Page 37 of Wagon Train Melody
Rudy chuckled. “That’s probably what he’s saying about us.”
“Is it a big bird?” Sissy asked.
“Well, owls come in all sizes. Some are very small.” He proceeded to tell them about burrowing owls with their long legs and curious nature. “And some are large.” He told them about the great horned owl. He soon had them laughing as he described the big eyes and pretended to be an owl silently swooping down on them.
Bo had been wandering restlessly, never going far from the fire. He stopped to listen to Rudy’s stories. “Pa once told me about an owl that lived in the barn.” He went to Alice and caught her arm. “Pa’s dead, isn’t he?”
Rudy stilled, wondering if Bo’s mind had cleared or if this signaled more confusion.
Alice put her hands on her brother’s shoulders. “Yes, Bo. Do you remember?”
Bo nodded. “And Mama too. I remember. I’m sad.”
Alice hugged Bo. “Me too, Bo. Me too.” She rubbed his back.
After a minute, Bo straightened. “And Evelyn and John?”
“Yes.”
The little girls had grown sober at this discussion. Rudy wished they hadn’t heard, but it couldn’t be changed any more than the facts could be.
Kitty rushed to Bo’s side. “I hug you?”
Bo lifted the little girl and they hugged.
“I’m sad too, but we goin’ to see Uncle Clint. Mr. Rudy goin’ with us. That make me happy.”
Sissy went to Alice to be hugged.
Kitty slipped from Bo’s arms and hurried to Rudy. “You hug me too.”
He could not refuse the child and pulled her into his arms. Seeing Bo alone he signaled the boy closer and drew him into a hug.
“Me too.” Sissy rushed over to join them and opened her arms to invite Alice.
Rudy wondered if Alice would refuse, but without hesitation that he detected, she slipped close, and they hugged the children between them. He kept one hand on Alice’s back, hoping she would take comfort and strength from his touch.
Kitty was the first to squirm away. The owl hooted again, and she imitated Rudy in pretending to be a silently swooping owl.
He swung her into the air.
“I really flyin’.” She giggled.
“Me too.” Sissy rocked back and forth waiting for a turn.
For a few minutes, he played with the pair as Alice cleaned up from the meal. Bo sat staring into the fire.
“Come on girls.” Alice signaled them forward. “It’s time for bed.” She helped them wash and change, then took them to the wagon where she listened to their prayers and sang to them.
Rudy watched Bo, wondering what was going on in his head.
With a weary sigh, he looked at Rudy. “Why don’t I remember you joining us? Or how we got here?”
“You had a knock on the head and got a bit of memory loss.”
Bo considered the words a moment. “Did I do dumb stuff?”
“No, you simply couldn’t remember where you were.”
