But not for long when a set of tiny arms wrapped around the back of his legs.
“Cracker!”
“Okay, let me reach…” The wagon rolled back as the horses snorted in alarm, trying to get away from something. The tail gate jabbed him above his waist, causing him to fall backwards. He twisted as he went down, trying not to fall on the child in his way and keep out of the way of the rolling wheels.
“Leif!”
“Grab one of the horse’s bridles so you can to stop them!”
Leif pulled Emma up to his chest, wrapped his arms tight around her while rolling to get centered under the moving wagon.
Emma was bawling and Leif was praying as the wagon box jerked above them.
The dang dog was woofing up a storm, scaring the daylights out of the horses, and Robby’s screaming wasn’t helping the situation.
“GET THEM STOPPED!” Leif roared as the horses pushed backwards, their hooves getting close to where they lay. Where was Tina?! He couldn’t hear or see her from his position.
Oh Lord, the baby was still in the back of the wagon! If the team bolted and ran off, the wagon could tip and smash!
Leif crawled toward the end of the wagon, using one elbow and his feet to propel him while hanging on to Emma. His bruised middle was killing him but he had to get out from under the wagon.
The wagon jumped again, just as he was clearing the back end, knocking him square on the top of his head. Leif shook his head to clear the stars and scrambled five feet past the wagon before standing up and moving around to the side of the wagon.
Leif frantically looked around trying to see where Robby and Tina were and why the horses and dog were going nuts.
He froze for a moment, seeing at least three rattlesnakes. Had he stopped by a den of them?! Samson was barking at one coiled snake near Robby, and Tina, on the right side of the wagon, was standing frozen with one on either side of her. The brake was set on the wagon wheels but the horses were pushing it back nonetheless, trying to get away from the noise of the rattlers in front of them.
Out of four people in his care, only the one in his arms was safe. But he was shaking so bad Leif had to put her down before he drew his revolver and starting shooting rattlers so close to people. He needed both hands on his revolver to steady himself.
“Emma, I got to put you down.” Leif quickly scanned the area, before letting the toddler slide out of his arms onto the ground five feet behind him. “Stand, be quiet, and DON’T move.”
Leif pulled his gun and carefully aimed it at the snake coiled to the right of Tina. “Robby and Tina, I’m going to start shooting snakes, so stand perfectly still. Don’t jump or scream.”
He felt nervous sweat beading on his forehead. Once he started shooting, he was going to have to concentrate and get all three snakes quickly so they didn’t strike out. Plus who knew if there were more rattlesnakes coiled nearby?
“God skydda dem. God protect them,” Leif whispered as he squeezed the trigger once, slightly moved, shot again, then a third time.
The smoke hadn’t cleared from his gun before he was running toward Tina. What if one of the snakes bit her? What would he do with all the kids?
He kicked one dead rattler away with his foot before grabbing her around her middle and quickly hauled her back to where Emma stood.
“Did you get bit?” Leif wheezed. He couldn’t get his air for the pain and panic which had took over his chest.
“I...I…don’t know! Everything happened so fast when you shot!”
Leif lifted her skirt to check her legs, looking, then feeling for any puncture marks. He was bent over while he looked and she practically laid across his back to steady herself.
He felt her slipping off his back, and quickly stood up to catch her. Was she passing out from the shock, or did she get bit where he hadn’t noticed?
“Tina!”
“Momma!” Emma grabbed for her mother as Leif laid Tina on the ground.
“I’m right here, Emma. Just need to catch my breath a minute.”
Leif leaned over her to keep her face in the shade. “You sure you’re okay?”
“No! I’m sure my hair is gray under my bonnet now.” Her face was still too pale.
“Robby!” Tina called as her eyes widened.
Leif jerked to his feet and ran around the wagon. Robby sat beside a prone Samson, who was licking blood off his leg.
Oh no. Did the snake bite the dog, or did he shoot the dog trying to stop the snake?
“Robby,” Leif carefully approached since the dog was wounded, “are you all right?”
“Samson’s hurt!”
“Yes, I see that. Let me get you back to your momma, then I’ll check Samson.”
Leif carefully picked up the boy and carried him back around to where the others were.
Tina was sitting up now and color was coming back to her cheeks. She reached for Robby before Leif could set him down.
“I think he’s okay, but check him over. I’m not sure about the dog though. The horses are calm now, so let’s get everyone back in the wagon, and I’ll go back to Samson.
“Tina, you’re going to have to sit up front and hold the reins in case the horses start to move again.”
Leif picked up Tina and gently lifted her up onto the wagon seat. “You steady now? Grab the reins and I’ll put the kids in the back.”
“I’m okay,” she replied when looking back at Oliver in his box. “Oliver’s still sleeping.” Tina relaxed a bit after checking her infant.
Everyone survived this potential disaster, except for the dog. He’d hate to have to put Samson down while the children were nearby.
Leif kneeled near the whining dog trying to figure out what had happened. Where was the snake he thought he’d shot? Apparently it had slithered away, but not before striking at the dog?
“Let me see your leg, Samson.” But as Leif reached for it, the dog growled at him, so he retreated.
Leif unknotted the handkerchief around his neck and kneeled down beside the dog again. Hopefully he could wrap the cloth around the dog’s muzzle without getting snapped at.
After three tries Leif got the dog’s mouth tied up and carefully lifted the dog’s paw, trying to find the source of the blood. The bullet had grazed right along the inside of his right front leg.
Shoot. Poor thing was in pain, but it could have been worse. As long as the wound was kept clean, it could heal. Better than a rattlesnake bite. Leif picked up the heavy squirming dog, carried him over to the wagon and set him on the tail gate. Too bad Samson didn’t weigh a few pounds like his sister’s dog, but the bullet would have gone clean through Hilda’s mutt instead of grazing a leg.
Robby and Emma were instantly by the dog’s side, which calmed Samson down.
“He gonna be okay?” Robby worriedly asked.
“Samson’s got a good scratch on his leg, but we’ll doctor it up and it’ll heal. He’ll have to ride in the wagon with us for a few days. Think you can keep him company?”
Both children enthusiastically shook their heads to comply. They didn’t realize how much room this big dog was going to hog their tight quarters. Who knew, maybe Samson might be a better rider than the rest of the family.
An hour later, after cleaning and bandaging Samson’s leg, the water canteen passed around along with some crackers, and being on the road about fifteen minutes…Robby stood behind him and said…“I gotta pee…”
Chapter 5
It seemed strange to think it, but right now he loved the smell of fresh manure. A large cattle herd had stopped here for the night and left this morning. No way to miss the droppings of hundreds of head of livestock.
Leif looked back at Robby when the little boy said, “It stinks here!” Robby was standing behind the seat where Leif sat driving the team. He watched as Emma pulled herself up beside her brother. She couldn’t see over the bench seat, so was looking under it.
“And that’s a good thing, Robby. Means we’re about to cat
ch up with the herd we’ve been trailing for days.”
“Are you sure it’s the right herd?” Tina called from further in the wagon. She had been riding with him on the seat the last two days, but had crawled in the back when the baby squawked to be fed.
“Not positive, but there’s not many groups heading north this time of year. In the spring we’d be running into one herd right after the other.”
“How far ahead are they, do you think?”
“They would have left early this morning, and it’s almost noon now, so I’d say they are maybe four or five miles ahead of us.”
“Will we stop for lunch, or keep traveling?” Leif heard a wistful note on the first part of her question, and debated what to tell her. He sighed. She needed a break worse than the wagon catching up with the herd right now. But they were so close and he was anxious to see his parents.
“They stopped here last night because it had water and protection. We’ll do the same.”
“Can we find a spot where the kids won’t walk in cow poop?”
Leif chuckled, knowing exactly what Tina was thinking about. Emma sat down on a day-old pile last night, crushing the drying top layer and thoroughly smearing her bottom and the inside of her dress with the fresh inside manure. Shoes, stockings, diaper, dress, hair…all had slimy green matter on them.
Tina stripped Emma down to her skin, then Leif washed everything out in the creek near where they had camped.
Danged if Robby wasn’t about to do the same thing on purpose too, but Leif grabbed Robby’s arm and swung him away from the pile in mid-jump. One surprised look up at Leif and then at his momma’s hard stare made him walk around manure after that.
Leif would find where his moder had parked the chuck wagon last night and use her cold fire ring. Grass should be tromped down around it and less chance of danger and temptations.
***
Tina sat on the tongue of the wagon, watching as Leif ate his sandwich, looking north where the herd must be resting for their nooning. She could tell he was anxious to get back with the cattle drive.
He’d cut bread, smeared it with butter from the crock he’d bought at the last town where they had stopped, and cut slices of ham to put between two slices. Leif automatically made one sandwich for Robby and Emma to share, but only fed them little bites at a time. More than once the children had dropped their sandwich and the dog snatched the food faster than anyone could react.
“Once we’re done eating, think you’d be okay to take a nap in the wagon while I ride ahead? I’d like them to know we’re catching up to them, and see where they will camp for the night.”
Tina stiffened at his suggestion. They hadn’t be apart since they headed north.
Leif’s eyebrows scrunched down, so he knew what she was thinking.
“I’ll get a saddle out of the wagon, and ride Leo ahead to talk to them. I’ll leave the other gelding here with you. I doubt I’ll be gone more than an hour, maybe two.”
“Will Moonbeam stay here without Leo?”
“I’ll hobble Beam so he’ll stay here and keep you company. You’ll have the dog, too.”
Tina almost snorted. Did he think she’d take a nap while worrying about him being gone, the horse here without the other, and dog out chasing who knew what? Last night’s episode with Samson trying to carry an armadillo into camp was funny though. And she was so grateful Samson’s leg was feeling fine and he was back to his normal self.
“You and the kids can ride along if you’d like.”
The idea of sitting on a horse wasn’t too appealing yet, even though her back was getting better each day. And trying to carry three children, too? No doubt Leif didn’t worry about it, but she did since Robby and Emma had never ridden a horse…yet. She was sure Robby would be on a horse quite a bit on the trail soon, because Leif talked like it was a natural thing for a boy Robby’s age to be doing so.
Tina took a deep breath. She had to get used to life on the trail. “No, we’ll be fine here.”
“I wanna go!” Robby whined looking back and forth between her and Leif.
“He’d be fine riding with me, and that’s one less child for you to keep track of.”
And Robby was the worst one to wander off. Tina could keep Emma in the wagon with her and the baby easily enough. She’d nap if her big brother wasn’t around to bother her.
“All right. Make sure he minds you.”
Leif smiled, like he was happy to take her son with him. Robby was Leif’s shadow, soaking up every task the man did, even mimicking his Swedish words. Leif was helping her and her family, but Tina could see healing in the man’s eyes, too.
Would he ever consider making them his family? Leif was a natural with the children, and so considerate of her. It would be easy to stay with this man if he asked.
Tina knew Leif compared her to Britta, not in a bad way, but by comments as he opened up about his late wife. Britta was as comfortable in the saddle as she was fixing meals on the trail. The woman was a tall, Swedish, just like Leif, and she had been the love of his life.
What would Leif’s parents think of her when they met later today? Would they welcome their son’s traveling companions as part of their family? Or think of her and her children as along to use their food and time until they reached Kansas and could find her brother?
***
Leif couldn’t help but smile. He hadn’t ridden a horse in almost two weeks and it felt good to lope across the prairie with the wind tugging at his hat and hair. How he had missed this. The morning heat has risen but it was still pleasant shining down on his back.
The only thing different was the sounds surrounding his ride. Instead of the grass bending in the wind and occasional snort of the horse, he had the high pitched chatter of a little boy to enjoy.
Robby wasn’t whining, just talking to himself, the horse, occasionally asking a question. Which may or may not satisfy Robby for a second or a minute. Right now, the boy was leaning against his chest snoozing, missing the scenery Leif was enjoying.
How many trips had his family made between here and Kansas over the years? The route varied on the availability of grass and water; the size of the herd; if they were following another herd and how fast it was moving.
The weather went from cold, wet and rainy to scorching hot. They tromped through mud, dust, always looking for grass and water.
More than once, if it was a clear moon, they had moved the herd at night. If the day was really hot, it was better to let the cattle laze during the afternoon rather than overheat.
Leif could catch the tinkle of the bell on the head steer now. It was faint, but it was there. The wind was blowing the sound his way.
He couldn’t wait to introduce Robby to Beller, their old brindle longhorn. The steer had led a herd up to Kansas the past six years, walking back to Texas with the chuck wagon and remuda each year after the delivery of the cattle to the rail town.
This spring Beller rode the train back to Texas with him, and his parents. Their horses had stayed in Kansas because they had more in Texas they planned to move north.
Now Beller was leading the current group of cattle and horses to Kansas. Leif didn’t know if his Fader would keep the steer or sell him so he could continue to lead cattle drives. The steer made himself at home around the camp, almost a pet, begging for biscuits, so it was hard to think of using him for meat in the future. Better to let Beller lead a herd on to Wyoming or Montana instead.
“Cows!” Robby was awake again and pointing to the mass of moving color to the right of them. The longhorns had a mix of brown, white, and black hides. Their horns ranged from shorter and pointed skyward if the animal had more Spanish cattle blood in it—to long, horizontal horns if the animal had more domestic Louisiana cattle blood in its ancestry.
“That’s the cattle herd we’ve been following, Robby. We’re getting close to joining it.”
“They noisy!”
“Yeah, but you’ll get used to it.”
&n
bsp; Leif angled his horse to travel to the front of the herd, but looked at the drovers who rode flank. His father could be riding in either position, on this side of the herd or the other.
He let out a whistled call to get the closest rider’s attention. Leif didn’t want to startle the horse, rider or the cattle he was tending. Leif knew all the riders since he had been with the herd a few days before turning back home.
“Hey, Bunger! Where’s my parents?”
“Well, glad to see you back, with a new little roper with you, too.”
“This here’s Robby. His family will be traveling to Kansas with us.” Leif looked down at Robby, who hung onto the saddle horn as Leo waltzed around the other horse. His eyes were wide as he took in the scene in front of them.
“Ever seen so many cattle, Robby?” Leif asked proudly.
“Nu uh! They everywhere!”
“Yep. And you need to stay out of their way. From now on you either stay with your mother in the wagon or with one of us on a horse.” Leif made eye contact with the boy so he knew Robby understood the seriousness of his command.
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” Leif patted Robby’s leg. “What position is my fader riding now?”
“He’s was on this side, you can see his hat from here. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you, Leif.”
Leif, nodded his head and turned Leo north to catch up with the tall man on a bay horse.
“Hej där, Fader!” The man looked almost identical to Leif except for his weathered face, which turned toward Leif’s voice.
“Well, hello to you. too. You took longer coming back than I thought you would.” Then Oskar Hamner’s eyes caught sight of Robby.
“Who’s your tagalong?” Oskar cocked an eyebrow and pointed his head at the boy.
“Robby Martin. His mother and two siblings have been traveling with me. She’s a widow wanting to find her brother in Kansas.”
Tina Tracks a Trail Boss: A Historical Western Romance (Brides with Grit Book 8) Page 5