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your sister are all adopted by a nice family at the next town,” she said quietly.
    She is so generous, Luke thought. Thinking of others before herself.
    â€œI wish the same thing for you,” Luke said.
    A timid smile played over her full lips.
    Luke grinned at her. I have found one good thing about the orphan train, he realized. Mary.

Chapter
10

    T he next day the train ground to a halt just after sunrise. The whistle shrieked and the wheels screeched.
    Luke heard several children moan. A few sniffled.
    â€œI wanna go home,” a little girl said.
    â€œYou don’t have a home,” someone told her. “None of us does.”
    Luke pulled the comb he had borrowed from Mary through Corey’s hair until he had worked out all the tangles. He spat on his hand and rubbed the smudges of dirt off Corey’s cheeks.
    Corey wrinkled his nose. “Sorry, Corey,” Luke said. “It’s the best I can do for now.” He straightened the collar on Corey’s flannel shirt and refastened the side of his overalls that had come undone during the night.
    Luke turned his attention to Leah. She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare put your spit on my face,” she warned him.
    Luke tilted his head and pretended to study her. “What do you think, Corey? Should I put some spit on her?”
    Corey smiled brightly and bobbed his head, his dark hair flopping against his forehead.
    Leah put up her fists. “If you do, I’ll smack you both on the nose.”
    Her words took Luke back to a time when they had often teased each other … before their parents had died … when they were all happy.
    â€œShe doesn’t need spit on her face,” Luke said, forcing his voice to sound serious. “She needs a smile!”
    Leah shrieked as Luke grabbed her waist. They tumbled onto the straw-covered floor. Luke tickled her ribs. “Smile, Leah!” he ordered.
    â€œNo!” she cried.
    â€œHelp me, Corey,” Luke called out. “Help me make her smile.”
    Luke laughed as Corey slipped under his arms and began to tickle Leah’s stomach, his small fingers flexing.
    â€œStop it!” Leah cried, but Luke heard no anger in her voice.
    â€œWe’ll stop when you smile,” Luke told her.
    â€œI’ll never smile,” she insisted. “Never!”
    â€œCome on, Corey,” Luke urged. “Tickle her harder.”
    Then Luke did hear laughter, but it wasn’t Leah’s laughter.
    It was Corey’s.
    Luke stilled and listened in amazement as Corey laughed, his small fingers digging into Leah’s sides.
    â€œDo you hear that, Leah?” Luke asked.
    â€œYes,” she replied in a hushed voice, as though afraid if she spoke too loud, the sound would go away.
    Luke stood and lifted Corey into air. “You laughed! If you can laugh, you can talk. Can you say my name?”
    Corey stopped laughing and shook his head.
    Leah stood up. “Try, Corey. Try to say Luke’s name. It’s so easy.”
    Corey tightened his mouth and vigorously shook his head.
    Leah held out her arms, and Luke handed Corey over to her. She hugged him closely. “Luke’s right. If you can laugh, you can talk.” She began to rock back and forth. “Soon. Soon you’ll talk again.”
    She looked at Luke and smiled. Luke smiled back.
    They both jumped as the matron burst through the door. Even though her bottom lip was still puffy from the bee sting, she blew on her whistle.
    â€œEveryone off the train!” she bellowed. “Step lively. Be on your best behavior!”
    Luke jumped out of the boxcar. He helped Leah and Corey climb out. Then he held his arms up for Mary. She smiled at him. Mary is even more beautiful in the sunlight, Luke realized, feeling dazed.
    He swung her down to the ground, unable to take his eyes off her.
    â€œYou seem happier this morning,” she told him.
    Luke nodded. “It’s been a long