it was closer to your place to get food, but I only took enough to keep from being hungry. Please don’t tell your pa or ma.”
Ben was no longer angry with Roscoe. He felt sorry for him. “You don’t have to worry about your pa now,” he said.
“Why?” Roscoe asked.
“Well, I heard Papa telling Mama yesterday what the men were saying at the sawmill. Your pa has been sent to jail for making and selling ‘moonshine’ and not paying the taxes on it. The ‘revenoors’ came and raided your place and picked him up. You can go back home now.”
“I guess I’m responsible for taking care of my ma, now,” Roscoe half whispered. “Only what can I do? I’m not old enough to work at the sawmill.”
“Do you have a gun?” Ben asked. “I could teach you to hunt and trap. Ray and I have been helping Papa for several years now. When Papa sells his furs, I know he’d help you sell yours, too.”
“You can sell rabbits, squirrels, and fish to the general store,” Ray added. “We’ll help you.”
“How did you get here, anyway, without a boat?” asked Ben.
“There’s a secret passage at the back of the cave, where a spring runs in, back by a big pool. Come on, I’ll show you.”
The boys lit their lanterns and followed Roscoe.
“We came back as far as the pool last time,” Ray said, “but we didn’t have lanterns with us, so we couldn’t go further.”
Roscoe led them around the pool, to the spring entrance. Not much farther back, they could see daylight. Sure enough, there was a small opening. Climbing out, they found themselves in the ravine they had followed last time they were here. Ahead were the large boulders. They were just on the other side from where the boulders had blocked off the ravine.
“Well, if that doesn’t beat all!” Ben exclaimed. “How did we miss this before?”
“Hey, I have an idea,” said Ray. “Roscoe, why don’t you come back to our house with us in the boat? We can talk to Papa about helping you, and you can go home now!”
“I never had friends like that before,” Roscoe said softly. “I sure do appreciate it.”
The boys made their way back to the boat, and headed home. “Not only did we find the secret passage with Roscoe’s help,” Ben said, “but we also solved the mystery of the missing food.”
Arriving back at the cabin, Ben, Ray, and Roscoe were just in time for supper. “Can you set another place for Roscoe?” Ben asked Mama.
“Of course,” Mama answered.
While they ate, the boys told Papa and Mama all about Roscoe running away from home, and living in Jam-Up Cave. When they got to the part about him stealing food from them, Roscoe hung his head.
“I’m really sorry,” he said. “I only took enough to keep from being hungry. I didn’t know what else to do. I’ll do some work for you, to make up for it.”
“Well, I could use some help next Saturday,” Papa replied. “I need to haul some slab wood home from the sawmill, and split it for the cook stove. I’d say that should about make us even.”
“We told Roscoe we could help him learn to hunt and trap, too,” Ben said.
“That’s what neighbors are for,” Mama replied. “I’m glad to see you’ve learned that.”
“I need to go home now, and let Ma know I’ll be there to help her,” Roscoe said. As he started off for home, they heard him whistling, and Ben knew a big burden had been lifted from Roscoe’s heart.
However, it would not be long before Ben faced the most frightening day of his life.
CHAPTER TEN
Tornado!
This spring had been especially stormy. Papa and Ray were out hoeing in the garden. As Papa stopped to wipe his face, he noticed clouds were gathering low, with a strange greenish-yellow color, and swirling motions. It was hot, with not even a hint of breeze. Then, without warning, a funnel cloud started forming.
Papa shouted, “Everyone get to the cellar!” Mama heard him yelling. She grabbed Becky in her arms and ran for the cellar. Papa and Ray were close behind.
As Papa closed the cellar door, they heard a loud roaring outside, and the sound of hail pounding on the cellar door.
They sat in silence, listening to the awful sound of the hail. After it became quiet, Papa opened the cellar door and looked out. “Well, the cabin is still standing, but there are hailstones as large as oranges all over the ground. The garden and corn fields will all be ruined,” Papa said with a sigh. “I need to check on the animals.”
The horses and cows were inside the barn and weren’t hurt. The pigs were in their huts, protected from the hail. Old Red came out of the barn, whining. “You’re okay, Red,” Papa told him.
“I’m worried about Ben and Grandma,” Mama said.
Ben had gone to Pine Valley to spend the week with Grandma. Could the storm have hit there, too? “I’ve got to ride into town and see about them,” Papa told Mama.
Papa was about half way to town when he met Uncle Bill on his horse. He was riding fast, and looked upset. “What’s wrong?” asked Papa.
“A tornado hit Pine Valley!” said Uncle Bill. “Ben and Ma are safe. They’re at my house now. But the tornado took out nearly the whole town!”
On the way, Uncle Bill told Papa what had happened.
“Ben and Ma were in the kitchen when the wind began to blow,” he said. “Ma ran to close the door. The tornado hit, blowing the whole house apart. Ma was pinned underneath some boards. A flying board hit Ben, but he kept working to get Ma out from under the boards that trapped her. Just then, a big bolt of lightning hit the house, and it caught on fire.”
“Get up, Grandma,” Ben urged, as he lifted some boards that had Grandma trapped. “The fire is getting closer!” He could feel the heat. Ben had never been so scared in his whole life!
He struggled to get the last boards off Grandma, but she couldn’t walk. She started crawling, with Ben trying to help her. At last he was able to get her up. “Put your arm around my neck,” Ben told her. The air was filled with dirt and smoke. He choked as he ran, half dragging Grandma to safety.
About that time Uncle Bill came running to check on Grandma and Ben. He picked Grandma up and carried her to his house, just a little ways down the road. It hadn’t been hit by the tornado.
Uncle Bill went for the doctor. Dr. Bradford checked Grandma, and said, “There are no broken bones, just lots of bruises, and a sprained ankle. The cuts aren’t too deep. We’ll clean them, and they should heal all right. You’ll need to rest and stay off your feet until the sprain heals.”
Ben had bruises and a cut, from the flying board hitting him, but was not hurt otherwise.
When Papa and Uncle Bill arrived at Uncle Bill’s house, Papa gave Ben a big hug. He listened as Ben told him again about all that had happened.
“There were trees and boards flying through the air! I saw some chickens and pigs in the air, too! I even saw a cow sucked up in the tornado!” Ben said, his eyes wide with wonder.
“It was a fierce tornado,” Papa said. “I’m so thankful you’re both safe, and I’m very proud of you, and how you saved Grandma.”
“Stay with us tonight,” said Uncle Bill. “It’s too late to ride back home.”
As they were eating breakfast the next morning Papa said, “I want you to ride home on the horse. Tell Ray to come back to Pine Valley to help with the clean up,” he said. “And Mama can bring the wagon and help, too.”
When Ben got home he told Mama all about the tornado and how he and Grandma barely escaped the fire.
There were tears in her eyes as she gave Ben a big hug. “You were very brave,” she said. “This is twice that you’ve been a real hero!”
After that Ben always watched the sky when storm clouds were coming in. He didn’t want to admit he was scared, but who wouldn’t have been?
Ben and Ray had to help Papa replant the cornfield and garden, but they went to Pine Valley as often as they could, to help Uncle Bill build a new house for Grandma. When neighbors h
eard about the tornado, they came from around the country to help rebuild the town.
Pine Valley had been a pretty little town, nestled in a green valley, with tall pine trees all around, and surrounded by the Ozarks Hills. Now Ben felt very sad when he saw what the tornado had done.
Papa told Ben, “Don’t worry. It will take time, but with everyone working together, we’ll make it a beautiful place again!”
Small saplings would some day rise to replace the majestic pines, snapped off like match sticks by the tornado.
So, too, would Ben rise above his fears and grow stronger, tested by his heroic actions when he saved Becky from drowning, and when he rescued Grandma in the tornado.
Ben knew that Ray no longer saw him as a little brother that needed looking after, but one who was ‘Twice a Hero.”
Author’s Note
Although this is a fictional story, it portrays life, as it really was in the Ozarks Hills in the late 1800’s, when few people had settled this rugged country.
The Jack’s Fork River is now designated a National Scenic Riverway. At Alley Springs, named Rushing Springs in the story, you will still find an old mill that has been restored and is open to visitors. They grind meal there, as they did long ago.
The spring gushes up from a deep pool of water, surrounded by a tall bluff. The icy cold spring water flows for some distance and empties into the crystal clear water of the Jack’s Fork River. You can take a float down the river, stopping to explore Jam-Up Cave.
Today you can visit the setting for this story, and be transported back in time.
So come along and help Ben and Ray solve their mystery, and discover why Ben was “Twice A Hero.”
About the Author
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, the author’s family moved to the Ozarks when she was eleven. Her father’s roots went back six generations in that area, where they migrated from Kentucky and Virginia, in the early 1800’s.
She met her husband in high school, and married soon after she graduated.
After moving to Springfield, MO, family vacations took them to Jam-Up cave, Jack’s Fork River, and Alley Springs, (named Rushing Springs in the book).
She is currently employed at Missouri State University.
Twice a Hero Page 5