city of adventurers

                                  Chapter # XXXI

                               “Entering the Lion’s den”

         It was early Sunday morning. The brothers arose as usual, to the sea-bird sonata. They dressed, gathered their tools and set out for the Ferry. There were few souls about this early. Near the docks, one boat was readying to set out. A shrimper, she would haul in a good catch today.

           They found the ferry, paid their fare and settled in on benches. It would be a long day and cool out on the water. The sun was just climbing over the mountains of the eastern horizon. A group of passengers joined them. They were headed out to Victoria for work.

           The Ferry cast off her lines at 8 A.M. She headed out southward, through the narrows of Burrard inlet and across the Juan de Fucha strait into the channel of Victoria harbor. Most of the passengers and some boxes of freight were off loaded. The Ferry again cast off her lines and headed out into the Bay of Georgia. They followed the southern coast, until they reached Nanaimo. 

            Once off the Ferry, the brothers were met by a logger with a buckboard. “If you are the Mac Adams brothers, Mr. Phelan sent me to pick you up and take you to our camp,” he said. “Mr. Phelan won’t return until Tuesday.” 

             “We are,” said Jim. They climbed in the back of the wagon and they set out. They were surrounded by tall pines all around them. The path was rough and bumpy. It took them two hours to reach the camp.

             “That tent over there is for you,” said the logger. “You can get lunch at the mess tent.” Then, he left them.

              “I guess the first order of business is lunch,” smiled Ian. They walked over to the large tent, picked up a tray and cutlery and stood in line. A steak, baked beans and potatoes filled their plates. A mug of coffee was waiting at the end of the line. They sat down and dug in, hungry as usual.

                 After lunch, they washed their tins and cutlery and walked over to the small rise in the middle of the camp. It was there that they found what they had asked of Hank. Twine and pegs outlined an expanse of ground some 100 feet on a side and forty feet across the ends. The earth inside of that rectangle was dug out to a depth of 12”, as they had asked.

               “The man does what he says,” said Jim.

               “Aye, he does,” said Ian. “Maybe we should find out where water and tools are kept, so we can get ready for tomorrow,” said Ian.

                The brothers did just that, assembling what would be needed for an early start.

                  “Maybe we can lay in those corner ridge poles and center support beams today,” said Jim. “I figure we have a few hours of daylight left.” The brothers dug out holes to drop the posts in, then slipped them into position and tamped the ground around them.

                 “They won’t be fully supported until we can anchor them in when we pour the concrete floor,” said Jim. It was day’s end, so they got in the chow line and dug in again.

               “You know Jim,” said Ian. “If we keep eating like this, we will end up with butts the size of Saskatchewan.”

                 “Go on with you, Ian,” said Jim. “We’ve hard days labor ahead of us and need the fuel.”

                  The brothers turned in early. They had a lot to do in the next two days.

                  It was early morning when the musical song of the whooperwills woke them. The air smelled of pine scent, with an acrid overlay of sawdust. They dressed and headed over to the mess tent. Bacon, beans and potatoes filled their plate,  with coffee to wash it down. The tent was noisy with men fueling up to spend a hard day in the forest, swinging axes and harvesting lumber. 

                 Jim saw that nasty Andy Coggins, at the far end of the tent. But, Coggins was too busy regaling his mates with some tale or other and didn’t see them. Jim didn’t mention it to Ian.

                “Best we get to work Ian,” said Jim. They walked over to the site.

                 “I think we best lay out two concourses of bricks, inside of the site. That will establish the lines of our work,” said Jim.

                   The lads mixed up some mortar and carefully laid out first one row of bricks and then another on top of it. They were careful to keep the rows level, or the whole building would be off.

                   When they were done, Jim opened a bag of cement. He mixed it in a wheel barrow with water and lime.

                   “I figure, that we lay this cement down in four-foot squares, at the 10” level,” said Jim. “ We can take turns trowelling it smooth, while the other one mixes up another load of cement.” It was teamwork by experienced workmen. They went at it until the sun was high in the sky.

                   “Time for lunch Ian,” said Jim. They picked up a ham sandwich and coffee at the tent and then sat on a log reviewing their work.

                   “I think we have things in line Ian,” said Jim. “Now we just have to get it done.”

                   The brothers mixed and laid the cement for the floor in a practiced rhythm to their task.  They finished laying the floor, just  as the sun was beginning to set out over the Bay.

                   “Let’s wash up, dig into some food and then hit the hay,” said Jim. “I am beat.”

                  The lads stacked a steak, some potatoes and beans onto their plate, picked up some coffee and sat down to eat.

                “It looks like we can get this done,” said Ian.

               “I think so,” said Jim. “If the cement dries over-night, we can start laying bricks on the outside of the wall. I think we will need about six more  courses to bring the wall up to the four-foot level.”

              They finished their meal, washed up their plates and walked to their tent. They slept the contented sleep of a workman doing a good job.