Page 6 of A Joyful Ring
“That’s good. How about your father? Does he work at a livery?”
“No. Steel mill. He never complains because the job has kept a roof over our heads all these years, but I know he hates it. My mother takes in mending and sometimes special sewing projects. Amalia and Anna both help her.”
“It’s good they are learning a useful trade.” Lars ate the last bite of his sandwich, then pulled a jar of brown liquid from the box and held it out to Gunder. “It’s sweet tea. I don’t care for coffee all that much, especially in the summer. Jed makes the tea at my request and packs it in my lunch, so don’t go sharing that secret with anyone.”
“I won’t, sir.” Gunder accepted the jar, removed the lid, and took a tentative sip. He’d never tasted sweet tea, but found he liked both the flavor and the fact that it was relatively cool. He took a longer drink, then held the jar out to Lars. “That’s tasty. And cold.”
“Jed has a little springhouse at the river where he stores things. It’s hard to keep anything from spoiling plumb rotten in this heat, but he tries.” Lars took a drink that drained half the jar of tea before he handed it back to Gunder.
After another sip, Gunder screwed on the lid and returned the jar to the box.
“Normally, a trip to Baker City is a two-day trip. The regular schedule is to leave at seven from the mine, unload when we arrive in Baker City, load the wagon, and spend the night there. It gives the team time to rest before we head back with the supplies we’re picking up.” Lars held the lines out to Gunder.
Carefully taking them so they didn’t tangle, Gunder added a pair of gloves to his growing shopping list as the leather straps cut into his skin.
“Keep the lines in your left hand a little tighter, and loosen up on the right,” Lars instructed, then leaned back in the seat. “Since tomorrow is a holiday, we’re making the full trip today, which is why we got such an early start. We’re picking up a load of provisions at the general store, so it will be a light load back. Once a week, we pick up food supplies, usually on Tuesdays. Other days, we might haul timbers for shoring up inside the mine tunnels, or equipment for processing the ore. That’s all fine and dandy. It’s the days we’re hauling the explosives that things can get a little … concerning.”
“Explosives?” Gunder asked, so shocked by the thought he subconsciously hauled back on the lines.
Lars motioned for him to relax his tight hold, and the mules continued plodding forward. Each step sent up plumes of dust that swirled into the air, colliding with the golden light of the fresh summer morning.
“Explosives?” Gunder questioned in a slightly calmer tone.
“I was correct in assuming Goodwin didn’t fill you in on all the joys of this job.” Lars sighed and leaned back again. “I’ll give it to you in a straight line, Gunder. Driving the wagon to Baker City isn’t generally a hard or difficult task. There are times in the spring when melting snow and pelting rain turn the road to muck, and you have to stop every so often to remove the mud from the wheels. In the winter, when it’s icy, you have to be careful on the hills. Other than that, driving the wagon is simple. You just have to pay attention and keep your guard up. I’ve only had outlaws ride up on me once. When they discovered I wasn’t hauling gold, they rode off without saying another word.”
Gunder couldn’t imagine calmly sitting on the wagon while outlaws had guns pointed in his face. He’d never held a gun and didn’t even know how to shoot one if he had to, but since Lars wore a gun belt around his hips and had a rifle within reach, Gunder assumed it was part of the job to travel armed, which made sense.
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t convey his concerns over the job.
“It’s not. The return trips are where things get tricky. Like I mentioned, when we’re hauling food supplies or equipment, or even timber or lumber,it’s a smooth trip for the most part. But explosives are part of life in a mine. There are employees who do nothing but handle the explosives. I wouldn’t want their jobs, and I’m sure they wouldn’t want mine, which is why Mr. Goodwin was practically giddy when he told me you were interested in being a freighter.”
“Does a freighter make the same wage as the miners?” Gunder asked, realizing Mr. Goodwin hadn’t told him how much he’d earn. He supposed if he lasted the day and returned to work, the man would share what he intended to pay him.
Lars shook his head. “No, son. We generally make about double what the miners earn.”
Gunder felt his eyes widen in surprise. “Double?”
“That’s because the dunderheads dumb enough to haul a wagon full of explosives are paid well for the hazardous job.” Lars grinned at him. “Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. I don’t think Mr. Goodwin will make you drive a load of explosives without giving you a little experience first.”
Although Gunder had no idea how much a miner was paid, double wages sure sounded good. Especially with his ever-growing list of things he was going to need.
“Did Goodwin tell you anything about working at the mine?” Lars asked as Gunder guided the mules into the turn onto the road heading to Baker City.
“No, sir. Only that he was in need of a freighter, and I was to ride with you today.”
Lars muttered something Gunder couldn’t hearbefore the man looked at him. “The mine provides the tents and cots for each worker. You want anything else in the tent, you pay for it yourself. They provide three meals a day. Breakfast is generally sourdough pancakes and salt pork. Lunch is sandwiches. Dinner is whatever concoction Jed decides to serve. As a general rule, it’s not overly tasty, but filling.”
Gunder had discovered that last night. He much preferred the ham sandwich to the dinner he’d gobbled only because he’d been starving.
“There is a company store in the little building next to the cookshack. I recommend you avoid it. Everything in there is triple what you’d pay elsewhere, but they allow the miners to buy on credit. Some of them are so far in debt, they’ll be working for the mine until they die trying to pay it off.”
“I don’t take anything on credit, sir.”
“That’s the best way to do business, Gunder.” Lars pointed to a deer standing in the brush twenty feet away. “A plump fellow like that one would make some good eating. He’s lucky I’m on my way to Baker City instead of heading home.”
“Do you have a house in Lovely?” Gunder asked, eyeing the deer, doubting he could bring himself to shoot it even if he had a gun and knew how to use it.
“My daughter and I live in one of the shacks. It’s better than a tent, for certain. We’ve been working on improving the inside. Maybe by next year, we can work on making the outside look like a house instead of a disaster dreading the nextwindstorm.”
