the town disappeared. Jem sighed, “I guess I didn’t have the actual leaving and going to Fineburg figured out, did I?”
The other two said nothing. The road was bad and it took some concentration not to be thrown out as the wagon hit potholes and pebbles. Thist lay down in the wagon as the road evened out somewhat. Jem drank in the fresh air of the meadow. Lush grasses and dandelions grew in amongst small shrubs and saplings. A flock of finches flew from shrub to shrub as the wagon ambled past. Kelvin took up whistling a catchy tune and the whole mood in the wagon changed from insane denial to jovial and carefree.
It was long passed midday, the sun obscured by a thick cloud, making what should have been a blistering hot day, mild but sunny. Kelvin, sensing Jem’s thoughts, said “We can sleep under the wagon if it rains.”
Jem looked at Kelvin and just frowned.
Thist sat bolt upright and laughed. He laughed for a minute while the other two sat and watched him. Then they realized what was going on and they joined in. Tears were streaming down Thist’s face as he said, “We just grabbed our bags and ran away like a bunch of murderers.”
Jem was still trying to contain himself but managed to say. “Can you imagine what Maxwell’s going to be like?”
Kelvin remained silent. Then after the laughter in the other two subsided, they realized he was crying in earnest. “And now?” queried Jem.
Kelvin turned to Jem and smiled, “I’ve been longing to do this for years, and lately, I’ve been just yearning for the opportunity.”
“Why didn’t you just go?”
“I guess I could have, but I was held back, like a….”
“Like a beaten wife to a drunken husband,” blurted Thist.
“No.” said Kelvin. “It’s nothing like that.”
Kelvin steered the old horses around a wide bend in the road, his mind working overtime. He knew that he had to tell the other two boys something, without telling them anything. He was embarrassed for his own life story but he couldn’t just keep quiet. “Not even that glamorous, I didn’t have a real reason to leave despite having no reason to stay. It feels like at last I have a purpose, even though it’s not at all clear.”
“Well,” said Jem. “Let's clear that up over dinner.”
Thist spun around. “Dinner!”
The boys rode on, the road twisting and turning as they headed toward the mountains in the distance. The meadow was becoming thick and shrubby with larger trees, but no real forest. Lions were seen occasionally in these parts, but they tended to follow the herds of deer, elk and garret.
They spoke of everything and more as the day turned to twilight. The sun had shed its cloud cover and was about to wink out behind the mountains, the clouds around growing heavy golden rings as the sun turned orange. Birds of all kinds flew here and about, catching the early evening insects. Kelvin glanced at the sun. “We’ll sleep at Jack’s tavern tomorrow night, but for now I suggest we gather up some firewood.”
The run down horses stopped the wagon far easier than they could start it. Kelvin hopped out and untacked the horses. He led them to a tree where he tied them up and gave them some old grain from a sack in the wagon. Jem and Thist ventured into the bush to find what scant fire wood it would allow. Thist seemed to struggle finding anything of value but some dry grass for kindling and the odd twig, while Jem returned with his arms full of wood. “Look under the big shrubs and a quarter of the way up the trees you’ll find good wood Thist!” shouted Jem.
Between the three of them they had a good fire going with a surprising amount of backup wood. Kelvin had draped a large tarp over the side of the wagon so that the bottom formed a cosy lodging; open on the side where the fire was built. “You seem to have thought of everything, Kelvin.” said Jem.
“I’ve travelled some when my father used to haul from Fineburg, so I learned a few tricks.” said
The other two said nothing. The road was bad and it took some concentration not to be thrown out as the wagon hit potholes and pebbles. Thist lay down in the wagon as the road evened out somewhat. Jem drank in the fresh air of the meadow. Lush grasses and dandelions grew in amongst small shrubs and saplings. A flock of finches flew from shrub to shrub as the wagon ambled past. Kelvin took up whistling a catchy tune and the whole mood in the wagon changed from insane denial to jovial and carefree.
It was long passed midday, the sun obscured by a thick cloud, making what should have been a blistering hot day, mild but sunny. Kelvin, sensing Jem’s thoughts, said “We can sleep under the wagon if it rains.”
Jem looked at Kelvin and just frowned.
Thist sat bolt upright and laughed. He laughed for a minute while the other two sat and watched him. Then they realized what was going on and they joined in. Tears were streaming down Thist’s face as he said, “We just grabbed our bags and ran away like a bunch of murderers.”
Jem was still trying to contain himself but managed to say. “Can you imagine what Maxwell’s going to be like?”
Kelvin remained silent. Then after the laughter in the other two subsided, they realized he was crying in earnest. “And now?” queried Jem.
Kelvin turned to Jem and smiled, “I’ve been longing to do this for years, and lately, I’ve been just yearning for the opportunity.”
“Why didn’t you just go?”
“I guess I could have, but I was held back, like a….”
“Like a beaten wife to a drunken husband,” blurted Thist.
“No.” said Kelvin. “It’s nothing like that.”
Kelvin steered the old horses around a wide bend in the road, his mind working overtime. He knew that he had to tell the other two boys something, without telling them anything. He was embarrassed for his own life story but he couldn’t just keep quiet. “Not even that glamorous, I didn’t have a real reason to leave despite having no reason to stay. It feels like at last I have a purpose, even though it’s not at all clear.”
“Well,” said Jem. “Let's clear that up over dinner.”
Thist spun around. “Dinner!”
The boys rode on, the road twisting and turning as they headed toward the mountains in the distance. The meadow was becoming thick and shrubby with larger trees, but no real forest. Lions were seen occasionally in these parts, but they tended to follow the herds of deer, elk and garret.
They spoke of everything and more as the day turned to twilight. The sun had shed its cloud cover and was about to wink out behind the mountains, the clouds around growing heavy golden rings as the sun turned orange. Birds of all kinds flew here and about, catching the early evening insects. Kelvin glanced at the sun. “We’ll sleep at Jack’s tavern tomorrow night, but for now I suggest we gather up some firewood.”
The run down horses stopped the wagon far easier than they could start it. Kelvin hopped out and untacked the horses. He led them to a tree where he tied them up and gave them some old grain from a sack in the wagon. Jem and Thist ventured into the bush to find what scant fire wood it would allow. Thist seemed to struggle finding anything of value but some dry grass for kindling and the odd twig, while Jem returned with his arms full of wood. “Look under the big shrubs and a quarter of the way up the trees you’ll find good wood Thist!” shouted Jem.
Between the three of them they had a good fire going with a surprising amount of backup wood. Kelvin had draped a large tarp over the side of the wagon so that the bottom formed a cosy lodging; open on the side where the fire was built. “You seem to have thought of everything, Kelvin.” said Jem.
“I’ve travelled some when my father used to haul from Fineburg, so I learned a few tricks.” said
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