Mama hurried outside and looked at her finger. It looked like a snake bite. Mama looked around the flower boxes. There was a little copperhead snake, and it had bitten Becky’s finger. Mama got some kerosene in a can. “Hold your finger down in this awhile. It will draw out the poison. Ben, bring me the hoe so I can kill the snake,” Mama said.
Ben ran for the hoe, and Mama got rid of that snake.
Becky was very upset and cried a long time. Feeling sorry for her, Ben ran to get the fiddle, and started playing and singing silly songs. Pretty soon she was singing, too, because she couldn’t keep from singing when someone else did.
Little did Ben suspect the danger that lay ahead for Becky, or that he would soon become a hero.
CHAPTER FIVE
Rescue at Rushing Springs
It was nearing the end of summer, which meant harvest time was almost done. One morning Papa announced, “We’ll be going to Rushing Springs today. It’s time to take the corn and wheat to be ground into cornmeal and flour. You boys can help me load the wagon.”
“Since we had such a big potato crop, I want to take several bushels to sell at the store. That will give us enough money for new shoes for the boys before school starts,” Mama added.
Papa and the boys carried bushels of potatoes to the wagon. “I hear they are selling for fifty cents a bushel now,” Papa told Mama.
“I’ve made a picnic lunch,” said Mama. “I’ll take along extra clothes, so we can go for a swim in the Jack’s Fork River after lunch.”
They all piled into the wagon for the ride to Rushing Springs Mill, about three miles from the cabin. The mill was built by the spring, which provided the power to turn the huge waterwheel. It was always a fun trip for the whole family. Arriving at the spring, Papa pulled the wagon up to the mill, and Ben and Ray helped unload the grain.
Outside the mill was the big waterwheel, with the spring water running over it, which turned all the wheels inside the mill, and ground the grain into flour. Ben watched while the corn was being ground. The wheels turned a large belt with paddles, which carried the grain from one bin to another, sifting out hulls, then grinding and cleaning the grain.
The spring came up from a deep pool of water with millions of gallons of water flowing out of it every day. The swift, icy cold water flowed about half a mile, before running into the Jack’s Fork River. Large fish made their home in the pool. It was a beautiful place, with wild flowers and fern everywhere.
Mama spread a quilt under the huge Sycamore tree by the spring, their favorite picnic spot.
While they waited for lunchtime Ben said, “Let’s climb the bluff above the spring.”
“Okay,” said Ray, and away they went.
“Be careful on the edge of the lookout!” Mama called to them.
“We will!” Ray answered.
“I’ll race you to the top,” said Ben. He reached the lookout at the top of the bluff first, and sat down to rest.
What a beautiful view! He could see all of the valley below, and the spring flowing into the river. Except for the birds singing, it was very quiet. They rested a little while; then started back down the trail. On the way down, Ben and Ray stopped to explore several small caves. There were spots on the path that were washed out by recent rains, and the boys had to maneuver carefully in the slippery mud.
Arriving back just as Mama was setting out their lunch under the big tree, Ben announced, “I’m about starved!”
“Me, too,” Ray agreed.
They finished off every bite of the fried chicken, potato salad, and apple pie.
After lunch, Ben said, “Let’s go down by the spring to pick some watercress.” The water was sparkly clear. He could see the rocks in the bottom, and all the plants and fish. Ben and Ray reached into the water to pick watercress. Ben pulled his hand back quickly. “The water’s so cold it hurts my hands!” he said, with a shiver.
Little Becky watched Ben and Ray. “I want to help!” She leaned forward and fell into the cold water before Ben could catch her.
The current was swift, washing Becky away before Ben and Ray could get to her. Ray shouted for Papa. “Help! Becky is being washed away downstream!”
Papa came running from the mill as fast as he could. He won’t make it in time, Ben thought. Without hesitating, Ben jumped into the icy spring water. Swimming hard, he caught up with Becky. He grabbed her dress at the neck, swimming toward the bank with all his might. The icy water made him feel numb. Could he fight the cold and current long enough to get Becky to safety?
Ben heard Papa’s voice. “I’m coming!” he shouted. Ben reached the bank, Becky in tow, just as Papa jumped into the water and caught Becky up in his arms. By now her lips were turning blue and she shook from the cold. She clung to Papa and sobbed. “There now,” said Papa, “You’re going to be okay. We’ll get you back to the wagon and into some dry clothes.” He turned to Ben. “Are you alright, Ben?”
“Sure,” Ben grinned, shivering as he climbed up onto the bank, gasping for breath.
Mama held Becky tight to warm her, but Ben could see Mama’s tears. He knew that Becky had been very close to drowning. Ben said a little prayer of thankfulness that Becky was okay, feeling proud that he saved her.
“Ben is a real hero!” Papa said to Mama. “Becky would have drowned, for sure, if Ben hadn’t been so brave and strong.” Mama pulled Ben into her arms and hugged him. Ray even slapped Ben on the back to let him know he was proud of him, too.
Later, Mama said, “I need to go to the general store and stock up on sugar, salt, and other things we need.” While they were there, Mama also bought material to make their school clothes.
Mama counted her money. Let’s see, one dollar for twenty pounds of sugar, ten cents a yard for ten yards of material, she added it up in her head. Papa bought seed for next spring’s planting, and there was enough for the boy’s shoes, at one dollar per pair.
Ben wandered through the store, looking at all the things for sale. There was about everything you could imagine.
Just before they left, Mama told them, “You can each pick out some candy.” This was a very special treat for Ben, Ray and Becky, but today Ben said, “I want Becky to have mine.”
By the time they arrived home, it was chore time. Papa and Mama unloaded the wagon, while Ben and Ray started their chores.
“Look, Ray!” Ben pointed to the cellar. “The door is open, and I’m sure it was closed when we left.”
They peeked cautiously inside. “Nobody here,” said Ray.
Inspecting the shelves, they both knew someone had been inside and stole some food. Several jars of jelly were missing. The mystery was getting more complicated.
“Let’s sleep on the porch tonight,” Ben said. “We’ll take turns staying awake, and see if we can catch them.”
“Okay,” said Ray.
Well after dark, Ben heard a noise back by the smokehouse. “Ray, wake up!” he whispered.
Startled out of a deep sleep, Ray asked, “What?” in a voice loud enough to be heard.
“Shhh!” Ben said. “Let’s go see if we can catch the thief.”
They tiptoed quickly, but quietly. As they neared the smokehouse, they saw a shadowy figure run into the woods. There was only a sliver of a moon, and the woods were too dark to see where the thief went. It would be useless to try to find him in the thick woods.
Disappointed, they returned to their room, and if the thief came back that night, they didn’t know it.
“We can look for footprints or other signs tomorrow in the daylight,” Ray said.
CHAPTER SIX
The One Room Schoolhouse
School time came all too soon for Ben. The boys went to school in the one room schoolhouse at Rushing Springs. Three miles was a long way to walk, so the boys rode their horse, Prince. They tied him to a tree, where he could eat grass while they were in school.
Miss Alley rang the big bell outside to let them know it was time for classes to start.
The big news of t
he summer was about Ben saving Becky from drowning in Rushing Springs. All the boys and girls gathered around Ben. “Ben’s a real hero!” they all chanted. Ben grinned shyly, but he secretly liked being the one who got the attention this time, and not Ray.
There were rows of double desks, and Ben and Ray shared a desk and books. Miss Alley was the only teacher, with eight grades to teach. “This year we will study the grades two, four, six, and eight lessons,” she told the students. “Next year it will be grades one, three, five, and seven.”
The older students often helped the younger ones when Miss Alley was busy with another class. Ben always seemed to be ahead, because he remembered hearing the lessons before.
The desks had little glass inkwells, filled with ink. Each student had a pen to dip in the ink to write with. Lizzie sat in the desk in front of Ben. She had long brown braids. Ben was busy doing his math when he noticed Lizzie’s braids hanging down by the inkwell. He reached over and dipped the tip of one braid into the inkwell, then started snickering. Lizzie whirled around and saw the ink on her hair. She glared at Ben. “Just wait until recess; I’ll get even with you!”
“Ben Walker, come to my desk!” said Miss Alley sternly. She got out her paddle and gave Ben three sharp whacks to his backside, and Lizzie gave Ben a look of satisfaction.
Everyone liked Friday afternoons because they had a spelling bee, or a ciphering match. Ben liked the ciphering matches best because he was very good at math, and nearly always won.
The days passed quickly. In October a new girl, Hannah, came to school. Hannah had long blond hair, put up in two braids, and brown snappy eyes.
“I like Ben’s dimples and sparkly eyes when he laughs,” Hannah whispered to Lizzie.
Ben wasn’t much interested in girls, but he did admit that Hannah was the prettiest girl in school.
“Will you help me with my math?” Hannah asked Ben. She was really pretty good at math, too, but this got Ben’s attention. As time went by, they became good friends.
Miss Alley and the students were getting ready for the big fall event, the ‘Box Supper.’ They decorated the room and took invitations home. Everyone in the community came.
The women and girls each brought a basket with enough food for two people. It was usually fried chicken, potato salad, slaw, and some kind of pie.
The men and boys bid on each box or basket, as Mr. Story auctioned them off. Whoever bid the most got the box, then sat with the woman or girl who brought it, and they shared the meal. The money raised was used to buy things the teacher needed for the school.
Hannah wanted Ben to buy her basket. She made up a story about being afraid that Roscoe, the school bully, would get hers. “Will you ask Ben to bid on mine, so Roscoe won’t get it?” she asked Lizzie.
Ben didn’t want anyone to know he really liked Hannah, but he couldn’t let Roscoe get it, so he bravely bid for Hannah’s basket. The bidding stopped. “Sold to Ben for fifteen cents,” said Mr. Story. It was a good thing the bidding stopped when it did. He only had fifteen cents in his pocket.
Hannah smiled shyly at Ben as they sat down and shared what she brought. “Thanks for keeping Roscoe from getting my basket.”
Ben blushed. “You’re welcome.”
Hannah sat quietly for a few minutes, and then asked, “Why is Roscoe so mean?”
“Well,” said Ben, “His dad makes bootleg liquor. It’s illegal, you know, when they don’t pay the liquor tax to the government. They call it ‘moonshine’ and Roscoe’s ashamed of that, so he’s defensive.”
“Oh,” said Hannah. “But he can’t help what his dad does!”
“I know, but I wouldn’t want a dad like that!” Ben remarked. He wanted to change the subject. “The food you brought is really good,” he told Hannah.
“I made it all myself,” Hannah replied. “I cook at home all the time.”
After supper, the hoedown music began, and everyone started square dancing. Many of the people came from Irish descent, and much of the music and dancing was brought from their native country. It was a fun time, and Ben got up enough courage to ask Hannah, “Want to dance, too?”
“I don’t know how,” Hannah said. “Can you show me?” Ben was pleased to be able to teach Hannah how to square dance.
Papa and Ben took a turn playing the fiddle. Ben was getting pretty good at playing hoedowns. Hannah watched and clapped, as Ben played even faster.
By 9:00, they were all ‘tuckered out’ and it was time to leave for home. “Bye, Ben!” Hannah said, waving. “Thanks for everything!”
“Bye,” said Ben. “See you at school.”
On the way home, Ben considered the conversation about Roscoe. Maybe the kids should try to be nicer to Roscoe. After all, it would be hard, not having friends.
One thing was bothering Ben, though. He had noticed a hole in Roscoe’s shoe sole that looked like it matched the footprints he and Ray had been finding. Could Roscoe be the thief?
But why would he want to steal their food? They hadn’t done anything to him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘Meetings’ and Burnt Offerings
Ben liked Sundays. Mama always fixed biscuits and sausage gravy; then Ben’s family went to the community church in Rushing Springs. They had to go by wagon, so in really bad weather they weren’t able to go. The crops were harvested by now, so the farmers weren’t so busy and the annual ‘meetings’ were starting. They lasted for two whole weeks, sometimes more, with a meeting every night.
The first night, as they arrived at the church and were climbing out of the wagon, a neighbor, Mr. Sellars, came up and asked Papa, “Did you hear that someone broke into the general store, and stole some food?”
“Who could the thief be?” asked Papa. “It must have been a stranger passing through. Surely nobody around here would do that!”
“I think it’s the same person who stole some of our food, and I think I know who it is!” Ben told Ray.
“How do you know?” Ray questioned Ben.
Ben told Ray about the hole in Roscoe’s shoe.
“Lot’s of people have holes in the soles of their shoes, and why would Roscoe be stealing food, anyway?” Ray scoffed.
“I can’t figure that out,” Ben answered, “but let’s watch him.”
Ben and Ray had heard people praying for the Holy Ghost to come down on them. They remembered learning in Sunday school that when Jesus was baptized, “the Holy Ghost came down in the form of a dove and rested on Him.” This gave Ben an idea.
“Wouldn’t it be funny to get a dove, and when they start praying we could drop it from the attic?”
Ray chuckled at the idea. “Let’s do it tomorrow night.”
The next day Ben and Ray found a dove and hid it in their room. When Papa said it was time to go to church, Ray tucked the bird under his shirt, and they climbed into the back of the wagon, hoping Mama and Papa wouldn’t hear it. They couldn’t look at each other for fear of laughing and spoiling their plans.
Arriving at church, they slipped away from Mama and Papa, and hid in the attic. They waited until the prayers started. “Open the door now,” Ray said.
Ben opened the door and Ray let the dove loose, causing quite a scene when it flew down. Ben and Ray doubled over with laughter. The women screamed and jumped about. The men looked around for the culprits. Ben even saw a few men with a grin on their faces. Papa and Mama soon figured out who did such a thing. Ben didn’t like the look on Papa’s face, and knew they would be in trouble when they got home.
“You boys will spend the day Saturday picking up rocks in the garden,” he thundered in a stern voice.
Another saying of Mama’s was, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop,” and Mama and Papa made sure their hands were kept too busy for mischief that Saturday.
Another evening, as the preacher was giving his sermon, he saw everyone looking to the right, then the left, and back again. What was going on? Then, suddenly, a squirrel came running up the aisle and over to a
n open window. It jumped up on the sill, and out the window as everyone laughed. “Seems like that squirrel didn’t like my sermon,” laughed the preacher. “Well, we’ve had a dove in church, what will it be next?” he said, and looked right at Ben and Ray.
Ben and Ray were outside playing on Sunday afternoon. As they sometimes did, they pretended they were different Bible characters. They had learned about people in the Old Testament times offering ‘burnt offerings.’
Ben said, “Let’s gather some weeds and have a burnt offering.”
“Okay,” Ray said. “Maybe that will make up for letting the dove loose during prayers.” They built a fire with sticks and added their offerings.
The next morning they woke up covered with poison ivy. Mama asked, “Where have you been?”
They told her about the burnt offerings. “You probably had some poison ivy in the weeds you burned, and the smoke spread it all over you. Take a bar of lye soap, and go wash in the river.” That helped some, but they itched for two weeks.
There was great excitement at church the next Sunday morning. Papa announced, “We have enough money saved for the new organ. It will be coming on the train, and should be here in about two weeks.”
Everyone waited anxiously for the day to arrive. Finally, Papa told Mama, “I’ll take the boys with me today, to meet the train in Pine Valley. The organ is due today.”
Uncle Bill met them at the station. Ben watched as the train came puffing into the station, whistle blowing and brakes screeching. They stood on the platform, watching as the train crew unloaded the organ.
“Here she is!” Papa said. Uncle Bill helped Papa load the organ onto the wagon. They all hopped in, and started for Rushing Springs.
Pine Valley was seven miles from Rushing Springs, and it seemed like it was taking forever to get there.
“I can’t wait to see the new organ,” Ben said.
“You’ll see it soon, now,” Papa answered. Finally they arrived at the church. Papa and Uncle Bill carefully unloaded the organ and took it out of the crate.
Twice a Hero Page 3