"We been lucky so far, that's for sure. Bad weather was to the east of us after that one storm. Seen some Indians, off to the west, couldn't tell who or what they were, and plenty of sign though." He was saying. "Now two days is if everything goes right. No reason to doubt it won't, an' no reason not to think we can't make it in two days, but, like you said, it's really up to them horses. Grain'll be good for 'em."
Two days, it had been a journey since Carson City in Nevada, it had been hard at times, dangerous at others, but they made steady progress heading north, and northwest, avoiding mountainous terrain where they could in favor of flatland where they could.
River crossing had been none too difficult, the worst thing had been a broken wheel that had to be changed, and it was repairable, so the last of the trip home had not been all that bad. It had been a grand time for them from the outset, a time they would remember for the rest of their lives. The places they had been the things they had seen and experienced would be with them always.
But home, finally just days away.
Emeline had taken full advantage of the fine afternoon weather and limited resources of the outpost to purchase some canned and dried goods, and she made arrangements with one of the local women to have eggs and freshly baked goods waiting for them in the morning.
Supper was good, hearty food -- chicken and dumplings -- and the accommodations for the night acceptable. Come morning, Emeline went to collect the rest of their goods while Barnabas saw to the team, and when she returned to the wagon she had more than just bread and eggs.
"Barnabas?" They'd never discussed having a dog, but who didn't like the creatures? And every ranch needed one, right?
"There she is!" The shrill voice of a boy reached them a moment before a lad of perhaps fourteen ran toward them, followed by a huge, unkempt man. "She's th' one took my dog!"
"You were beating him!" Emeline shouted in defense, moving in front of the cowering creature. "You were going to cut his tail off!"
"Still is my boy's dog," the man snapped, although Emeline wasn't about to back down. "None of yer business, lady."
The dog, however, was crouched and growling.
Barnabas Pike had checked the wagon, then cinched everything down that was apt to move. Hitched the team and was just about ready to start looking for Em to see if he could be of help, knowing she would have a load to carry when;
"Barnabas?" They'd never discussed having a dog, but who didn't like the creatures? And every ranch needed one, right?
"Whatcha got there Em, a tag along?" A dog, he had not had a dog since his days as a boy on the Crockett Texas ranch of his fathers.
"There she is!" The shrill voice of a boy reached them a moment before a lad of perhaps fourteen ran toward them, followed by a huge, unkempt man. "She's th' one took my dog!"
Pike turned on a heel to see the boy wagging a finger at Em and a man that aparently his father coming toward them.
"You were beating him!" Emeline shouted in defense, moving in front of the cowering creature. "You were going to cut his tail off!"
Pike frowned, looking at the animal who was cowering behind Em, then looking at the man who was with the boy. If there was to be trouble, it would come from him, but Pike saw no weapon, other than the burly man's balled up fists.
"Still is my boy's dog," the man snapped, although Emeline wasn't about to back down. "None of yer business, lady."
The dog, however, was crouched and growling.
"Is." Pike intruded on the conversation. "Can't deny that, an' won't. But you can see the animal don't cotten to the treatment the boys been givin' him. Now I'd say take your dog and welcome to him, but, mistreating any animal is just plain wrong, so, maybe we buy him from ya. Give ya a fair price for the dog."
Rather than a fight, maybe a negotiation would work better for all concerned.
As much as Emeline didn't like the idea of essentially rewarding the boy for abusing the dog, she realized that further confrontation wasn't worth it. "Two dollars," she offered, thinking that she'd rather offer a spanking!
"Dog's not fer sale," the man growled, "just hand him over an' there won't be no trouble."
He advanced a few steps, causing Emeline to back up into Barnabas, and she had the wherewithal to step to the side, just in case Barnabas needed to act, she wouldn't be in the way. "How much?" she snapped, looking at the boy, knowing lads were more impulsive and greedy.
"Ten dollars!" Grinning smugly, the boy puffed up defiantly -- it was an exorbitant amount, and he was sure he'd won.
"Here." Drawing a coin from her pocket, Emeline held it out. "A half eagle and no more."
Without a word, the boy lunged forward and grabbed the coin, then ran off. "Hey!" The man gave a glaring look to Emeline and Barnabas, then ran after the boy, looking to get his cut!
"I'm sorry, Barnabas." Sighing, Emeline turned to face her husband. "I didn't intend..." Well, she knew he would have done the same thing.
Barnabas had been ready to mix it up with the bigger man, he really had no call to shoot him outright, that is until he took a few steps toward Em, then all bets were off. This was about a dog, and he had no call to try and intimidate his wife.
"Mister," He said coldly when Em interrupted him;
"How much?" she snapped, looking at the boy, knowing lads were more impulsive and greedy.
Pronto did not take his eyes off the man, knowing anything could happen next.
"Ten dollars!" Grinning smugly, the boy puffed up defiantly -- it was an exorbitant amount, and he was sure he'd won.
Pike almost flinched at the demand but did not. He stood firm ready for trouble of any kind which seemed a hairs breath away.
"Here." Drawing a coin from her pocket, Emeline held it out. "A half eagle and no more."
"Fair price, I'd say." Pike inserted.
Without a word, the boy lunged forward and grabbed the coin, then ran off. "Hey!" The man gave a glaring look to Emeline and Barnabas, then ran after the boy, looking to get his cut!
That actually made Pike chuckle. A grown man chasing after a boy who had sold his dog, looking to take the money from him. But, that was none of his business, it was the bully's son after all, and what Pike didn't see simply did not happen.
"I'm sorry, Barnabas." Sighing, Emeline turned to face her husband. "I didn't intend..." Well, she knew he would have done the same thing.
"Half eagle? Not a dent in what I'm carrying, or what's in the wagon." He admitted, ruffling the dog's head. "Looks smart, well, he traipsed after you fast enough, an' I didn't half to fight that big bruiser, or shot him if he'd have taken' another step."
He grinned, "So, he got a name?" Then he added, "Best you and the hound are on the wagon and me on horseback, just in case we're followed."
Relieved that things had ended without violence, Emeline nodded and stowed her goods under the seat, then climbed up and settled on the box, patting the seat beside her to encourage the dog to hop up. Thank goodness Barnabas had everything ready, and she was more than happy to be on their way and leave Flathead Lake behind.
It wasn't until they were well clear of the settlement that her nerves calmed and she finally spoke. "I'm sorry," she repeated, "I didn't mean to get us a dog without asking, but..." She reached to pat the mutt's head. "He was so scared. I don't know what his name is...He hasn't told me yet." She grinned. "What about 'Natty'?"
The dog's ears perked up and he cocked his head.
"Ain't no problem. I can't abide mistreatment of any animal, we'll give him a good home. Seems to em me that 'Natty' here likes the name, not sure what it's short for or means, but long as he, it is a he, right, answers to it I guess we'll be alright." He stated agreeably. A good dog was priceless. "Only thing, he best be good with children after that event with that snot-nosed kid." The boy about got his father killed, another step and he would have shot the man.
"Now, bout forty-odd miles to Sommers, be there just about dusk. Small town at the top o' this here lake an' then, come daylight, maybe ten miles to Kalispell fer breakfast. After that, five miles to the ranch. Our ranch. Home."
"Natty Bumppo, from Deerslayer, by James Fenimore Cooper," Emeline explained, "he was a trapper and a hunter, a good man." Smiling, she stroked the dog's head, and he laid it in her lap contentedly. "I'll make sure he's trained, and I'll get him cleaned up, and every ranch needs a dog, doesn't it?" Whether they knew it or not!
"Day after tomorrow..." Emeline sighed wistfully, stroking the dog's head. "I wish there was a way we could just be there! But then, it's our last day of freedom and no responsibility." Well, maybe they weren't at the ranch, working on keeping it running, but she had spent a great deal of time mulling things over in her head, noting what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, how it needed to be done...
"It's going to be a relief to finally start doing things!" she exclaimed. "I do hope the stock is there."
"Read it as a boy. Ma insisted we all learned our letters and numbers, so there were always books about the place, that was one of 'em. So yeah, that's a good name. Brings back some memories of those days in Crockett." Pike mused as he rode alongside the wagon, the trip of a lifetime slipping away behind them.
"Well then, we'll spend the night in Sommers one way 'er tuther and then breakfast at the Lickskillet how's that sound?" He asked, "Be home afore noon." Of course, he wanted to see Speed, find out how things were going what had been happening, and if there was any trouble he ought to be aware of.
He was excited to see the house and the outbuildings, and he knew that Em would be chopping at the bit to see the hose as well. Hopefully, it was completed, and what things he had ordered were delivered.
"I think it sounds splendid!" For a moment she was silent, then she commented, "This has all been so much like a dream...even just working in the kitchen together, then Christmas, riding, and of course, the past couple of months, I can't believe that all really happened, but it's there in my journal...and, of course..." she rubbed her belly, "here."
Things were only going to get better for them!
"Momma tried to get me to read the likes of Austen and Bronte, but I much preferred the Leathestocking Tales and Ivanhoe! I think I'll talk to Clara about setting a small area aside in the cafe for a book exchange...a library of sorts, until the town has a real one." People could bring in books they'd read, borrow what was there, she'd even send away for some good used books and McGuffy Readers. "We could even look into a small building to start a library."
Yet another project!