Chapter Five

An Exploratory Trip

In late August, Mr. Rush and Henry prepared to leave for South Dakota. The day before their departure, they set about loading the wagon with supplies. The realization that the men would likely be gone for several weeks prompted tears from Frances, grim silence from Mrs. Rush, and curious questions from the younger children.

“Will you see the Indians?” Simon wanted to know.

“We might,” Mr. Rush replied. “Our land is just outside the reservation. We’re going to find a place near the creek to put our house.”

“This house?” Alice asked. “Will this house move to South Dakota?”

“Of course not, Alice.” Simon answered the question. “They have to build a new one up there, don’t they, Papa?”

Mr. Rush nodded. “We’ll get the cellar dug and build a shelter for the animals. The house and barn will be built after we move.”

“I’ll go with you and help,” Simon declared. “I know how to dig.”

“You’ll stay here,” Ethan told him. “You’d be in the way when they’re trying to work. You can help Luke and me in the barn.”

Simon scowled, but he didn’t say any more about it. He watched carefully as the big wagon was loaded with tools, building materials, and camping gear.

Polly was kept busy baking and preparing food for the men to take along. Dried meat, vegetables that wouldn’t spoil in the heat, and canned goods were packed in the wagon.

Simon was allowed to go into town with Henry to have the horses shod for the trip. He was eager to share the experience when he returned.

“You know what the smithy did?” he asked Alice.

“What’s a smithy?”

“A blacksmith,” Simon explained. “He has a big fire, and he puts horseshoes into it till they’re red hot. Then he dunks ’em in a barrel, and they go f-z-z-z.” He imitated the noise. “And smoke comes out.”

Alice’s eyes were wide. “He burned the horses’ feet? Why did Henry let him do that?”

“I didn’t say he burned the horses’ feet!” Simon shouted. “They didn’t even have the shoes on yet!” He slumped. “It’s no use trying to tell a girl anything.”

Simon turned away in disgust, but Alice ran after him. “Tell me, Simon! Tell me what he did next. I won’t say anything more.”

“Well, all right. The smithy put the shoe on a big iron table and banged it with a hammer till it was the right size. Then he picked up Ned’s foot and fastened the shoe on with big nails.”

Alice gasped. “Nails in his foot?” Then she apparently remembered her promise and clapped her hands over her mouth.

Simon chose not to admit that he had reacted the same way. “It didn’t hurt him,” he answered patiently. “Henry said Ned’s hooves are too thick to feel the nails. In fact, both Ned and Jesse like their new shoes.”

When Simon left for the barn to keep an eye on the preparations, Alice sat on the back step. She was lonely. At Briarlane there had been little girls to play with, especially Betsy, who had guided her through the routines of the orphanage and her first year at school. Betsy was the only friend Alice had ever had who was her own age, but Betsy had found a new family at one of the first stops the Orphan Train made.

Simon had always been glad to play with Alice before, but now the marvels of the farm took him off to the fields or the barn in pursuit of Luke or Henry or Ethan.

Ethan. Alice sighed. She missed her big brother. Ethan had always looked after her and made sure she was safe. But since they had come to the farm, Alice saw Ethan only at mealtimes. And if he didn’t finish his chores fast enough or well enough, he had to eat in the kitchen rather than with the family.

Alice drew circles in the dirt with her toe. This was her home, and she was glad that her brothers were here with her, but she did wish that her new mother could be more like Matron. No one but Will had been hugged since they came here. Alice thought that Mrs. Rush would probably be happier if she had only Will to take care of.

She did have a big sister now, Alice reflected. After the first few days, when Frances had sulked and Alice had stayed out of her way, Frances started paying attention to the one other girl in the family and being kind to her.

One day they had gone together to pick wild strawberries.

“Here, Alice. Polly needs some berries for supper. Do you want to help pick them?” Frances handed Alice a lard pail, and they walked together to the fence at the edge of the road. Frances helped her over the railing, and Alice skipped to keep up with her as they headed for the berry bushes.

“Does your papa own all these berries, too?” Alice had asked.

“Yes, he owns everything you can see.” Frances plopped the berries into her bucket so hard that some of them bounced out. “That ought to be enough for him. This place is good enough for me, and I don’t want to go to South Dakota. Mama doesn’t either, but when Papa makes up his mind, that’s what we do.”

Frances sat on the grass and tucked her knees up under her chin. Alice sat beside her, and they gazed off over the fields for a moment.

“I lived at Briarlane when I was younger, just like you did,” Frances had said.

“You did? I don’t remember seeing you.”

“It was a long time ago. You weren’t even born yet. I was just a little older than you are now when I came here.”

“Did you come on an Orphan Train?”

Frances shook her head. “No, Mama and Papa came to Hull-House in Chicago to get me and my baby brother. We traveled out here on a train, but it wasn’t an Orphan Train.”

“I didn’t know you had a baby brother, Frances. Where is he now?”

“He died of pneumonia. That’s why Mama likes Will so much. He reminds her of Robbie.” Frances jumped to her feet. “We’d better finish picking these berries and get back to the house. Polly will be after us.”

“I like Polly,” Alice had said. “She lets me help bake.”

“I know. I used to help when I was little too. Since I’m in school now and have to practice the organ, I don’t have much time. She’s lucky to have you.” Frances had smiled at the little girl as they returned to their task. The pails were soon full, and they headed for home.

Recalling that day, Alice wished that she and Frances could do more things together, but Frances and Mrs. Rush were busy sewing for the family.

Alice got up and wandered out toward the barn to see how preparations for the trip were coming along. Ethan told her the men were leaving early in the morning.

Polly and Manda scurried around the kitchen taking care of last-minute preparations for the departure.

“We’ll pack their lunch for tomorrow so they won’t have to stop until nightfall,” Manda directed. “When Chad is ready to go, he doesn’t want anything to get in his way.”

“He wouldn’t be so eager to go if he had to do all the gettin’ ready,” Polly declared. “Who knows how long it’ll take ’em to get there, let alone do all that work. How are we gonna pack these eggs?”

“Have Ethan fill this wooden box with sawdust,” Manda decided. “The eggs will ride in that.”

“They’re gonna get mighty tired of rustlin’ their own meals after they’ve dug all day. I’m surprised Chad didn’t have one of us go along.”

Manda harrumphed. “He knew better than to ask me, and I wouldn’t be able to manage here without you. They’ll just have to do the best they can.”

The women worked in silence for a few minutes.

Then Polly brought up another topic that had been bothering her. “This here soddy … How big do you reckon it will be?”

“Not big enough for all of us to live in it like human beings,” Manda snapped. “I never thought I’d see the day I’d take all my belongings and set up house in a hole in the ground. The best we can hope for is that they’ll find a suitable spot by the creek. No telling how long it will be until we have a well.”

Polly wiped her face with her apron. “It’s bound to be cooler underground in the summer than it is in this kitchen.” She pulled the pies from the oven and set them on the table. “Cherry, apple, blueberry, and rhubarb. That should hold ’em for a few days.”

By suppertime, Chad pronounced the big wagon loaded and ready to go.

“We’ll leave by four in the morning,” he said. “That should get us to the Niobrara River by night.”