Chapter Six

Key City, Iowa Territory,
November 22, 1833

Another hour went by. They climbed up and down hills. They followed the narrow path. They started to see men working in what looked like small caves in the rocky bluffs. There looked to be dozens of small caves all up and down the bluffs. The men stopped their work when they saw the two wagons. They watched the wagons go by in silence.

Soon Penny could smell smoke. They came off the path and to a large group of small buildings. The trees were cut down in a large circle. Ten or twenty buildings were grouped inside the circle. This was Key City.

Key City was only three or four months old. The men who first came cut down as many trees as they could. They had to do it by hand. It was hard work. Then they used the trees to make log cabins. Most of the buildings were one- or two-room log cabins. But a few buildings were plain wood. The wood was a bright brown. It was new wood, and Penny could smell how fresh it was. The largest wood building had a sign that said “Land Office.” She could see another wood building with the sign “Medical Doctor” on it. So Key City had a doctor. That was good.

Mr. and Mrs. Butterman got down off their wagons and went into the Land Office. Nate again looked back at Penny sitting in her wagon. He lifted his shoulders in the air. Penny laughed softly and nodded back. With only a few wood buildings, Key City could not really be called a city.

Some men came out of the log cabins to look at the Buttermans’ wagons. Two of the men looked at Nate. Then they talked to each other. They were rough and dirty. Penny knew what trouble looked like. And these white men looked like trouble. Penny sat up straight on the wagon. This was not good.

The two men walked across the cold ground to the wagon were Nate was. One of them, a short man, said to Nate, “Whose wagon is this?”

“This is Mr. Butterman’s wagon, sir,” said Nate. His voice was calm and quiet.

“Suh!” said the other, taller man. “Did you hear him say ‘suh’ or is that ‘sir’?”

The men laughed. The short one went behind the wagon to look at Harv. Harv moved and pulled on his rope hard. Nate was out of the wagon faster than Penny could believe. He stood between Harv and the short, ugly man. The man was trying to untie Harv’s rope. Harv did not like it.

“Sir,” said Nate. Both men laughed loudly. Then Harv pulled his rope again. Very hard.

“Do not touch Mr. Butterman’s horse,” said Nate. Now his voice was louder. “Get back.”

More people came out of the log cabins to look. The door on a small wood house opened up. Two white women came out. One of the women called out, “Are you stealing that horse, Mr. Ginn? Are you?” The two men stopped laughing. The woman was wearing a dark green dress. She had light golden hair. She came closer, picking her way over the hard ground.