James Oliver Curwood, Disciple of the Wilds. Hobart Donald Swiggett

was wrong. She even talked Mrs. Curwood out of a great deal of spankings that were due the lad and which he surely would have received had it not have been for her. Although five years his senior, Jimmie looked upon her as being of his own age and even younger, perhaps.

      It might be said that Jimmie Curwood had loved Jeanne in his own silent, youthful, schoolboy way. He adored, in silent worship, her great blue eyes, her thick braids of radiant brown hair and her flawless complexion. As a matter of fact everyone loved little Jeanne Fisher, but as Jim Curwood once said later in life:

      “Everyone loved her, but none so devoutly as I.”

      In the winter of 1884 when James Curwood and his family moved into the little farm in Ohio, Jeanne Fisher took it upon herself to see that the Curwoods became her friends. The lovely Jeanne was lonely and needed friendships besides those of schoolmates.

      For, from the time school was dismissed in the afternoon until the following morning, she was entirely alone with her parents. No playmates, no neighbors lived within a mile of her home.

      So when the Curwoods came, Jeanne quickly presented herself. It was a strange new land to Jimmie as well as to his parents and consequently they all welcomed her friendly approach. She tried and she succeeded in making the young boy feel at home in his new neighborhood. From that time on, nothing save death could separate the pair.

      By the nickname of “Whistling Jeanne,” one would be led to believe that the girl was a “tom-boy,” and so she was, to a certain extent. Her kindness for Jimmie, however, would surely tempt one to believe to the contrary. For when Jimmie nicknamed her “Whistling Jeanne,” he did so because he loved to hear her incessant whistling. She would whistle regardless of how much trouble she might be in, or no matter how low her spirits might be. At times she was very much a young lady of the first rank; but she could become a regular “tom-boy” if the occasion called for it. She was a swift runner, a good tree climber, an excellent shot with a rifle and she could put up as good a fight as most boys of her own age are capable of. Still she was every inch a young lady. Quiet and refined as the occasion demanded. She did not believe in being inactive, believing that one should keep one’s body as well as one’s mind occupied.

      Only a few short months after Jimmie had launched himself on a literary career Jeanne’s guiding influence was tossed to the four winds by the reckless, though well-meaning, lad. For at that time he came under the influence and thumb of the school bully. Everything that could have happened to a schoolboy who was being led astray happened to Jimmie Curwood. He was now almost eleven years of age while Jeanne was nearly sixteen.

      One morning during the first semester of school Jimmie made a terrible mistake in one of his lessons as well as having been guilty of a boyish misdemeanor.

      “Jimmie Curwood, if you don’t correct yourself and apologize for your intended error, I shall box your ears,” the elderly lady teacher informed him. Sitting directly behind him was the school bully.

      On more than one occasion he had caused trouble and he was once again up to his old pranks. He whispered to Jimmie and told him just what to do. It is at this age that young boys get to feel pretty important if they can hold the limelight for a while.

      At first Jimmie hesitated, but when the bully called him a coward, he blurted out:

      “You don’t dare to do it!”

      The entire classroom instantly became ghastly silent, for the students realized only too well that this meant trouble. They also knew that the bully was directing Jimmie and he too was afraid of what the consequences might be.

      The lady teacher demanded that Jimmie come immediately to the front of the room. The boy was timid and afraid, but at the same time he admired the bully for his brawn and straight-forward actions. Urged on, Jimmie got up from his seat and moved slowly toward his teacher. As he stood there in front of her “the bombshell exploded.”

      The good teacher informed him of his punishment and then, following the instructions and directions of the over-grown boy, Jimmie proceeded to give his teacher a very sound drubbing, much to the bully’s delight. Not only was the teacher chagrined, but she was touched and hurt deeply.

      After the hectic battle, which Jimmie nearly lost because of his teacher’s extra poundage, only the bully congratulated him. The others said nothing. Then, like most boys after committing a wrong, Jimmie came to his senses, apologized and received his punishment like a man. In due course, the elder Curwood learned of his son’s escapade, and he, too, acted accordingly. Eventually Jimmie returned to school and apologized for the second time to his teacher. Needless to say she realized that Jimmie felt it had all been his fault. She accepted his apology and reinstated him in school.

      Unfortunately, however, this did not end the boy’s associations with the prodigious bully. Once again, after much coaxing, the bully took him in hand. In order to increase his prestige in the younger boy’s eyes, the older and larger lad proceeded to thoroughly trounce a big, strapping German boy. All of this occurred just a few days after the first escapade. Once more the light of adoration began to shine in Jimmie’s eyes. This reoccurrence of the friendship fortunately led to one of the greatest turning points in Jim Curwood’s entire life.

      Many adventures take place in the life of a young boy, but seldom do they come as thick and fast as they did to Jimmie. For soon after all the excitement died down at school, young Jimmie discovered a revolver of small caliber that belonged to his mother, and so he brought it to school with him one day. This added to his prestige, but in a minor sort of way.

      His exhibition of the weapon was met with sighs and glances of amazement by the students but none dared inform the teacher of what they had seen. They all realized the consequences if they were caught as informers.

      It was during the afternoon of that early spring day that Jimmie secured permission to leave the schoolroom for a few minutes. Upon arriving outside he noticed two girls leaving an outhouse building. Ideas began popping in his imaginative young mind and so he promptly began firing the pistol above their heads. The effect could not have been worse had he struck them, for the girls were thrown into nervous hysteria.

      If Jimmie thought that he had received dire punishment for his earlier prank, he was indeed badly mistaken. He had not realized the dangerous folly he had let himself in for. He was punished more thoroughly than ever before by school officials. But the worst was yet to come from his parents, as the boy fully realized.

      As he escaped from the small crowd that had gathered on the school grounds and with head hanging low, Jimmie slunk across the fields toward home, sorely afraid and indeed bewildered at the trouble he had caused. His mind began to run wild as it had in his adventure stories. It kept telling him over and over that this was the end. There was no possible means of escape.