Page 54 of Wagon Train Song
He looked at the rocks and back to the wagons. “I not get lost?”
“We won’t let that happen.”
“I find more buffalo horn?”
“Bertie, I can’t promise, but you might.”
He trotted away, the goat on his heels.
Marnie waited until he was out of hearing. “I thought you could take a break from his endless questions.”
Was that the only reason? “I don’t mind him. He asks interesting questions.”
She flicked a bit of grass from her sleeve and watched it sail away. “That’s one way of putting it. Norman used to say there was no end to his questions. Sometimes they make sense but not always.”
Bertie poked through the tall grass growing around the boulders while Alice climbed them and bleated from the top.
Gabe glanced at Marnie. Her eyes gentle, she watched Bertie.
“Sounds like she’s bragging about being on top of the world.” Gabe’s comment brought a laugh from Marnie, and the achievement warmed him.
He turned his attention back to the oxen who had slowed. “Do you remember Mr. Skeet?”
“Wasn’t he the bachelor who’d drop in for a friendly visit but always at mealtime?”
“That was him. He mostly visited families with marriageable daughters. You remember Mr. VanderToorn?” He didn’t wait for her to answer knowing she would. “He had four girls. He would often bemoan how Mr. Skeet would come over for supper and park in a chair for the evening, eyeing up the girls who avoided him.”
“He might have cleaned himself up if he figured on winning over some young gal.”
“It didn’t seem to occur to him. Mr. Van said they’d finally tell him to put out the lamp when he left, and they’d go to bed.”
“Oh my.” Marnie gasped. “I never heard that before.”
“Did he ever get married?” He hadn’t thought of the man in years.
“Last I heard of him, he was headed West.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. “I hope we don’t run into him and he isn’t still looking for a girl to marry. I wouldn’t want that for any of those girls.” She tipped her head toward the wagons ahead.
“The VanderToorns moved on before I did. I guess Mr. Skeet needed more selection with those four girls gone.”
Gabe and Marnie grinned at each other. It felt like a bridge had been built across the twenty years, leading him to her again. Or did he mean he had discovered her for the first time?
Bertie trotted toward them, holding something. He thrust out his big hands, cradling an empty bird nest. “What kind of bird build this?”
Neither Gabe nor Marnie knew.
“Oh.” Bertie trotted away. “I keep it.” He leaned over the endgate of Ruby’s wagon and stowed it among his things.
Gabe and Marnie spent the rest of the afternoon recalling people and events from the past, a conversation they could have even with Bertie present. But Gabe wanted to know more than her past. What were her dreams and plans? Could he hope for a time to ask her about those? Perhaps tonight? But as they gathered around the campfire to enjoy a hot meal that evening, Walt brought up something that had them all having to make a decision.
“Tomorrow is Sunday,” Walt announced. “Do we take a day of rest?”
“Who decides?” Cecil asked.
Gabe glanced around the circle. People looked at Marnie, clearly expecting her to make the choice.
She’d been about to put a mouthful of food in her mouth. Her fork lowered to her plate as she turned to Joe. “What’s your advice?”
He sloshed coffee around in his cup and stared at the contents. “We had a rest day after crossing the desert. I’d say you can’t afford too many of them. However, the decision is not mine.”
