Pearl waited until Sam and the others had gone a few steps then hastily pulled their dry clothes off the line. How embarrassing to have their unmentionables waving in the breeze in front of the men. She carried their clothes into the cabin where Emma was slicing the pie.
“I think you have an admirer,” Pearl murmured, as she threw their clothes on her bunk. “Donald couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
“I was so taken by him when I was younger,” Emma laughed. “But he didn’t even know I existed.”
“Well, I think he does now.”
“I don’t remember him stuttering, though.”
“The way he was gawking at you I think that might have been nerves. He sure is cute.”
“Yes, he’s even a lot handsomer than when I last saw him.”
“Oh, oh,” Pearl grinned. “I think you still have feelings.”
“I just wish I had been dressed in my clothes instead of my night robe.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about impressing him. He’s impressed.”
“Well, I’m going to put on a dress now. It doesn’t feel right entertaining men in our night robes, even if one is my brother.”
“Yes, you are right.”
They each quickly donned a dress and pinned back their hair. Then Emma placed slices of pie on tin plates while Pearl poured tea into tin cups. It was a good thing they had bought more dishes and cutlery for their own use.
Emma balanced three plates in her hands while Pearl hooked three cups in her fingers. They carried them out to the men who were sitting on the wooden sidewalk then went back for their own. Donald put his pie on the sidewalk and ran into the cabin to bring out two chairs. He set one close to his pie.
“Thank you,” Pearl said, taking the chair farther away from the sidewalk. She glanced at Emma and smiled.
Emma sat in the other while Donald resumed his spot on the sidewalk.
“Why didn’t you let me know you were coming?” Sam asked, as he ate. “I would have been here to meet you.”
“I sent you a letter,” Pearl said. “We met Mrs. Berry and she said it probably came on the same boat as we did.”
“When did you arrive?” Donald asked, this time without stuttering.
“Yesterday,” Emma answered. “We waited with our trunks for you to come and get us. Mrs. Berry saw us and came and introduced herself. She told us where you’d gone and then she took us to the restaurant. She said it would be fine if we stayed in your cabin.”
“And she was right,” Sam nodded. “Why did you come?”
Emma looked at Pearl, so Pearl answered. “I’m writing some articles about living in the north for the Morning Herald in Halifax.”
“And you came all the way here by yourselves?” Sam sounded shocked.
“There’s nothing wrong with women travelling alone.” Pearl tossed her head indignantly. “Times have changed since you moved here.”
“I guess they must have.”
“Are you going back to look for gold on your claim?” Emma asked.
“Yes,” Sam said. “We’re getting supplies and equipment then heading back there day after tomorrow.”
“Can we come? Describing the process of looking for gold would make an excellent article. Please.” Pearl held her breath waiting for an answer.
“Yes, please,” Emma said.
“There’s nothing for you there.” Gordon snapped. “It’s just bush and water and mosquitoes. No place for a woman.”
Pearl’s anger rose. “What do you mean, no place for a woman? Mrs. Berry is heading there.”
“She has a husband to look after her.” Gordon glared at her.
“I have you,” Emma said to her brother. She also smiled teasingly at Donald. “And Donald.”
Donald blushed and looked down.
“And I’m here working on stories for my newspaper.” Pearl stuck her chin out. “You can’t stop us.”
Sam opened his mouth then closed it. He set his empty plate down and stood. “I think we should find us a cabin for the night.”
“Let me carry the chairs back into the cabin for you,” Donald said.
“Thank you.” Emma picked up the cups and followed him.
Pearl gathered the plates and forks. “It’s nice of you to let us stay in your cabin.” She looked from Sam to Gordon.
“Gentlemen don’t kick ladies out,” Sam said, while Gordon stomped off.
He sure isn’t happy for someone who has just found gold, Pearl thought as she watched him stride away.
* * *
The next morning Sam woke early to unfamiliar surroundings. He was lying on top of a blanket on the dirt floor of a strange cabin while his friends slept on double bunk beds. It took a moment before he remembered the events of the evening before and that they had found this empty cabin to spend the night after leaving his sister and cousin.
It had been a shock when he finally recognized Emma. She’d been a gawky fifteen-year-old when the three of them left and she had cried the night before saying that she would die of a broken heart with Donald gone. Obviously, that hadn’t happened. Instead, she’d grown into a lovely young woman, and Donald had definitely noticed the different.
Not only that, but little Pearl certainly couldn’t be called little anymore. She’d grown taller and prettier in the six years he’d been gone. She’d become a professional woman, writing articles for the Halifax newspaper. He wondered what else had changed in his family. His mother had written letters over the years, but reading about things happening, like his older sister now having two children, and actually being there to hold his niece and nephew when they were born were two different things.
Sam rose and picked up the backpack before quietly leaving the cabin. He’d let Donald and Gordon sleep a little longer. They were going to be busy over the next few months and sleep would be a precious commodity. Sam walked over to their previous cabin and listened at the door. There was no sound. He carried on to the store where he bought some bacon, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, dried fruit, a tin of butter, and a can of condensed milk. He returned to their cabin with the full backpack and this time knocked on the door.
“It’s just Sam,” he called.
It was a few minutes before Pearl opened the door a few inches and sleepily peered out at him. “Is something wrong?”
“No,” Sam smiled. “I’m making breakfast this morning. No use heating up the two cabins, so I was wondering if you and Emma would like to join us.”
“Just a moment.” Pearl closed the door and Sam could hear her and Emma whispering to each other.
The door opened again. “It will take a while for us to dress. Which cabin are you in?”
Sam pointed to one just down the street and on the opposite side.
“Do you want us to bring our dishes?”
“Yes, and can I borrow two pots?”
Pearl went back in the cabin and returned with the items.
“I’ll be frying bacon and making flapjacks,” Sam said. “Don’t be too long.”
Sam walked down the street and entered the cabin. “Time to get up boys,” he called. “We have to purchase our supplies and head back to the claim. There’s a lot of work to do.”
On the top bunk, Gordon groaned and rolled to face the wall. “I don’t believe there will be enough gold to make it worthwhile for us to put ourselves in debt. We should just walk away while we still can.”
Sam sighed inwardly. He’d thought finding the gold yesterday would be enough to inflame Gordon’s passion again.
Donald stood up and stretched. Sam looked at him. “What do you think?”
“He has a good point,” Donald said. “Now is the time to think practically about it. It’s going to cost us the price of recording the claims and the supplies and equipment. And we’re basing that expenditure solely on the gold Carmack had and what we found.”
“But we’ve already staked our claims,” Sam protested, not liking the turn of this conversation. He lit a fire in the stove and found their frying pan. “If we don’t register them that will be a waste of our time.”
“Time is one thing, money is another,” Gordon muttered.
Sam decided to change the subject. They could continue the discussion later. “Oh, by the way, I invited Emma and Pearl for breakfast.”
“What?” Donald gasped. “When are they coming? We don’t have any water for me to wash. How could you do that to me? I’m not ready.”
“They won’t be here for a while.” Sam grinned. “You have plenty of time to make yourself handsome.”
“What did you do that for, Sam?” Gordon grumbled, as Donald grabbed his shirt and dungarees and scrambled into them. “First they take over our cabin and now we’re feeding them.”
“They’re my sister and my cousin.” Sam snapped, tiring of Gordon’s attitude. “What am I supposed to do, ignore them?”
“They’re going to have to look after themselves when we return home next month.”
Sam stopped. “You’re going?”
“It’s just not making sense to stay.”
“I wish you’d give it a little more time.” Sam added more wood to the fire in the stove. “I’ve decided I’m not going back. I’m staying here and working my new claim.”
Donald wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. He found a pail under the table and headed out the door.
“I think Donald is staying too,” Sam added, as he sliced the bacon.
For the first time, Gordon grinned. “I think Donald is going anywhere your sister goes.”
“You noticed, too,” Sam smiled.
“Couldn’t help it.”
With the fire going well, Sam placed the bacon strips into the frying pan and set it on the stove. He mixed the flour, baking powder, and salt in one of Pearl’s pots, and set it aside to wait until everyone was ready before adding the milk and frying it. He considered himself lucky to have gotten the last tin of baking powder in the store since they didn’t have any sourdough starter. In the other pot, he combined the dried fruit and sugar. He’d add water and heat it on the stove when Donald returned with the pail. It made a good syrup for the flapjacks.
After they had their meal he, Donald, and Gordon had to register their claims and get supplies organized so they could head back to their claims the next day. They had to beat the rest of the prospectors who would be coming back soon to register their claims and purchase food and equipment. He refused to entertain the thought that Gordon wasn’t going with them.
* * *
Sam and Donald moved the table and two chairs outside. When the women arrived, they each lugged a chair. Donald went into another abandoned cabin and found one more.
Sam carried the bacon and flapjacks out and set them on the table. “Help yourselves,” he waved a hand to indicate the feast.
Donald offered the plate of flapjacks to the women. Pearl and Emma both took one. He and Gordon each pulled a couple of flapjacks onto their plates and poured the syrup over them. They ate with relish.
Sam noticed Pearl and Emma hesitate over the food.
“I’m not that bad of a cook,” he said, helping himself to the bacon.
“We’re having a hard time finding food we like,” Pearl explained.
“Yes, northern cooking does take time to get used to.”
Emma poured some fruit syrup over her flapjack. She took a bite. A look of enjoyment crossed her face.
“How come these flapjacks taste so much better than the ones in the restaurant?” she asked, as she swallowed.
“I made them with baking powder instead of sourdough starter.”
Pearl followed Emma’s example and both of them happily ate their flapjacks.
Sam smiled, happy to see them both enjoying his food.
During breakfast Sam and Donald took turns asking Pearl and Emma questions about their family and friends in Halifax. Gordon sat in stony silence. When they had finished breakfast, Emma volunteered to wash the dishes and Donald jumped up to help.
Sam had noticed the glances Donald gave Emma when he thought she wasn’t looking. He was as smitten with her now as she had been with him years ago. Sam doubted much would come of it, though, because they would be at their claim from now till spring and probably wouldn’t see the women again.
After the women left, the three men sat at the table.
“What are we doing?” Sam asked. Might as well get the argument over with now.
“I’ve decided I’m staying,” Donald said.
“Staying where?” Gordon sneered. “Here in the north or in Fortymile to be with your sweetheart.”
“She’s not my sweetheart,” Donald protested.
“Ah, but you want her to be.”
Donald blushed but didn’t deny it.
Sam stood. He didn’t care what Donald’s reasons were, he was just glad that his friend had chosen to remain. “I’m going to register my claim.”
“Me, too,” Donald said.
They both looked expectantly at Gordon. At first, it seemed he’d refuse to go with them. Finally, he sighed and stood up. “So am I.”
The three went to the river and climbed onto their raft. They poled across the Fortymile River to Fort Constantine, the North West Mounted Police post. The fort, constructed in 1895, was the first NWMP post in the Yukon River area. It had been named after Inspector Charles Constantine, who the person who administered the mining regulations in the territory.
The three men ran their raft onto the shore and jumped off, then walked up to the high walls of the fort and Sam opened the tall gates.
Each man filled out the forms and paid the fifteen dollar entry fee from the gold Donald had found. Once the claims were legally theirs, the three re-crossed the Fortymile River.
Now that they’d filed their claims Sam hoped that maybe Gordon would be more cheerful and positive. They walked to the trading post and began to lay out all the supplies and equipment they would need.
“I hear you guys have claims on Rabbit Creek,” the man behind the counter said. “Do you think it will pay?”
Sam shrugged. “We found some gold but have no idea how well it will pay. We’re just willing to give it a try.”
“Carmack certainly thinks it’s worth something. He sure got the men riled up about a big strike.”
“Yes, we met all the rafts and boats yesterday on our way here,” Donald laughed. “They sure were excited. And they’ll be even more so when they get to the creek and find some gold.”
“It will turn out to be a bust just like so many others,” Gordon grouched.
So much for a more cheerful and positive attitude.
* * *
“I’m going to see if I can find Miss Millett,” Pearl said to Emma, as she picked up her writing booklet and sketchpad. Sam had mentioned a number of people he thought she would be interested in interviewing and Miss Millet, a missionary teacher at the school, had been one of them. Pearl wanted to learn her story. “Do you want to come with me?”
“No. Donald asked me to meet him at the café for lunch.”
“Oh, he’s working fast. He probably realizes that he shouldn’t have ignored you years ago.”
Emma blushed. “He’s just being nice.”
“Sure he is.” Pearl nodded knowingly. “I’ll be back later this afternoon.”
Pearl followed the directions Sam had given her to the school. He hadn’t been sure if Miss Millet would be there since most of the children were at summer fishing and hunting camps with their parents. As she neared the one story log building, she noticed a few native children playing outside. Pearl approached the young woman sitting on a bench watching them.
“Excuse me, are you Miss Millet?”
The woman looked up at Pearl. “Yes.”
“My name is Pearl Owens and I’ve just arrived in Fortymile”
“Are you related to Sam Owens?”
“Yes, he’s my cousin. I came here with his sister, Emma. I’m writing some articles on people who live here for my newspaper back home and Sam said I should talk with you.”
“He did?”
Why did everyone seem so surprised that she wanted to learn about their lives? “Yes, he said you came here from Ireland as a missionary.”
“That, I did.”
“Did you start the school?”
“No, I came to take over the teaching duties from Mr. Benjamin Totty in 1893.”
“So, you’ve been here three years. How do you like it?”
Miss Millet smiled slightly. “That depends on the season.”
“Okay, tell me about the seasons and what you like or dislike about them.”
“Summer is lovely except for the mosquitoes. The daylight is long, the days are warm. Autumn is beautiful with its colourful leaves. But it is also a depressing time. That is when the sternwheelers quit coming, leaving us without contact for the winter.”
“Yes, I noticed the excitement when the boat I travelled on stopped at all the places along the river. Does the whistle always sound?”
Miss Millet nodded. “The whistle sounds no matter what time of the day or night the boat arrives. Everyone heads to the river to see who has come and to get any newspapers and letters they’ve been sent. Some of those letters are up to a year old, but no one minds. We are always happy to receive something from home.”
“I’ve heard the winters are very cold here. Is that true?”
“I’ve woken in the morning to find my blanket fringed with icicles from my breath.”
A young boy came over to the women and began talking to Miss Millet in his native language. Miss Millet answered and the boy grinned and ran off.
“What did he say?”
“He came to remind me that it’s almost lunch time.”
“What is the language?”
“It’s Tukudh. Bishop Bompas, who has been a travelling minister in the north for years, taught me.”
Pearl looked at the small group of children. “Sam said most of the children are gone with their parents.”
“Yes, we don’t really have a school during the summer. But I am here in case some of them stay back or return early.”