Page 49 of Wagon Train Song
So many memories she wished she could share with Gabe.
As she planned the things she’d tell him, the wagons rolled across the valley floor. Lost in her thoughts, she caught up to Gabe and Bertie.
The wagons had stopped moving. Before them, the river rumbled over rocks and tugged at bushes growing at the water’s edge. An edge that disappeared into water too murky to see the bottom. The rushing sound was enough to freeze Marnie’s blood. The churning water couldn’t have been less inviting. Or morefear-inducing. The skin on her cheeks grew taut. Her eyelids refused to blink.
Gabe must have noticed her reaction for he eased past Bertie and touched her elbow. “Marnie, what’s wrong?”
Not a sound came to her mouth. But she managed to lift one hand enough to jab it toward the river. Already Joe had his horse stepping into the water. He proceeded with a caution that did nothing to relieve her fears.
The horse appeared to be struggling. Joe reined him back and tried another place. Again, the horse floundered. Again, Joe tried another place.
As others gathered at the bank to watch, Marnie’s legs folded beneath her, and she sank to the grass.
Gabe sat beside her. “He’ll find a crossing.”
That’swhat she was afraid of!
“Joe knows what he’s doing.”
As the guide tried again and again to find a way across the river, she shuddered and held back on questioning Gabe’s statement.
Finally, the horse and rider crossed the stream, paused as if Joe reconsidered this whole affair, and then returned, the water rushing around his gelding’s legs. “Let’s move out. One wagon at a time.” He adjusted his hat to shield his eyes from the sun. “We’ll take our noon break on the other side.” As if that was enough incentive for them all to throw themselves into the river.
Her whole body jolted in protest. She leaned forward, tried to get her feet under her, but failed to find the strength. “We’ll drown,” she sputtered. “We’ll all drown.”
Gabe pulled her back. “Marnie, we’ll be safe. I promise.” His grasp was firm, anchoring her to the ground. He lowered his voice even more. “Bertie is watching and he’s getting scared.”
She sucked in a breath and looked for her son. He perched in the back of Ruby and Angela’s wagon, clutching Alice in onearm, Limpy in the other, and watching Marnie. She could almost hear his whimpers. Gathering strength into her limbs, she sat up straight and waved at him.
The first wagon entered the river, and she thought of nothing else but praying them across. “God, keep them safe. God, keep them safe.” She murmured the words over and over as the current pushed against the wagon, causing it to tilt at a dangerous angle. The oxen strained but made progress. At first. And then the wheels stopped turning. Louise yelled at the animals. Walt and Cecil rode up beside them and slapped the oxen on their rears while Irene and Joe rode at their heads, shouting for them to pull.
The wheels sucked forward as mud darkened the water in their wake.
Marnie gasped for air once the wagon reached the far bank. Her relief was short-lived, though, for the riders returned to assist Ruby and Angela across with Bertie in the back looking helpless and afraid.
This time, the riders were prepared and rode beside the oxen from the outset, urging them to keep up a good pace, but despite their yells, the wheels slowed and stopped midway. For several endless minutes, they tried to get the animals to move, but even as the oxen strained, the wagon didn’t budge.
The water wasn’t deep. It didn’t even reach the top of the wheels which were covered with mud—evidence of a muddy bottom.
Joe jumped into the water and got behind the wagon. He called to the other riders, and they rode back to join him. Marnie couldn’t make out his words before Irene returned to the oxen and Cecil and Walt dismounted into the river. Joe shouted. Irene yelled at the animals. Ruby snapped the lines, and the three men at the back leaned into the wagon, pushing with all they had.
Gabe bolted to his feet. “I need to help them.”
The bottom fell out of Marnie’s heart. If he left, she’d be alone.
As the colorreceded from Marnie’s cheeks, Gabe sank back to the ground beside her. Right now, she needed his encouragement more than they needed another pair of shoulders pushing on the wagon. “They’ll call if they need my help.”
Bertie stood and waved.
Marnie gasped. “Bertie!” But he wouldn’t hear her over the river.
Joe said something, and the young man sat down again.
The men pushed on the wagon, the girls yelled at the oxen, the animals strained, but nothing happened. Joe stepped back and called a halt to the proceedings. He remounted and crossed to the far side to speak to Louise and Hazel.
Gabe nodded his approval. “He’s going to use their oxen to help pull the wagon.”
The girls unhitched their pair, and Joe urged the animals back into the water.
