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Authors: Jodi Barrows
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started.”
“Anything could go wrong when half your wagon train is women!” Thomas joked, but a sense of serious concern washed over him and he shook his head. “What I mean is that we’re still close to Pineville and the ladies don’t seem anxious just yet, but they’re women. They could easily change their minds. And really, I have no wish to turn around to Pineville for their sake.”
Chet cut in. “Do you really think they would turn back?”
“We should keep a close eye on that for a few days.” Thomas propped his arm on the wagon. “A man never knows what a woman might do, and they’ve left everything they know behind them.”
Chet reached into his vest pocket and brought out a small bottle of homemade sour mash. He took a short swig and extended the bottle for Thomas.
“Just what I need,” Thomas said, and he took a long gulp. “Thank you.”
Chet put the bottle back inside his vest.
“I’d like to camp close to water tonight,” Thomas said. “See if you can find out how long this stream carries. The place where it breaks off in the other direction is where we’ll camp.”
“You’d like for me to go now?”
Thomas nodded. “Keep your pistol handy,” he warned.
“Very well,” Chet said, loosening the ropes to his horse and immediately climbing onto the saddle.
“See if you can find something for dinner, too.”
Chet tipped his hat to Thomas.
“Yah!” Chet commanded, kicking his spurs at the horse. He disappeared almost instantly through the thick brush.
Thomas waited like a mother hen as the ladies went about their business, not realizing for a minute or so that he’d been holding his breath.
Blue walked up from the creek and must have seen the consternation on his face. Slapping him on the back, he told him, “Relax, cowboy. Everything’s fine!”
“You’re right,” he said, slightly startled as he removed his hat. “Lucas will kill me three times over if I don’t keep his granddaughters in one piece.”
“Everything will be fine. They aren’t children.”
“Yes, they’re women!” Thomas laughed. “Did the horses get water?”
“Yeah,” Blue replied with a chuckle. “I’m going to look over the wagons another time. I think the middle one is rattling too much for our own good. Then we only have to wait for Chet and the women to return.”
Thomas stood up and stretched.
“But you should rest some,” Blue said. “The sun is out strong today.”
Thomas quickly found a place in the shade and sat down with his back leaning against a large tree. Blue busied himself looking over the wagons and inspecting them for cracks around the wheels. He’d helped Lucas build most of them, and Thomas felt confident in his familiarity with their assembly.
Thomas tilted his hat over his eyes and dozed off almost immediately after sitting down. He hadn’t planned to sleep, but the late afternoon sun was enticing; even the strongest of men grew tired from its intensity and vigor.
The ladies chatted relentlessly as they walked their way upstream. Their legs had grown tired and cramped, and Liz felt thankful for the opportunity to stretch. As Megan squatted beside the water and nursed her hands in its coolness, she realized the reins had done their worst on her sister’s uncalloused hands. “Hurry, Megan! You can do that later,” Emma squealed. “I’ve got to go badly!”
“Why wouldn’t Thomas allow us to stop?” Abby chimed in. “‘Just drive on, just drive,’ he says.”
The women laughed at her impersonation of Thomas. She even acted out the hand gestures, just as Thomas did when he gave directions or talked seriously about something.
“Gracious,” Megan added, “we’ve been driving for such a time, my hands have become raw from the reins.”
“Megan’s right, Liz,” Abby suddenly said. “You must talk with Thomas about this.”
Emma nodded in agreement.
“Riding so hard on our first day out,” Megan joined in as she gathered up her skirts,
“Anything could go wrong when half your wagon train is women!” Thomas joked, but a sense of serious concern washed over him and he shook his head. “What I mean is that we’re still close to Pineville and the ladies don’t seem anxious just yet, but they’re women. They could easily change their minds. And really, I have no wish to turn around to Pineville for their sake.”
Chet cut in. “Do you really think they would turn back?”
“We should keep a close eye on that for a few days.” Thomas propped his arm on the wagon. “A man never knows what a woman might do, and they’ve left everything they know behind them.”
Chet reached into his vest pocket and brought out a small bottle of homemade sour mash. He took a short swig and extended the bottle for Thomas.
“Just what I need,” Thomas said, and he took a long gulp. “Thank you.”
Chet put the bottle back inside his vest.
“I’d like to camp close to water tonight,” Thomas said. “See if you can find out how long this stream carries. The place where it breaks off in the other direction is where we’ll camp.”
“You’d like for me to go now?”
Thomas nodded. “Keep your pistol handy,” he warned.
“Very well,” Chet said, loosening the ropes to his horse and immediately climbing onto the saddle.
“See if you can find something for dinner, too.”
Chet tipped his hat to Thomas.
“Yah!” Chet commanded, kicking his spurs at the horse. He disappeared almost instantly through the thick brush.
Thomas waited like a mother hen as the ladies went about their business, not realizing for a minute or so that he’d been holding his breath.
Blue walked up from the creek and must have seen the consternation on his face. Slapping him on the back, he told him, “Relax, cowboy. Everything’s fine!”
“You’re right,” he said, slightly startled as he removed his hat. “Lucas will kill me three times over if I don’t keep his granddaughters in one piece.”
“Everything will be fine. They aren’t children.”
“Yes, they’re women!” Thomas laughed. “Did the horses get water?”
“Yeah,” Blue replied with a chuckle. “I’m going to look over the wagons another time. I think the middle one is rattling too much for our own good. Then we only have to wait for Chet and the women to return.”
Thomas stood up and stretched.
“But you should rest some,” Blue said. “The sun is out strong today.”
Thomas quickly found a place in the shade and sat down with his back leaning against a large tree. Blue busied himself looking over the wagons and inspecting them for cracks around the wheels. He’d helped Lucas build most of them, and Thomas felt confident in his familiarity with their assembly.
Thomas tilted his hat over his eyes and dozed off almost immediately after sitting down. He hadn’t planned to sleep, but the late afternoon sun was enticing; even the strongest of men grew tired from its intensity and vigor.
The ladies chatted relentlessly as they walked their way upstream. Their legs had grown tired and cramped, and Liz felt thankful for the opportunity to stretch. As Megan squatted beside the water and nursed her hands in its coolness, she realized the reins had done their worst on her sister’s uncalloused hands. “Hurry, Megan! You can do that later,” Emma squealed. “I’ve got to go badly!”
“Why wouldn’t Thomas allow us to stop?” Abby chimed in. “‘Just drive on, just drive,’ he says.”
The women laughed at her impersonation of Thomas. She even acted out the hand gestures, just as Thomas did when he gave directions or talked seriously about something.
“Gracious,” Megan added, “we’ve been driving for such a time, my hands have become raw from the reins.”
“Megan’s right, Liz,” Abby suddenly said. “You must talk with Thomas about this.”
Emma nodded in agreement.
“Riding so hard on our first day out,” Megan joined in as she gathered up her skirts,
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