Are you really going to get rid of Flo?” Anna asked Martha as the two of them sat on a bale of straw while Martha brushed the female beagle.
“I’ve got to, Anna. She can’t have puppies, which means she won’t make me any money that way. I plan to use the money I make selling her to buy another dog.” Martha grimaced. By the time she had responded to that ad about the pair of cocker spaniels, they’d been sold. That meant she had to keep looking, and it wasn’t likely that she’d find another pair as reasonably priced as the ones in the paper had been.
“I wish Mama couldn’t have any more babies.” Anna stroked Flo’s floppy ears, and the dog let loose a pathetic whimper as though in tune with the child’s feelings.
Martha frowned. “What makes you say a thing like that?”
“If she hadn’t had Daniel, Papa would still love me.”
Martha set the brush aside, and Flo crawled on her belly to the corner of the room. “I’m sure he still loves you,” she said, wrapping her arms around Anna.
“He won’t let me hold the boppli. Whenever I ask if I can help with somethin’, he always says no.”
“What kinds of things have you asked to help with?”
“I wanted to bathe Daniel so Mama could get some sewing done. Papa said I’m too little for that.” Deep creases formed on Anna’s forehead. “Then I asked if I could help with his bees. He said no to that, too.”
“Working around bees can be dangerous, Anna. You might get stung.”
“That’s what he said.”
“Hey! What are you up to in here?” Ruth asked as she stepped into the barn.
“Aunt Martha was brushin’ Flo so she looks nice when someone sees the sign out by the road and comes to look at her,” Anna answered before Martha could respond.
“I saw that sign when I drove in with my horse and buggy.” Ruth took a seat on another bale of straw. “Has anyone stopped to ask about the dog yet?”
Martha shook her head. “Of course, I just put the sign up last night, so I haven’t lost hope.” She clapped her hands and called for Flo. The dog returned to her with its tail between its legs and released a high-pitched howl.
“Maybe I should have bought Flo to give Esta instead of one of Heidi’s pups,” Ruth said. “That way you could have kept Winkie for breeding purposes.”
“I don’t think Esta would have wanted a full-grown dog that likes to howl at everything she sees.” Martha picked up the brush and began brushing Flo again.
“You’re probably right.” Ruth reached over and squeezed Anna’s arm. “Speaking of Esta, I’m heading over to see her now. Would you like to go along?”
Anna nodded eagerly. “Guess I’d better ask Mama first.”
“I was already at your house and saw your mamm. She said it was fine if you ride over to see Esta with me.”
Anna jumped up and raced for the door.
Ruth turned to Martha. “Would you like to come along?”
“I’d better stick around here in case someone comes to see Flo.” Martha smiled. “Maybe when you bring Anna home, you can join us for lunch.”
“That would be nice. Martin went fishing with Abe and Gideon, and I doubt he’ll be home until late this afternoon.”
“See you later, then. And be sure to say hello to Abe’s kinner for me.”
“I will.” Ruth headed out the door.
A short time later, Martha heard a vehicle rumble up the driveway, followed by the tooting of a horn. She put Flo inside one of the empty horse stalls and went outside to see who it was. When she stepped out of the barn, she saw John Peterson getting out of his SUV.
“I was driving by and saw the sign out front advertising a female beagle. Is it one of your dogs?” he asked.
She nodded. “I bought a pair of beagles for breeding purposes several months ago, but Flo can’t have any pups, so I’ve decided to sell her as a hunting dog.”
He grinned. “Which is exactly what I’m needing. How much do you want for her?”
“I paid a thousand dollars for the pair, so if I could get—”
“I’ll give you six hundred. How’s that sound?”
Martha’s mouth fell open. “Don’t you want to look at her first?”
“Guess I probably should.” John reached up to rub the bridge of his slightly crooked nose and squinted. “Unless she’s sick, crippled, or just plain dumb, I’m sure she’ll work out fine for me.”
“She’s none of those things.” Martha motioned to the barn. “Follow me, and you can see for yourself.”
Inside the barn, Martha took Flo out of the horse stall and led her over to John. He knelt on the concrete floor beside the dog and gave her the once-over. “She looks good to me. I’ll take her.”
Martha could hardly believe she had found a home for Flo so quickly. She was pleased to know the dog would be put to good use.
“Help! Help!”
Martin came up out of the water, gulped in some air, and spotted Gideon, kicking and splashing for all he was worth. “Can you swim?” he called to the boy.
“He can’t, and neither can I!” Abe, who was several feet away, also struggled.
The frigid water stung Martin’s skin and took his breath away. Even though he considered himself to be a good swimmer, he knew he needed to get out of the icy water as quickly as possible. Needed to get Abe and his son out, too.
Since Gideon was the closest and seemed to be having the most trouble staying afloat, Martin swam over to the boy, grabbed hold of his shirt, and pulled him toward shore. He kept pulling until they were in shallow water and he knew Gideon could stand. “Climb out and wait on the shore,” he instructed.
Coughing and gasping for air, Gideon did as he was told.
Martin dove back into the water and swam toward where he’d last seen Abe. Only Abe wasn’t there!
Treading water, Martin looked around frantically. “Abe!” he hollered. “Where are you?”
“Don’t let Papa die!” Gideon shouted from the shore.
Martin whirled around. “Don’t come back in the water! Stay right there while I look for your daed.”
He dove down and spotted Abe under the water near where the boat had capsized. His hand snaked out and grabbed Abe’s arm, then he kicked hard, pulling them both to the surface. Abe wasn’t moving, and Martin feared the man might have drowned. Dear God, he prayed, don’t let him be dead.
Several grueling moments later, Martin pulled Abe onto the shore.
Gideon rushed over and dropped down beside his father. “Don’t die, Papa,” he sobbed. “Don’t leave me like Mama did!”
Martin had learned CPR when he’d done volunteer work with the local fire department, so he quickly set to work on Abe. The cold air stung his eyes, and he struggled with each breath. His lungs burned, and he feared his strength would give out, but he wouldn’t give up. Abe was his friend, and if their roles were reversed, he knew Abe would do the same for him.
Finally, Abe coughed and spit water out of his mouth.
Martin breathed a prayer of thanks. “He’s going to be all right,” he said to Gideon, whose eyes were wide with fear. “We need to get back to your house so we can get out of these wet clothes.”
“I’m glad you came over to see me today,” Esta said as she and Anna took a seat on the porch with Winkie perched between them.
Ruth smiled as she seated herself in one of the wicker chairs beside Abe’s sister. “Nothing makes a little girl happier than to be with her best friend.”
Sue nodded. Her blue eyes seemed to have lost the sparkle they’d had when she’d first come to help her brother and his family.
“Is everything all right?” Ruth asked, concerned. “Are you working too hard?”
Tears welled in Sue’s eyes, and she blinked a couple of times. “I’m feeling kind of homesick.”
“That’s understandable. You’ve been away from your folks for several months now. I’m sure you miss them.”
“I also miss Melvin.”
“He’s your boyfriend, right?”
“Jah. Melvin and I started courting six months before I left home. We’ve been writing letters, but it’s not the same as seeing each other and being able to go places together.”
“No, of course not.” Ruth couldn’t imagine being separated from Martin even for a few weeks, much less several months. “Maybe Melvin can come for a visit.”
“I’d like that, but he’s been busy helping his daed in their masonry business and hasn’t been able to get away.” Sue released a sigh. “I’d like to go home for Christmas, but I wouldn’t feel right about leaving Abe in the lurch.”
“Maybe some of the women in our community could take turns coming in to clean house, cook, and watch the kinner.”
Sue shook her head. “I think it would be hard on everyone, especially Abe, if I went home for the holidays. It’s going to be difficult for him to get through Christmas without Alma. I think he needs my support.”
“I understand. I would make that sacrifice for either of my sisters.”
The puppy growled as it leaped off the porch and romped in the yard with Josh, Willis, and Owen. “It was nice of you to give Winkie to Esta,” Sue said. “The dog’s filled a big hole in that little girl’s life, and having a pet to care for is teaching her responsibility.”
“I was glad to do it.” Ruth turned to the girls, who sat on the steps watching the boys and Winkie play a game of tug-of-war with an old sock. “It won’t be long until Christmas. Have either of you thought about what you’d like to receive for a present?”
Esta nodded eagerly. “I’m hopin’ for some ice skates. Of course, we’ve gotta have cold, icy weather first.”
“It was awfully cold last night,” Ruth said. “I imagine it won’t be long before your daed’s pond will be frozen over.”
Esta nodded. “Me and Josh found a ladybug nest on the trunk of a pine tree the other day. Mama used to say that was a sure sign of winter comin’.”
Ruth smiled. She remembered how excited she used to get when she was a girl looking forward to winter games, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and gifts at Christmas.
Esta nudged Anna. “How ‘bout you? What are you hopin’ to get for Christmas?”
Anna shrugged. “If we get snow, a new sled would be nice.”
Esta looked up at Ruth. “What are you hoping for?”
Ruth touched her stomach. The best gift she could receive would be to find out she was going to have a baby. “I’ll be happy with whatever I get,” she murmured.
A buggy rolled into the yard, and Sue stood, lifting Molly into her arms. “Looks like the men are back. They must have either caught lots of fish or got tired of trying, because they’re here sooner than I thought they would be.”
Ruth’s heart gave a lurch when she noticed how wet the men’s clothes were when they climbed out of the buggy. When she saw Martin put his arm around Abe’s shoulders and walk him to the house, her heart nearly stopped beating.
“What happened?” she and Sue cried at the same time.
“Had a little accident with the boat,” Martin replied.
“Did you fall into the water, Papa?” Esta grabbed Abe’s hand as he stepped onto the porch.
“Sure did.”
“But you can’t swim,” Sue said in a quavering voice.
“No, but Martin can. He saved us both from drowning,” Gideon spoke up.
“You’re all shaking.” Ruth jerked open the front door. “You need to come inside and get warm.”
Martin slipped his arm around Ruth’s waist. “That’s the last time I go fishing against my wife’s better judgment. Wasser schwimme macht mich gensheidich.“
“Swimming in cold water gave me goose pimples, too,” Abe agreed.
Ruth swallowed against the lump in her throat. Thank You, God. Thank You for saving each of these men.