by Ann Towell
He fell asleep quickly, his breath fanning my cheek. I stayed awake for a long time wondering what tomorrow would bring. I realized I had come a long way from the boy I was yesterday. I felt sorry for Aunt Sadie now and cried a little before I, too, fell asleep.
I don’t know what woke me because it was still mostly dark. I got up and looked out the window of the loft. I saw a man walking from the barn to the house. He looked like John to me.
I didn’t think much of it until I smelled smoke. I prodded Lemuel until he rolled over and said grumpily, “What’s wrong?”
The smoke drifted up to where we were sleeping, and Lemuel smelled it too. He jumped up and went down the ladder as fast as anything I’d ever seen. I was right behind him.
He found a cigar butt smoldering on a pile of damp straw where there had been a leak in the roof. He stomped on it until it was out.
“Who put that there?” He pointed at the leftover bit of cigar. “You starting smoking now too?”
“It’s not me Lem. Honest. I saw John just a minute ago heading back to the house. I don’t trust him at all. He looks at me mean-like all the time and then turns and smiles at you. I think he’s sort of like a snake, a big one hiding in the grass, waiting for someone to come along and step on him. Then he’ll strike and –” My hands were moving with my story and I was just getting into it when Lem hauled me up short.
“That’s enough, before your imagination runs away with you. He came out to have a cigar and accidentally threw it on this here pile. He probably aimed for the doorway and missed.”
Well, it looked to me like the door was a fair piece from the pile, but what did I know? If I kept on talking Lem would start whistling or something to let me know he wasn’t listening. He was giving John the benefit of a doubt, but I wasn’t.
“Mark my words, he’s a snake in the grass.”
It was as if Aunt Sadie was standing right next to me and telling it plain. It felt like she was warning me against this man.
I suddenly missed her even though I was headed for Oil Springs and I was planning on staying there. I would make myself so useful to Uncle Amos that he would let me stay with him forever and ever, amen.
CHAPTER
4
Lemuel looked at the pink horizon and the pearly gray of the sky that meant morning was here for sure. I looked too. Silent. Early morning is beautiful and makes you want to be quiet.
He reached down to muss my hair a bit and then he smiled. “Might as well hitch up the horses and pay the Johnsons for the food, and we’ll get an early start.”
“Should I go wake John?” I asked.
“Well, we brought him. I don’t think the Johnsons want a permanent guest. Titus, remember not to say anything to the Johnsons about the cigar. Mr. Longville is just a bit careless. We’ll just take him away from here and no one will be the wiser.”
I must have looked concerned and worried because he bent down a bit to get closer to my height. “We’re responsible for him now. But, when we get to Oil Springs he can fend for himself. I don’t imagine Uncle Amos would take too kindly to having another surprise house guest since he already has one.”
I hung my head. “I’ll make it up to you both and really help with all the work. I’m not very big, but I’m strong.”
As if to prove my words I grabbed one of the collars off of the wall and started to put it on the horse. I stumbled under its weight. The pole straps and traces were hanging next to the other collar. Lemuel watched me some before he came to help. Between the two of us we were done in short order. The sky was totally light by now, and Mr. Johnson came out of the house as we came out of the barn.
“Up and about I see,” he said, as if he approved of us.
He pulled Lemuel aside and walked along to the other side of the barn to have a private word. I knew enough not to follow. The murmur of voices was all I could hear. When they came back, Mr. Johnson smiled and told me to get up to the house, and the missus would fix me something to eat. In the meantime he and Lemuel would take the horses on back to the road and try get the wagon unstuck. Mr. Johnson brought his own team to help.
Back at the house John was eating breakfast, and I joined him. When we finished, we thanked Mrs. Johnson and left to meet Lem.
John lit up a cigar. I watched him and said, “You should be more careful with those. You could’ve burned the barn down this morning.”
It was all so fast I didn’t realize what was happening. John had me up against the fence with his hands around my neck. He was almost lifting me from the ground.
“You breathe a word, kid, and you’ll be sorry. You got to respect your elders. Don’t put your nose where it’s not wanted.”
John made a move as if to burn me with the cigar that was still in his mouth. He then let go and puffed some smoke in my face.
I don’t know why I didn’t keep quiet, but I didn’t. “You talk big when Lem’s not around, but you’re just a mean, big, fat liar. If you think I believe half of –”
I never got to finish the sentence because he had his hands around my neck again. This time it was John who wasn’t so lucky. Lem grabbed his arms and yanked him away from me. I slumped on the ground, breathless. Lem hauled off and punched him good. I heard a loud thunk and saw John lying on the ground, alongside me. He was out like a light. I guess I forgot to mention that Lem is as strong as an ox and once he’s riled, well sir, you have to watch out.
I got up slowly. “We should just leave him here.”
Lem was still angry and turned on me, “Leave him for the Johnsons? You think that’s a way to repay their hospitality?”
I put my hands in the air and backed up. “Just a suggestion. Does that mean we’re stuck with him? Ask him for the twenty dollars before we take him any farther.”
“Can’t you ever shut up?” Lem asked between his clenched teeth. He was rubbing his sore knuckles. “Just shut up for once.”
We didn’t have long to wait for John to wake up and rub his jaw. “Dang it all, that hurt, Lem. Doesn’t seem right friendly to be hitting me.”
“I suppose you thought it was right friendly to be choking me?” I asked.
Lem growled, “Didn’t I just tell you to shut up? Now go to the wagon.”
I listened that time, even though I don’t like injustice and usually try to speak out against it. But even I could see that Lem’s patience was at an end.
I don’t know what kind of deal Lem made with John, but only minutes later we were all on the wagon heading south once again. I was made to sit in the back. I was happy to be there this time. I could still feel those hands around my neck.
We were lucky that day. The temperature dropped steadily and the going was fine. John sat quietly for the first hour or so, but once the sun warmed him up, his tongue warmed up too. After a while, Lem silenced him with a look.
Lemuel’s mouth was in a grim line and he smiled less and less as the day went on. The sun stayed shining even though the temperature plummeted. It was uncomfortable, considering our coats were still damp from the day before.
Occasionally we would come upon other travellers. Sometimes they were in a wagon, other times they were solitary riders. We passed a farmhouse where I could see children finishing up the harvest in the garden. They were digging up turnips and carrots. A little child wandered off from the older ones. The biggest girl rushed after him, her skirt billowing around her. She caught him before he got to the roadway.
I could tell both Lemuel and John found her pretty because they both took off their hats and nodded to her. John yelled out some howdy-do, but Lemuel just smiled and turned to look after her for some time. The girl looked at Lemuel and smiled back. I could see that didn’t make a good impression on John for he turned to glare at me.
“What’s wrong with you?” I was belligerent. “Girls don’t like you none?”
He cuffed me on the head for my pains. Lemuel told me to mind my mouth. I put my arms around my head to protect myself. John sat there smug
until Lem told him he would leave him behind if he didn’t keep his hands to himself.
I hid my head for a while because I didn’t want them to see my tears. They were tears of anger just as much as anything else. I was going to get even with John at some point. I didn’t know how or when, but I knew as sure as I knew my name was Titus that I was going to pay him back for the way he treated me.
I was starting to regret leaving London. Everything was a dismal muddy, gray-brown, except for the last remaining leaves on the trees. The reds, browns and yellows could still cheer me, though I was nursing a sore grievance in my breast.
Sitting in a wagon all day can get powerful tiresome, and I asked often enough if we were near Oil Springs yet. I guess I must have asked one time too often because Lemuel turned to me and said, “If you ask that one more time, you’re getting out and walking.”
It was very quiet that day as the scenery passed us by. Hardly anyone said a word. John would rub his jaw and glance over at Lem with a look of hatred. It would be a long time before he would forget the power of Lem’s fist.
The horses had been trotting all day and were thirsty. At a creek up ahead we stopped to water them. The embankment was too steep for the horses and wagon, so I took the two buckets and walked down. The creek was so narrow you could almost stretch your arm across it.
I was daydreaming there, when I heard the sound of a wagon across the river. I looked up to see someone who had the same idea as we did. The land was flat on that side of the creek.
“Hey,” I said across the water to the man. The woman stayed on the wagon while he led his horse down.
“Hello son,” the man replied. The woman only smiled and pulled her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. She was pale and tired looking. There was a discontented air about her.
“Where you headed Mister?”
“To London.”
“That’s where we come from.” I answered proudly. “My aunt and uncle live there.”
“Far from home, I see.”
“Yes. I’m with my big brother.” I pointed to where Lem and John were standing.
“What you gonna do in London? Visit family?”
“Something like that,” the man’s answer was noncommittal.
Lem was beside me. “My brother is entirely too curious for his own good. You’ll have to excuse him.”
“No trouble at all,” replied the lady. Her voice was whisper thin and hardly carried over the river.
“Where have you come from?” Nothing was going to stop me from asking questions. I had been expected to do the near impossible for the last few days by not speaking. I was tired of being upstaged by John.
“Oil Springs,” the man replied. “I’m taking my wife to London and will return back there in a week or two.”
“That’s where we’re headed,” there was excitement in Lem’s voice. “What’s it like? I’m so anxious to get there.”
“Well …” the man seemed hesitant to say. His wife stayed silent as the grave.
“Is there work there?” Lem didn’t seem to notice the man was reluctant to talk.
“Sure there’s work for those who aren’t lazy. But there’s also a lot of men willing to work.”
“Is it true that people are getting rich as kings?”
That was my question. There was something about being so rich that interested me. I would like to have a lot of money to spend since I hardly ever got any. Having my own horse and carriage, now that’s something I could dream about. I could drive real fast through the streets of London. I thought a bright yellow carriage with red wheels would be beautiful. Heads would turn as I drove past.
“Son, there are no kings in Oil Springs,” the woman spoke again and I almost didn’t hear her.
“I don’t suppose I thought there were.” I was defensive. I didn’t want her to think I was so silly as to believe there were real kings there. Some people didn’t listen real well when a question was asked.
She smiled faintly and turned away. There was bitterness in her eyes, as if someone had hurt her bad.
Her husband answered for her. “It’s no place for a lady, or children for that matter. It’s kind of rough and tumble,” he apologized.
“Sir could I have your name in case I meet you again in town?” Lem asked.
“McCabe, Adam McCabe,” he replied.
“I’m Lemuel Sullivan. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. Ma’am,” Lem tipped his hat toward her.
“Now you don’t say. You related to Amos Sullivan?”
“Why, yes sir. He’s our uncle,” I answered for both Lem and me.
“Say hello to him for me and tell him I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Yes sir.”
They left and we brought the pails of water up to the horses. Lem took over the job of giving the water to them.
“Probably trying to get to Warwick before nightfall,” he said. “His wife looked poorly too. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that she’s sick.”
“Do you suppose there’s lots of sickness there, like the fevers?” I was still troubled by my parents’ death.
“Even if there is, there’s no way to avoid it,” Lem said unsympathetically. “It is so much a part of life. If you eat well and work outdoors, I dare say you will stay well and fit as a fiddle.”
“I daresay,” I murmured.
The horses slurped the water in big gulps. I stood beside them while they drank. My hands were cold and red so I put them under my armpits to warm them up. My breath came in streams of mist. Steam came from the nostrils of the horses too, when they took time to breathe between each drink.
I patted one of them on the face. The one we ended up calling Lady. She was beautiful with gentle brown eyes. She liked my touch, but the one we called Luck wasn’t as friendly. I wondered if one day I would be able to ride them or even try handling the wagon. There was so much to wait for while I was growing up, but I’d show them all what I was made of, Aunt Sadie included.
Early on, I had hoped to sit at the front of the wagon for it was tiresome seeing the world backwards. It’s nicer to see things as they come to you and not as they pass you by. I didn’t dare say anything; afraid Lem would think I was complaining.
To my surprise, Lem invited me to sit between the two men up front. “You won’t mind, will you John?”
“No thanks, Lem,” I told him. There was no way I was sitting beside John.
“Suit yourself.”
John had stopped talking and the silence was worse than hearing him yap on and on. We kept up a steady pace when John mentioned there was smoke in the distance. Someone had a little campfire going. I thought it would be a good idea to go down there and warm up some. We could also eat the last of the food we had packed.
“Could we Lem? I’m pretty near famished,” I wheedled him.
Lem looked at me, then at John. He made his decision. “I don’t see why not,” he said. “But when I say it’s time to leave, don’t you argue none.” He was looking at me when he said that.
“I won’t,” I promised.
The horses turned right and followed a cow path. It was a miry mess, but Lem figured we could get through. Well he figured wrong. The wagon was stuck once again. The scent of food rose up to tempt us. It seemed I was always hungry.
“That boy has a hollow leg sure enough,” Uncle Robert would say to Aunt Sadie.
“Especially for one so tiny,” Aunt Sadie would eye me critically and then decide I needed some medicine. This usually meant giving me castor oil or some other awful-tasting stuff she got at the local apothecary.
We got off the wagon and entered the campsite where there were five men sitting around the fire just swapping stories. Lem stayed behind just long enough to unhitch the horses. Seemed these fellows were headed to Oil Springs too. We sat there awhile feeling good about the warmth. Some men suggested playing a game of cards, and John agreed to it. Lem and I weren’t the gambling sort so we declined.
While they we
re playing, Lem sat down next to me and whispered. “Do you want to keep going?”
“And leave John here?”
Lem nodded grimly.
“What about the wagon?” I was glad that Lem was starting to see reason. We weren’t far from Oil Springs anyway, so John could walk it if he had too.
“I’ll come back for it tomorrow with Uncle Amos.”
We quietly got up and walked toward the bush as if we had private business there. We followed the edge of it until we got to our horses. Lem jumped onto Lady’s back and pulled me up behind him. He already had Luck’s lead in his hand.
“Giddyap,” Lem said.
“Where you guys going?” John hollered at us.
“Go, Lem, go!” I urged.
And off we went flying on the back of Lady with Luck running alongside. The sound of the hooves pounding the earth was like music to my ears. We were heading to Oil Springs without John Longville, troublemaker and liar. The wagon could wait until tomorrow.
CHAPTER
5
Lem’s back was rigid with anger as we rode farther south. He rode the horse hard and I held onto his back, hoping I wouldn’t fall off. The wind was cold on my face and my hands. It felt like they were frozen around Lem’s middle. I prayed that I wouldn’t fall off. My heart was pounding with excitement and I wondered if any of the men would follow us. But, I suppose they knew where we were headed, and they did have our wagon and belongings. The worst part was they had my book and Lem’s fiddle.
The wind picked up. There was roaring all around us. It was so loud and so great it started to make me nervous. I tapped Lemuel on the shoulder to get his attention.
“Lem, what’s that sound? It’s as if something powerful is chasing us.”
“What do you mean?”
“The sound of waves rushing in.”
“That’s no waves.”
“What is it then?”
“The wind in the trees.”
“It makes me scared.”