The sound of hooves splashing in the stream woke Douglas, and although the day wouldn’t start for another hour, he slipped from his blankets and dressed. Walking in the direction of the sound, he saw Thomas leading the Vincent horse with two saddles aboard, one on top of the other.
“It’s awfully early, Thomas. Don’t you think we ought to have breakfast and wait for the sun to rise before we head out?”
“Can’t wait to get started, Herb. I woke up nearly an hour ago, bright eyed and as excited as a kid in a candy store. I figured you could ride the Vincent mare, so I fetched her a few minutes ago. Her name’s Star because of the marking on her face. Stu—I mean Jake—can ride one of the draft horses and I’ll ride the black stallion.” It went without saying Bart would ride Maude. The men heard a noise by the creek and turned to see Mrs. Douglas dipping water into the coffee pot. By the time they reached the wagon a few minutes later, the fire had been kindled and coffee water was on, but Mrs. Douglas was nowhere to be seen.
“We’ll let the boys sleep another thirty minutes,” suggested Douglas. “They were worn out from the hay cutting yesterday.”
“Thomas, are you sure you can ride that stallion? He looks mighty spirited. I doubt if he’s ever been ridden by a white man.”
“He’ll be a handful, all right, but the chief rode him, so he’s been broke. I imagine he’ll try to buck me off, but hopefully, he’ll settle down after a while. I think I can stay aboard.”
After breakfast, Liz and her mother watched the four men examine the horses’ feet before saddling Star and the black. After everyone mounted, the men waved goodbye and headed off to the ranch for a second day of hay cutting.
“Why can’t we go along, Mama? There’s work to be done, and we could help.”
“Your father says it’s too dangerous. His mind needs to be on work and not on protecting us.”
“But we went the other day, and the Indians didn’t bother us.”
“We’ll abide with what your father says, Liz.”
The black danced around a little when Thomas mounted, even bucked some as they moved off, but he easily kept his seat. Thomas seemed years younger on a horse. They rode in pairs with little conversation for the next three hours, thinking of the work to be done and the danger that might lie ahead. They didn’t stop at the Indian trace, but everyone noticed the fresh prints from several unshod horses. They rode with caution and were observant of all possible hiding places.
While the scythes were being sharpened, Thomas suggested after the hay was cut the next project would be to build a cabin. Snow and cold weather would be upon them by the first of November, so they only had four weeks. He pointed to a stand of pines on a hillside and indicated the trees in that area would be suited for the building logs. The boys headed for the grass field, and the men went to the trees with axes in hand. All, except Jake, had loaded rifles.
The men were dismounting when Thomas noticed a certainty in Douglas’s expression before he spoke. “Thomas, we can select the trees and begin building the cabin, but I won’t move my family up here until I know they’ll be safe. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir, I understand, and I share your concerns, but out here in the West, it’s always best to be prepared and not put things off.”
They tied Star and Black to a strong tree branch and started surveying the area. Most of the trees were tall enough to build a fifteen-by-twenty-foot cabin, which would be sufficient for a year or two. Then a larger, more elaborate house could be built. As they were selecting their timber, one of the men walked to the clearing every few minutes to look for Indians.
At noon, they met at the barn to eat. Mrs. Douglas had packed salt pork sandwiches and a can of peaches. The horses were content in the corral eating cut grass and taking an occasional drink from the stream. The corral rails extended a couple of feet into the stream, which created a ready source of water, a natural watering trough. From time to time, Bart observed Maude’s long pointed ears, but they remained relaxed.
The men were about ready to leave the timber and head home when the horses made a loud commotion. They heard twigs breaking, leaves crunching, and whinnies. When Herb and Thomas got to them, Star was standing wide-eyed, and Black was gone.
“He broke the reins—the knot’s still secure,” Thomas reported after examining where Black had been tethered. “It could have been Indians that spooked the horses. We’d better get down to the boys.”
Leading Star, the men came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the woods. “Are these bear tracks?” asked Douglas. “They sure are,” Thomas answered. “It takes a huge bear to leave prints that size. Might have been a grizzly, Black is probably still running, and I doubt if he comes back on his own. There’s no need looking for him today.”
The trip back to the camp was much like the previous night, except Thomas was mounted on the draft horse with Jake sitting behind him. After the horses were taken care of, they went to the creek and washed. Liz and Mrs. Douglas were waiting with worried faces when they returned to camp. They had plates of steaming hot stew, biscuits, and coffee waiting for the men. “How did your day go? Did you see Indians?” asked Mrs. Douglas.
“We got a lot done. The boys made good progress with the hay, and we marked enough trees to begin logging for our cabin.”
“Are you building a cabin, Papa? When will it be completed? When can we move in?”
“Now, don’t get your hopes up. We won’t be moving until I’m sure it’s safe. However, in the West, one must be prepared and not put things off.” Douglas caught Thomas’ eye and winked as he repeated his friend’s wisdom.
“Where’s Black?” Liz asked. “I saw Jake riding behind Thomas when they rode in.” Her father explained the entire bear episode while he ate supper.
Mrs. Douglas indicated the day was one of relaxation for the women. Apparently, she and Liz had spent several hours at Jenny’s Place getting acquainted with folks and talking with Mrs. Kaiser, who seemed to be making the best of her new living arrangements. Several patrons came to the café while they were there, including a young man about Liz’s age. Jenny said he was the banker’s son. His name was Sidney.
At midmorning the following day, the men stopped at the Indian trail. Fresh tracks were evident, including some heading toward the homestead and some returning from that direction. The men looked at the tracks with concern and reached for their rifles. Slowly, they proceeded out of the valley, carefully scanning their surroundings and advancing with caution.
Unshod hoofprints led to the barn, and the ground by the corral rail had been trampled by standing horses. Thomas told the boys to stay mounted and to be prepared to leave in a hurry. He and Douglas dismounted with chamber-filled rifles. They opened the barn’s double doors and paused for a few seconds to let their eyes adjust to the dark and then walked in.
“You boys get down and come in here,” Douglas called. When Bart and Jake entered, they saw Black standing in a stall.
“Did the Indians catch Black and put him in the barn?” Bart asked.
“Couldn’t have been anyone else,” said Thomas. “And look over here, they left us a hindquarter of buffalo meat and three cured buffalo hides that’ll come in mighty handy when winter gets here. Looks to me like they’re inviting us to move in. Don’t you agree, Herb?”
“I’d say you’re right, Thomas, but let’s talk to Captain Willard when we get back. I want to make sure we’re interpreting these events correctly. By the way, has anyone seen the captain in the past few days?”
“I think he went to Denver to talk with the Territorial Governor,” Thomas suggested. “My guess, he’ll be back by tomorrow.”
“If you see him, ask him to look me up. Now, let’s get to work. You boys sharpen the scythes and cut more grass. We’ll head for the trees.”
They worked two hours after lunch and then headed home to share the news about Black and the Indian gifts. But the camp was empty when they arrived. “Where do you suppose they’ve gone?” questioned Bart.
“I’d say they’re at Jenny’s Place pestering the customers and talking up a storm with Jenny and Mrs. Kaiser,” Douglas said with a chuckle. “Let’s go find them.”
Sure enough, when the four entered the restaurant, there sat the women holding cups. To the men’s surprise, the captain was with them. “Didn’t expect you back until tomorrow,” questioned Thomas. “Thought you went to see the governor?”
“I came back a day early because of the governor’s schedule. By the way, what are you men doing back so early? These women have been telling me you work until dark on the old Vincent Ranch.”
“Yes, how come you’re back so early?” asked Mrs. Douglas.
After telling what the Indians had done in great detail, Douglas looked at the captain and asked, “What’s your take on this, Captain? What should we do?”
Without hesitation, he answered, “Douglas, the Indians have given you an invitation to live among them in peace. It’s apparent the story of Bart’s kindness to the old chief has spread throughout the Indian nation in this part of the country. You won’t have a thing to worry about with the Indians—now or in the future. That goes for your family and others that are welcomed by you on your property. You’re safe to hunt game, your stock will not be molested, and if you need protection, you’ll get help. That’s the way it is with Indians in this part of the country.”
All eyes were on the two men as questions and answers flowed back and forth. The Douglas clan soaked up every word, trying to contemplate if they would be moving to the ranch in the next day or two.
“Should we wait a few days to see if things remain peaceful? Maybe the Indians will change their minds? Captain, I’ve got to be certain my family is safe.”
“To wait would indicate mistrust. It would be a slap in the face. If you don’t move in tomorrow, most likely you’ll never be welcomed as wholeheartedly as if you accept the natives’ invitation right away. Don’t waste this opportunity, Douglas. Your family will be safe. I have no doubt about it.”
Everyone’s eyes followed Douglas as he went to the stove for coffee. After pouring, he stood for a few minutes before turning and announcing, “We’ll leave tomorrow after we’ve gathered our belongings and purchased some supplies.” Douglas was not jubilant about this decision. Concern still weighed heavy on his mind, but he had always trusted the captain’s advice—he’d trust him in this matter too.
After supper, the Douglas family was busy preparing tomorrow’s move. Mrs. Douglas wrote out her shopping list with Liz, and Mr. Douglas examined the wagon wheels and other equipment. All were excited. Everyone that is, except for Jake and Thomas. They sat several yards away and hadn’t said a word since supper.
Bart ambled over to Mr. Douglas. “Thomas and Jake are down and out, Mr. Douglas. They’ve been quiet all evening. They think we’re going to leave them behind. Are we, Mr. Douglas? Are we leaving them behind?”
“We don’t have money for their wages, Bart. I feel terrible for not being able to offer them jobs, but I don’t have the means.”
“Would you at least talk with them? I think they’ll understand your position,” Bart asked.
With a heavy heart, Douglas went to talk with Thomas and Jake.
Thomas nodded after Douglas explained the situation and said, “I understand, Herb. I wouldn’t want you to run short because of me. I hope things go well for you.”
Douglas had turned and was halfway back to the wagon when Jake called to him. “Mister D-D-D-Douglas. I’ll w-w-w-work for nothing if you’ll h-h-h-have me.”
Thomas eyed Jake, and then called out, “That goes for me too.”