Carl grabbed for the itchy wool trousers on the end of the bed as he jumped to his feet when he heard the knock on the door. With not even a hint of daylight from the window on the other side of the room, he wondered what time it was. A glimmer of moonlight slid across the floor. Beth rolled over on her back and looked up at him as he struggled to put the trousers on. Buttons instead of zippers were much harder to manipulate as he raced to the door, his hands on the flap needed to close the front of them.
Thomas gently tapped his knuckles once again on the door as Carl was about to open it.
“It’s time to milk the cow and feed the chickens,” Thomas told him as he opened the door wide to let the light from the candle in his hand shine in. Carl moved his head to the side to prevent Thomas from seeing his wife in bed.
“Are you asking me to come and help you?” Carl rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and let out a long yawn.
“Yes, I could use the help, if you would.”
“Sure, just let me get dressed.” Carl yawned again, turning around. “I’ll be right out.” He closed the door behind him as he stepped back inside and leaned against it to get his thoughts together. Milk a cow? I’ve never milked a cow.
Beth was up out of the bed searching for her clothes strung across the room in a fit of passion the night before. She shivered with the cool morning air that surrounded them in the small darkened room. A hint of light seeped in from a narrow space in the door—just enough to let them know it was the start of a new day. She stretched her arms above her head and hurried to dress to avoid the chill.
Carl was ready to leave by the time she adjusted the skirt and rolled the long sleeves of the blouse up to her elbows. Her hands felt cold against his face as he went to kiss her good-bye. He slipped the bracers up over his shoulder. Wonder when they started calling these bracers suspenders?
“I’m on my way to the barn out there to fondle a cow’s udders and throw food at a bunch of chickens.” He took her hand in his. “Try to keep warm and don’t do anything but stay here inside with Helen. I don’t want to worry about where you are or what you’re doing.” He kissed her, a long warm kiss, and then left the room, leaving the door open.
It was kind of silly to worry about her while the barn was only a few yards from the house. It wasn’t as though he were leaving on a long journey miles away. Beth only smiled as she thought about how concerned he could be.
She realized she would have to venture out to the toilet facilities outside that she’d visited the night before. Helen was by the kitchen table spooning something into a bowl for Annie who sat watching it with a doubtful grimace on her face.
“You have to eat this,” she told her little girl as she set a smaller spoon down in front of the bowl. “Breakfast is important, and cornmeal mash is very good for you.” She poured a little cream over the yellow mash and handed the girl a linen napkin.
“Good morning,” Beth said as she walked up to the table. “Everyone is up so early. What time is it?” She circled the table while looking out through the one window that faced the barn.
A morning mist hovered over the farm as a bright moon in the western skies, soon to be gone, peeked over the waving treetops. Although it was still somewhat dark, she could see Carl standing at the open barn door with a pitchfork in his hands and a large wagon in front of him. She stood still and watched for a few moments until Helen asked her if she wanted some tea. “It’ll take the chill out of your bones.”
The tea hit the spot on a cool fall morning as Beth sat at the table with her kind host going on about her little girl who smiled while she ate her breakfast.
Beth stared at Helen with wonder. She assumed the woman was close to her own age, but she looked so much older. There appeared to be signs of hard work that played havoc on her appearance. But she could see gentleness in this kind woman’s face that made her feel close to her even though they’d only met. It was so nice to have another woman she could talk to, and be with. Soldiers, Indians, and language she couldn’t understand had been taking its toll on her. At least now there was Helen.
“She’s a little shy, isn’t she?” Beth asked as the little girl sunk down in her chair when Beth looked over at her.
“Shy, maybe, but if you don’t mind me saying so, you do look different from most folks around here.” She reached over to pat Beth’s hand. “Annie is just impressed by your appearance. She finds you interesting.” Helen leaned forward as though to whisper. “By the way, the toilets are right outside if you have a need.”
“Yes, I was wondering about that. Thanks.”
With the shawl pulled tightly around her, Beth made her way to the back of the cabin with some reservations. Great! She hurried along with only one thing in mind, Get this over with fast!
Helen had the table cleared when Beth returned. It wasn’t long before the men were at the door looking for something to eat. Helen hurried along with serving the corn mash and brown bread. She had Thomas bring dried fruit up from the fruit cellar out by the barn. An assortment of dried apples, blueberries, and some currants went well with the meal. They all sat at the table eating and making conversation about the day’s events ahead of them.
Besides all the work around the farm, Thomas had to make periodic visits to the Mohawk River just a few miles east of them. Food and supplies often came down the river in small vessels that traveled there from the sea. Many larger boats from other countries had to watch for pirates. Often these renegades fought with larger boats from other countries for cargo and would sell it to the British. Care had to be taken when going to the river not to run into these thieves. Thomas always took with him his Jaeger rifle, with his powder horn full. If he was lucky to get some of the needed food and supplies, he was not going to have it stolen right out from under him.
“Would you like to come with me?” he asked Carl as he stood and stretched his arms upward.
“How do we get there?” Carl’s eyes drifted toward Beth looking for help.
“I’ll hitch up old Betsy to the wagon out there and off we’ll go.”
“That’s what I thought. Mind if I ask, how is it to ride those few miles to the river? You know, Indians, wild animals—got my drift?”
“I’ve only had a few times where a renegade Indian came along, but I fought him off—and, as far as the animals, well…they are out there, but I haven’t had any trouble with them.”
“You mean you’ve killed Indians?”
“Yes, of course, what would you expect? I’m not in the habit of letting them scalp my head. They sell scalps to the British, you know.” He went for his hat hanging on a branch stand by the door. “There really isn’t as much danger of the Indians, anymore—not since they were fought off in the last battle at Fort Stanwix. Most of them went north. What we have here now are mostly friendly to our cause and a big help to all of us. We’re holding true to our new constitution.”
“I saw firsthand what some of those other Indians can do, and I don’t care to see something like it again.” Carl’s brows drew together as the picture of those three dead soldiers with their scalps gone and blood-covered faces reappeared in his mind.
“Does this mean you don’t want to go with me?” Thomas fixed his stare right into Carl’s eyes.
“No, I would be happy to go with you. When do we get started?” He looked once again at Beth for some kind of response, but she only shrugged her shoulders.
“We will need to leave now if we’re going to be back by sundown.”
It didn’t take long to hitch the horse to the wagon. With a wide boarded seat up front for them to ride on it seemed as though it could be a fun trip. A wool blanket was thrown over the seat, long enough to come up over them, should it become too cold as they rode along. An Indian on horseback came up alongside of the rig, waiting to ride along with them.
Night Sun, a tall lanky man, wore his tailored deerskin trousers and a long Indian-made poncho draping from his shoulders to his knees. The moccasins on his feet bore signs of wear, with holes at the sides and who-knew-what on the bottom. He was sporting three feathers in the band around his head, which he proudly showed off by turning his head from side to side. Carl nodded at him as he mounted the wagon and sat beside Thomas. He looked back to notice some straw laid out in the bed of the wagon.
Thomas noticed the interest. “The straw is for several needs. We never know what we will get and some things need a safe, soft place—and if we have to spend any time there, we have something to bed down. Rest can be very important.”
“I didn’t realize we may be spending a night or more than the afternoon. I thought you said you wanted to get back by sundown?”
“Yes, I did, but there have been times when things were a little difficult, and I had to stay there overnight. I really don’t think it will happen now, not since the last battle.”
The trail they traveled was mixed—sometimes clear with no problems, other times a struggle to get through the thick foliage. Along the way, about three miles from the farm, they stopped at a fort manned only by Indians. The lonely one-storey log building had one room and a small loft for lookout. Sunlight filtered through the boards of the high fence surrounding it and reached over the top of the long stretch of wood planks for the roof. The wide opening in front allowed them to enter without problem. Thomas took the wagon right up to the front door. An Indian dressed in an old soldier’s uniform ran out to greet them.
Another Indian dressed in skins like most others brought water for the horses, while the men went inside to be refreshed with some rum and flat, dry bread.
The stop-off was comforting as they restored not only their own energy but provided a rest and a pause for Betsy, who drank thirstily and fed on wheat.
They didn’t linger long as the day moved on. Thomas still wanted to get back to the farm by sundown. Related to most of the Indians there, Night Sun wanted to stay at the fort and wait for them so he could visit with his kin. His horse, tied at the hitching rail, hammered his hooves into the ground when Thomas turned his horse around to leave.
“That horse wants to go with us,” Carl remarked as they rode out of the fort.
“They get used to being with certain other horses and can’t understand why they’re being left behind. He’ll settle down as soon as we’re out of sight,” Thomas assured him. He whipped the reins to hurry Betsy on her way.