Helping secure the box, Weedy took the far end of the rope and dallied it around the saddle horn, then took Arabesque's lead again. "Come on, girl."
The horse moved forward, hesitating for a few steps as the weight started to drag, but then moving forward readily, towing the box through bushes and over dirt bumps.
Back at the barn, the chest and horse seemed unscathed, and now Weedy had another concern. "We should hide it in the barn," he suggested, "in case your sister comes along and wants to take it." After all, she'd given up her rights when she'd walked away from it, right?
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"We did it!" Wyatt declared with his hands on hips and bare chest puffed out with pride, "Alright so the horse did most of it." Least he was willing to share the credit.
He then knelt down by the box to remove the rope.
"We should hide it in the barn," Weedy suddenly suggested, "in case your sister comes along and wants to take it."
Speak of the devil who should come out of the front door of the house and head straight for them. Wyatt however wasn't worried and whispered, "No she's not like that."
Clara spotted the old chest and of course instantly recognized it from that momentous day at the lake with Jacob. Why the pair had so ....busy ....that they had simply forgot they had retrieved it from the lake's bottom.
"Oh goodness, I see you boys found the chest. Jacob and I had quite a time pulling it out of the water," she remarked.
Wyatt nodded, "We're gonna open it up if we can. And keep whatever is in it, if it's something valuable."
"Well then, good luck with that. Weedy, I would watch out about sunburn. With your hair color, you probably burn easily," Clara observed.
Weedy stiffened as Clara approached, certain that she was going to ask for a cut of the loot, and even after she only chided him about getting a burn, he wasn't convinced that she wouldn't come back, wanting in on anything good they'd find.
"Yes, ma'am." He'd been too caught up in the treasure to worry about the shirt, but now it pulled it off the saddle and tossed it on without buttoning it, sort of a moot gesture now that they were in the barn!
"So..." he looked at Wyatt and shrugged, "you got an axe or something?"
Storyteller / Shared NPC
And did we not discuss this previously? You do not need to call me ma'am, Weedy. Clara is fine," the older girl pointed out softly . At least the boy was respectful. Addy was doing a fine job with the child.
"Well, I came out to tell you that lunch is almost ready. You two should wash up and come in then," she apparently did not even notice the chest.
And with that she headed back into the farmhouse.
"So..." he looked at Wyatt and shrugged, "you got an axe or something?"
"We do, sure. But we also have a sledge hammer, Pa uses it to break up big rocks out in the fields," Wyatt declared.
"We should eat though, build up our strength for the work ahead of us," the boy grinned.
While Weedy was itching to bust the thing open, he figured Wyatt was right...he was pretty hungry, and it might take some time to open the chest, then explore all the loot, so they may as well go in to eat now.
"Guess if we don't go in they'll get suspicious, and we don't want anyone coming out to see what we're doing." He didn't want to share their treasure!
At least he knew that Clara was a good cook, so the food would be great!
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"Guess if we don't go in they'll get suspicious, and we don't want anyone coming out to see what we're doing." It was pretty obvious Weedy was not willing to share, Wyatt noted. In all fairness, his sister and that boy of hers found the chest. At times Wyatt could be pretty defensive about his sister, they were family after all.
The boys raced into the farm cabin but Clara never even let them get to the kitchen table.
"Ahhh, ahh ahh! You two wash your hands first. Wyatt you know better," she chided.
As the pair turned back then to go to the well to the side of the building, she loudly added.
"And Wyatt! Will you kindly put your shirt back on, you are not some Indian savage!"
Wyatt rolled his eyes and glanced at Weedy, "Girls."
"Girls!" Weedy emulated his friend, although the only 'girl' he had any lengthy experience with was Addy, and he knew that she wasn't at all like most girls, but that didn't stop him from wanting to seem like he knew what that meant!
At least he had his shirt on, and Miss Clara had been right, he knew to wash his hands before meals, so he glanced at Wyatt and shrugged then followed him out, washing his hands, then going back into the house.
"I am pretty hungry," the boy commented, he'd learned long ago not to turn down a meal, and even though now he knew he'd never have to go without one again, he still appreciated any food! "Maybe there will be some cookies after!" he whispered to his companion. Those cookies at the dance had been so good, and Clara had helped to make them...and it was only proper to have something special for guests, right?
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Wyatt almost started reaching for the closest available dish when he heard Clara clearing her throat awful loudly. Oh yeah!
"Weedy, we gotta say our prayers," he clasped his hands together in the proper prayer manner.
"Thank you Lord for the food.....Amen," there, now they could get at it.
"Well, that was heartfelt," Clara sighed.
Wyatt glanced up, "Umm, yeah, right." Whatever that meant.
Of course he went for the bacon first, "Hey, six slices. We can each get three."
He sat in a chair and was reaching for a chunk of cornbread when Wyatt reminded him of his manners, and he quickly pulled back, folding his hands and bowing his head.
"Weedy, we gotta say our prayers," he clasped his hands together in the proper prayer manner.
"Thank you Lord for the food.....Amen," there, now they could get at it.
"Amen!" Now for the good part!
"Well, that was heartfelt," Clara sighed.
Wyatt glanced up, "Umm, yeah, right." Whatever that meant.
"And bless the hands that made it," Weedy added hastily to hopefully make Clara feel better, "Amen!"
"Hey, six slices. We can each get three."
It never occurred to Weedy that there was just one option for the cornbread, so he slathered a chunk with butter, then drizzled honey over that. He started to tuck in, but then stopped long enough to be polite.
"This is real good, Mis...Clara. The bacon is just right!" Then he glanced at Wyatt. "Isn't your Pa coming in for lunch, too?"
"And bless the hands that made it," Weedy added hastily to hopefully make Clara feel better, "Amen!"
Clara glanced his way, "Oh thank you, how sweet of you to say that."
Wyatt just rolled his eyes then started eating as did his friend. Clara was content to just watch, she could always eat later. Being obviously familiar with her brother's hurried eating style, she knew she wouldn't need to wait long.
"This is real good, Mis...Clara. The bacon is just right!" Then he glanced at Wyatt. "Isn't your Pa coming in for lunch, too?"
"He's over at Hadley's farm, helping old man Hadley," Wyatt answered as he chewed on bacon.
"Mr. Hadley, " Clara corrected.
"Right," Wyatt nodded.
"Glad you like the bacon. I am fortunate in that all of our family likes it the same way. Nice and crispy," Clara pointed out.
"Weedy sez Addy can't cook any good at all," Wyatt now engaged in a bit of gossip.
"Not all of us have the same skills. Now me, I cannot drive a stagecoach like Addy does. Or for that matter, shoot a dangerous grizzly," Clara came to the woman's defense.