The Swindler's Treasure

by Lois Walfrid Johnson

  Three Sundays, Libby thought later that morning as she and Caleb, Jordan, and Peter sat down in church. After breakfast, Libby had helped the woman of the house arrange the chairs in rows.

  Three Sundays, and each of them so different. The first in Galena when Jordan learned the money had been stolen. The second at the Presbyterian church next to the school for girls. And now another week had passed. Of all the weeks in Jordan’s life, perhaps this had been the longest. Three times he had found his father. Three times he had lost his daddy again.

  As Libby saw the pain in Jordan’s eyes, she guessed what he was thinking. How could it take seven days to travel the short distance from where Micah left the train to Springfield? Something had to be terribly wrong.

  Though they had found the money for Pa and for Jordan’s church, Libby felt no joy. Compared to Micah’s life, the money didn’t matter at all.

  With a borrowed slate in her hand, Libby sat next to Peter, writing as needed. When the people started singing the closing hymn, Jordan stood up and stumbled forward. As though unable to carry his worries anymore, he dropped to his knees and began to pray.

  “Oh, Lord! Precious Jesus! Where can my daddy be? We don’t know if he is dead or alive. Please, Lord. Bring my daddy to us!”

  Suddenly Jordan’s strong shoulders heaved. His entire body trembled as he broke down weeping.

  Quietly Caleb stood up. Dropping down on Jordan’s left side, Caleb put his arm around the shoulders of his friend. When Caleb bowed his head, Libby knew he was praying. Without making a sound, she, too, stood up. Hardly knowing how she got there, Libby knelt down on the floor next to her chair. With her whole heart she prayed as she had seldom prayed before.

  Dimly she became aware of what was happening around her. Peter kneeling on the floor next to her. Then members of the church leaving their chairs. One by one they knelt down behind Jordan or wherever they found room.

  At first the people prayed silently, as Libby had. Then from here or there, Libby heard a whisper. “Precious Jesus! Blessed Savior!”

  Before long the whisper grew, with people praying aloud all at once. “Good Lord! Precious Savior! Alleluia, Jesus!” Like a choir of voices that spoke instead of sang, the sound grew bold and strong, pleading before the throne of God. Then, as gradually as the prayers built up, the voices grew quiet.

  “Thank you, Lord,” Jordan whispered. “Thank you, Jesus.” Softly, in no more than a whisper, others echoed his prayer.

  Deep and low, someone began to sing:

  Nobody knows the trouble I see,

  Nobody knows but Jesus;

  Nobody knows the trouble I see,

  Glory, Hallelujah!

  As though filled with peace, Jordan drew a deep breath. Yet still he knelt there, as if waiting.

  Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down,

  O yes, Lord!

  Sometimes I’m almost to the ground—

  From the back of the room, Libby heard a creak in the floor. A moment later she heard the shuffle of a bare foot passing near her chair. Looking up, Libby saw a tall man kneel down on the floor next to Jordan. Reaching out, the man laid his arm on top of Caleb’s where it stretched around Jordan’s shoulders.

  “I is here, Jordan,” his daddy said quietly.

  Jordan’s head shot up. “Daddy!” As though unable to believe what he saw, Jordan stared at him. “Just when I found you, I lost you again. I didn’t know where you were!”

  “I hid in the cistern next to the tracks.”

  “In the water?”

  “It weren’t enough to drown a man like me. When it was safe to climb out, I used the bucket and rope. The man who handled the baggage hid me till I walked here to find you.”

  Suddenly Jordan began to weep all over again. The harder he sobbed, the more his father’s arm tightened around him. Around them the singing grew stronger.

  Nobody knows the trouble I see,

  Nobody knows but Jesus—

  Now a shout of joy filled the words. Glory, Hallelujah!

  At last Jordan looked up into his daddy’s eyes. “You are really free!”

  Micah Parker’s voice was husky, as if he, too, had been weeping. “I is free to be with you. To be with your momma and Serena and Zack and little Rose.”

  Only then did Libby remember. It’s Jordan’s birthday! The day when he knows his daddy is free!

  As people started to leave for home, Libby, Caleb, and Peter went outside. In the morning sunlight, they sat down on the grass to talk about what had happened.

  Using the slate, Libby explained to Peter, “When Micah Parker walks in the door, Jordan’s mother isn’t going to believe what she’s seeing!”

  Since the spring day when Jordan first came on the boat, there had been something Libby knew. Though separated by slavery, Jordan belonged to a never-give-up family—a family that cared for each other no matter how difficult things were.

  Just imagining their reunion, Libby felt as though she wanted to shout with gladness.

  Caleb’s grin told her he felt the same way. Yet he had a warning. “Somehow all of Jordan’s family still has to get together.”

  Not wanting to think about the danger that might lie ahead, Libby pushed Caleb’s words aside. Instead she glanced toward Peter. The look in his eyes told Libby that he understood exactly what had happened. Perhaps he understood even better than the rest of them.

  Now Peter spoke softly. “I have a family too.”

  Taking the slate, Libby began writing again. As tears welled up in her eyes, the words blurred. She didn’t want to erase them, but to keep them on the slate forever.

  When she finished, she held out the words to Peter. “I’m glad I have a new brother.”

  Don’t miss the next

  Freedom Seekers book,

  Mysterious Signal!

  When they learn that they are being watched, Jordan and his daddy need to leave Springfield, Illinois, at once. With the dishonest Dexter behind bars, Libby, Caleb, Peter, and Jordan plan to take the stolen money to its rightful owners. Then Dexter escapes! If he recognizes them, Libby, Jordan, and Peter will be in danger. A disguise is the only answer, but that requires a sacrifice Libby isn’t sure she’s willing to make.

  Arriving in a strange city, Libby and her friends look for a safe house—a station in the Underground Railroad where fugitive slaves can hide. But Caleb and the others don’t know the area, and finding help might be a matter of life or death. Can they spot a mysterious signal in time?

  Study Guide

  To access a printable pdf of this study guide, go to www.moodypublishers.com/978-0-8024-0718-4. Click the “Resources” tab to download study guide.

  Sometimes there’s a cost to doing the right thing,” says Captain Norstad after standing up to a swindler. A theft threatens Jordan’s reputation. As the Christina family faces desperate times, a deaf child named Peter joins them.

  Hi Friends—Can the Freedom Seekers win against the evil coming against them?

  Let’s Talk About … Words you might need

  Find a dictionary and fill in the definitions:

  swindler

  wildcat bank

  mud clerk

  “had her steam up” (as for the Christina)

  tributary

  station (as in Underground Railroad)

  cistern

  magistrate

  microcosm

  Learn a new language! Turn to the end of this section to find the sign language chart: How to Finger Spell the Alphabet. If you’d like to learn more, look for books that will help you grow in your sign language skills.

  Let’s Talk About … The story

  Use the blank space between questions to write your answer or create sections in your loose-leaf notebook when you want to write more. To find something in the story, check the number (ch. 1) at the end of the first question. That means chapter 1. Look there until you see another note (ch. 2, or 3, or 4) directing you to a different chapter.

  �
�� What is a wildcat bank? (ch. 1)

  • What is a swindler?

  • Why were some banks both risky and dishonest?

  • Think about this saying: “In America the streets are paved with gold!” Why was that thought a possible trap for immigrants in their new land of freedom?

  • What Dexter was trying to do was legal, but why was it wrong?

  • How did Captain Norstad protect Mr. Iverson and convince him of the swindler’s dishonesty?

  • When Captain Norstad said, “Sometimes there’s a cost to doing the right thing.” Libby asked, “And a reward?” What does Pa tell her?

  • Have you ever needed to pay a cost for doing the right thing? Explain.

  • What did Hattie say that convinced Captain Norstad about what meant the most to her?

  • When Captain Norstad stopped Dexter from cheating an immigrant, the swindler got even. What will happen if Pa can’t meet the double payment? (ch. 3)

  Let’s Talk About … Freedom … What is it?

  • What has happened to Serena since Libby and Caleb last saw her? (ch. 4)

  • What does the woman of the house say about Hattie’s work? Serena’s work?

  • What does the man of the house say about Jordan’s work?

  • How would John Jones, the businessman, use the money Jordan brought him?

  • What has happened to Jordan since Caleb and Libby last saw him?

  • What does it mean to try to do big things for God without God’s help? (ch. 5)

  • When the people in Jordan’s church started muttering about the lost money, what did Rev. Freeman tell them? (ch. 6)

  • How did the people respond?

  • How did Jordan change during the church service? What does he want now?

  • Study the Upper Mississippi River map from Galena down to St. Louis. Why were many of these cities important in the Underground Railroad?

  • Serena found an Alton, Illinois, address. Why is Alton an especially dangerous place for Jordan?

  Let’s Talk About … A never-give-up family

  • How did Samson rescue the unknown boy on the street? (ch. 4)

  • Why is Peter able to speak but not hear? (ch. 5)

  • What does Captain Norstad want for Peter? In what ways can Pa, Libby, and Caleb be a never-give-up family for Peter? (ch. 5 & 6)

  • Describe Caleb’s birthday gift to Libby. What made that gift so meaningful to Libby?

  • Write the words of Psalm 27:1 here. Why is it such a good verse to memorize? Consider copying verses that are especially meaningful to you on a 3 × 5 card. Write the place in the Bible where you found that verse on the back side of the card. Keep all those cards together in an index box so that you can return to the verses and review them. Soon you’ll have a great number of verses that you have memorized and can recall any time of the day or night.

  • Libby is upset when she finds Peter with a lighted candle. What makes fire especially dangerous on a steamboat? (ch. 8)

  • Peter often teaches sign language to Libby and Caleb. (ch. 9) How does that help all of them communicate quickly and well?

  • Look up Samuel Morse and his invention. Why is Mr. Morse a special person to Peter?

  Let’s Talk About … Helping others

  • Why does Caleb risk his life to help Jordan? (chs. 7 & 8) Why is it so dangerous to ask about Jordan’s father?

  • When Captain Norstad asked Caleb if he had prayed about going, Caleb said, “Yes, sir. I found a Bible verse that was so real it seemed to jump off the page.” What does it mean when a verse seems to jump off the page?

  • What did Caleb learn about Micah Parker? (ch. 9)

  • As the Christina steams toward Alton, Captain Norstad asks Libby, Caleb, Jordan, and Peter to make a promise that if they find the swindler they should get help from a grown-up—a policeman or sheriff. Why is that an important promise?

  Let’s Talk About … Making choices

  • Libby prays, “I want something worth living for, Lord. Something real—something worthwhile. But that seems so big, God—so hard—even impossible. Can You help me choose what counts most?” (ch. 14) How will that prayer help Libby make life-time choices?

  • Detective Allan Pinkerton warned, “A foolhardy man rushes in where even angels fear to tread. But a brave man is wise about handling danger. Sure and I’m wishing that the ten toes of your feet steer you clear of trouble.” (ch. 17) Why is it easier to be foolhardy than to be wisely brave? Think of examples.

  • In Midnight Rescue Jordan used a certain walk for a disguise. Micah also uses a different-than-usual walk the same way (ch. 18). What did both of them know about the strong way they usually appeared?

  • Libby, Jordan, and Peter must decide whether to leave the small chest in the ground. (ch. 19) As Libby thinks about what to do, she remembers people who made life-changing decisions. Why was her decision so important?

  • What is Peter’s big surprise? (ch. 20)

  • In Hannibal Jordan told Libby when he wanted his birthday to be. What spiritual was the church singing when Jordan knew it was his birthday? (ch. 20). Let’s send up a shout with them!

  Let’s Write About … Wise words from Freedom Seekers

  Jordan and his father Micah are fictional, but had great value because they knew how to take good care of horses. Their story is set within a microcosm of historic people who lived in the Alton and Brighton area of Illinois. In the midst of their daily work these people took an active part in the Underground Railroad. (ch. 10, 11, and 12)

  • What is a microcosm? Why can a miscrocosm of wise people influence what happens in an entire area?

  In your notebook write down what these people did and said. How did they make valuable contributions to what was happening in their time? What did they believe? Why are their words important both then and now?

  • Priscilla Baltimore, (ch. 10) the Harriet Tubman of the Alton, Illinois, area, who found and rowed runaway slaves across the wide Mississippi River. What practical help did she give in showing people where to go?

  • In telling Caleb how to protect Jordan? (ch. 12)

  • Major Hunter (military) and his wife Rebecca offered hospitality and encouragement. (ch. 10) Write down what Rebecca said about what Mr. Lovejoy believed. Include the words, “He respected a higher law—God’s law.”

  • What is Caleb’s summary of Mr. Lovejoy’s words?

  • What is freedom of the press? In an encyclopedia see Constitution of the United States, Amendment 1.

  • Why is it important to understand freedom of the press? To respect the laws of the country and also hold yourself responsible for how you use that freedom? What is Rebecca’s answer?

  • Elijah Lovejoy is known as the first American martyr for freedom of the press. A 100-foot monument to his memory has been placed in the Alton, Illinois, cemetery. (See acknowledgments.) What did Mr. Lovejoy live for? What did he die for? Go to www.state.il.us/hpa/lovejoy/monument.htm.

  • Reverend John Livingston asked Caleb, “What do you plan to do about Elijah Lovejoy being your hero?” (ch. 11) What is Caleb’s answer?

  • What does it mean to be a man or woman of honor?

  • Thomas Dimmock, newspaperman and editor. When he asks Caleb why Elijah Lovejoy is his hero, what does Caleb answer?

  • Benjamin Godfrey, managing contractor and builder for the St. Louis, Alton, and Chicago Railroad. Why did he start a school for girls? (ch. 13)

  • Mr. Gilson, the magistrate who said, “This is the Lord’s day. I make no arrests on Sunday.” Why?

  • Dr. Thomas Brown, Brighton, Illinois. Libby asked, “When you know what might happen, how can you keep on helping fugitives?” (ch. 14) Dr. Brown answers, “How can I not help them? God’s law is higher than that of men.” Why was Deuteronomy 23:15 an important Bible verse for people working in the Underground Railroad?

  • Dr. Brown asks, “Should I obey someone who sees a fellow human being as a piece of property? Or sh
ould I obey God?” What reason does Dr. Brown give for obeying God?

  • “When two laws are in conflict with each other, God’s law is more important—more to be followed.” How do Elijah Lovejoy and Dr. Brown agree?

  • Can you give other examples where a law made by man goes against the ways of God?

  • Give examples of ways in which national, state, and local governments of the United States have supported and cherished laws made by God.

  • Dr. Brown’s daughter, Frances. Why do you think she read Bible stories to the children of slaves she and her father were protecting?

  • Ask yourself, In what ways does God want me to be a Freedom Seeker? How can I honor him and contribute to the well-being of others?

  Can the ten toes of your feet steer clear of trouble? And why does Libby want to be safe?

  Thanks for being my friends through books. I’ll meet you in the next Freedom Seekers novel … The Mysterious Signal!

  A Few Words for Educators

  Dear Parents and Educators,

  The six novels in The Freedom Seekers series offer an excellent way to gain a national view of the political climate in 1857. In that critical period in American history, steamboats carried immigrants to newly opened land. Rivers were the highways of the time and the mighty Mississippi a well-traveled route. In spite of danger, injustice, and the possible loss of all they had, people of many faiths, rich and poor, slave or free, worked together for what they believed about the rights and freedoms of individuals. In life-or-death situations children, teens, and adults built the Underground Railroad.

  As I returned to this series to write study guides, I was struck by the similarities between then and now. Though we live in an age of countless breakthroughs, some things have not changed—the need to value and uphold our American freedoms, the need to cherish human life, the need to stand for what we believe. Even as we had overcomers then, we have The Freedom Seekers now.