The trees on Mars are few andstunted, says old Doc Yoris.There's plenty of gold, ofcourse—but trees can be muchmore important!
TREES
are where
you find
them
By Arthur Dekker Savage
Illustrated by Philip Parsons
You might say the troublestarted at the Ivy, which is amoving picture house in CaveJunction built like a big quonset.It's the only show in these parts,and most of us old-timers up herein the timber country of southwestOregon have got into the habit ofgoing to see a picture on Saturdaynights before we head for a tavern.
But I don't think old Doc Yoris,who was there with Lew and Rustyand me, had been to more than twoor three shows in his life. Doc iskind of sensitive about his appearanceon account of his small eyesand big nose and ears; and sincegold mining gave way to loggingand lumber mills, with Outsidersdrifting into the country, Doc hastaken to staying on his homesteadaway back up along Deer Creek,near the boundary of the SiskiyouNational Forest. It's gotten so he'llcome to Cave Junction only afterdark, and even then he wears darkglasses so strangers won't noticehim too much.
I couldn't see anything funnyabout the picture when Doc startedlaughing, but I figure it's a man'sown business when he wants tolaugh, so I didn't say anything. Theshow was one of these scientificthings, and when Doc began tocackle it was showing some mengetting out of a rocket ship on Marsand running over to look at sometrees.
Rusty, who's top choker setter inour logging outfit, was trying tosee Doc's point. He can snare logswith a hunk of steel cable fasterthan anyone I know, but he's neverhad much schooling. He turned toDoc. "I don't get it, Doc," he said."What's the deal?"
Doc kept chuckling. "It's themtrees," he said. "There's no treeslike that on Mars."
"Oh," said Rusty.
I suppose it was just chance thatBurt Holden was sitting behind usand heard the talk. Burt is one ofthe newcomers. He'd come downfrom Grants Pass and started a biglumber mill and logging outfit, andwas trying to freeze out the littleoperators.
He growled something aboutkeeping quiet. That got Rusty andLew kind of mad, and Lew turnedaround and looked at Burt. Lew iseven bigger than Burt, and thingsmight have got interesting, but Iwanted to see the rest of the picture.I nudged him and asked him if hehad a chew. They won't let yousmoke in the show, but it's okay tochew, and most of us were in thehabit anyway, because there's toomuch danger of forest fire whenyou smoke on the job.
Doc laughed every time thescreen showed trees, and I couldhear Burt humping around in hisseat like he was irritated.
At the end of the show wedrifted over to the Owl Tavernand took a table against the northwall, behind the pool tables andacross from the bar. Doc had puthis dark glasses back on, and he satfacing the wall.
Not that many people apart fromthe Insiders knew Doc. He hadn'tbeen very active since the youngmedical doctor had come to CaveJunction in 1948, although he neverturned down anyone who came forhelp, and as far as I knew he'dnever lost a patient unless he wasalready dead when Doc got there.
We were kidding Lew becausehe was still wearing his tin hat andcaulked boots from work. "Youfiguring on starting early in themorning?" I asked him. Rusty andDoc laughed. It was a good jokebecause we rode out to the job inmy jee