Thunder from the Sea (16 page)

“But that Mr. Fowler will be comin' anyway,” Tom said. “And we can't hide from
him
.”

“We'll try to help you keep Thunder in any way we can,” Ruby said.

Enoch and Amos then told about their successful hunt. “The establishment bought everything, all the meat and pelts. We've got enough money to get us by for a good spell,” Enoch said, “and perhaps some left over so we can all pitch in on a fishin' boat later.”

“And on the way back we happenstanced upon a nice bull moose for ourselves,” Amos said. “We'll have meat to last until May.”

After eating, Enoch and Amos told about their plans. “We've decided to keep on workin' with each other, includin' Ken Rideout,” Amos announced.

“A partnership?” Fiona asked. “That should help us all get by.”

“We've all been offered jobs at the fishery here in Chance-Along,” Enoch said. “So if a partnership can't be worked out, we'll be able to get work here.”

“I'd hate to leave Back o' the Moon,” Fiona said.

“And I'd hate to give up my independence,” Enoch stated.

“Things will work out, won't they?” Fiona asked.

“We'll be fine,” Enoch said. “While we're here in Chance-Along I'm goin' to send a telegram to the Earthquake Relief Fund and see about gettin' us a boat—even a small one—just to get around in for now. They'll help us with the costs.” Enoch looked at Fiona and winked. “And we have other business to attend to, don't we, maid?”

“Yes, indeed,” Fiona answered with a smile meant only for Enoch.

Tom looked down at his hands, trying not to notice.
They have a secret,
he thought.
And it doesn't include me
.

t
he next morning Enoch took Tom and Thunder with him while he bought a boat along with a small engine. Tom felt more secure bringing Thunder to town. Hadn't Ruby assured him that everyone in Chance-Along who had heard about Thunder's trek through the blizzard with Fiona would protect the dog? Still, Tom kept Thunder close by his side.

While they were negotiating the price of the boat with the owner, Thunder barked and leaped aboard. “See? Your dog knows this is a nice tight little vessel for the money,” the man said with a laugh.

“We'll take it,” Enoch said. He seemed pleased. “This boat's big enough to carry us all to Back o' the Moon,” he said to Tom. “We can fish with it too.”

When they returned to the Bosworths' apartment and told Amos about the new boat, he said, “I thought we were goin' to take on with each other.”

“Maybe we will. In the meantime I'll need a boat,” Enoch said. “We'll work out the partnership with that lawyer, Mr. Robinson, once we get settled. Then, if we have enough money between us, we'll pitch in together three ways for a bigger boat.”

“We don't need a lawyer,” Amos grumbled.

“Yes, we do,” Enoch insisted. “It's the only way to do business proper.”

It's the only way to do business with Amos
, Tom thought.

“This afternoon Fiona and I have an appointment with Mr. Robinson,” Enoch said. “I'd like you to come with us, Tom.”

“Why are you goin' to a lawyer?” Tom asked. “And why do you want me to go with you?”

“We've got some business to attend to, and we'd like you to be there,” Enoch told him.

“We'll get a bite to eat at the Copper Kettle, too. You'd like that, wouldn't you, Tom?” Fiona asked.

Tom nodded eagerly. “Sounds like fun,” he agreed.

That afternoon Fiona wore one of Ruby's Sunday-go-to-meeting dresses, and Enoch put on some new pants and a jacket that Ruby had found for Amos at the Salvationists' store. “Perfect fit,” Enoch said.

“You're about the same size as Amos,” Ruby explained.

“Here, Tom, wear these.” Fiona held up a pair of navy pants, a plaid shirt, and a pair of shiny shoes, also from the Salvationists. “They look span-new!”

“We're not goin' to church. Why are we dressin' up?” Tom asked.

“We want to look respectable at the lawyer's,” she answered.

“What about the baby? And Thunder?”

“Ruby will mind April and Thunder.”

As soon as Tom was ready, they went down-street to the center of town, where Mr. Robinson had his office. Tom could see his reflection in the store windows as they passed. He hardly recognized himself all dressed up. Fiona looked beautiful
in Ruby's green dress, with her hair falling over her shoulders like sunshine. And Enoch seemed especially tall and handsome today. But why they were going to a lawyer was still a mystery to Tom.

They sat in the waiting room until Mr. Robinson called them into his office. The afternoon sun reflected on the dark, polished wood of the large desk by the window.

Another man was standing in the office whom Mr. Robinson introduced as Judge Shipton. “Judge Shipton makes trips to Chance-Along once a year,” he explained. “He represents His Majesty's judicial system in Newfoundland and travels from St. John's to different parts of the island to take care of all sorts of legal issues.”

Legal issues?

The judge was a small man with a kind face and eyes that crinkled when he smiled. “Welcome,” he said, shaking hands with Fiona and Enoch. “And this must be Thomas Campbell. I've heard a lot about you, laddie.” He put his arm around Tom's shoulder and led him to a leather chair next to the big desk. He motioned Fiona and Enoch to the other two chairs.

Judge Shipton sat down at Mr. Robinson's desk and folded his hands. The lawyer stood nearby. “This is a special day for you, Tom,” the judge began. “Mr. and Mrs. Murray have made a request to the courts of Newfoundland regarding you.”

“Me?” Tom's voice squeaked.

“They would like to adopt you as their own son.”

For a moment Tom couldn't speak. Then he stammered, “
Adopt me
? … You mean … Fiona would be my … real … ma … and … Enoch would be my pa?”

The lawyer nodded. “But only if you want this, Tom.”

Enoch spoke up. “When we were in Chance-Along last fall we talked with Mr. Robinson about adoptin' you. But we weren't sure we'd be allowed to. We wondered if perhaps we weren't … well, good enough.”

“Good enough! No one could be as good as you've been to me,” said Tom.

At his words, Fiona's eyes brightened with tears. “We wanted to tell you real bad, so you'd know and believe how much we love you, Tom. But we didn't want you to be disappointed if things went wrong.”

“You see, we had to have consent of the court,” Enoch said. “They wanted to know lots of things about
us
first.”

“Enoch and Fiona wrote a letter saying how much they wanted you as their son. That—along with a lot of paperwork—convinced the courts in St. John's that they'd make good parents,” Mr. Robinson explained.

“Mr. and Mrs. Murray have been approved,” the judge announced. “But there's one more important thing, Tom. Do
you
want this? Do you want to be their real son?”

“Tom, you won't be Thomas Campbell any longer. You'll be Thomas Murray,” Mr. Robinson told him.

“Thomas Campbell Murray,” Fiona said. “You won't be giving up your own parents or heritage. That'll never change.”

“It's all up to you, Tom,” said Enoch. “You may need to think about this for a while. So go ahead; take your time.”

Tom thought about his parents. They seemed like a distant dream now. He was still connected to them, but their faces had become shadows,
along with the fading but loving memories.

“I don't need any time,” Tom said, glancing at Fiona and Enoch, who were holding hands. His eyes filled with tears. “I want to be Thomas Campbell Murray.”

“Done!” Judge Shipton decreed, tapping a gavel on the desk. “From now on that's who you are: Thomas Campbell Murray.”

Tom stood up as Fiona and Enoch came across the room and threw their arms around him. “We love you, son” Fiona said, kissing his forehead.

“I love
you
,” said Tom.

t
he Murray family headed home to Back o' the Moon in April.

The Rideouts ran down to greet them at the new dock near their house. “Welcome to home!” they called. “You're a sight for sore eyes!”

“Oh, God's blessin' on this sweet child,” Margaret said, taking the baby from Fiona. “To think we might have lost her!” She studied April's face. “How right beautiful she is.”

Thunder bounded out of the boat and headed up the hill to the house, sniffing everywhere, as if to be sure he was really home.

The island was coming to life with budding leaves and grass. The house was as they left it, the soot and ashes still in the stoves from the last fires. Fiona's pot of salt pork was empty, cleaned
and set on the kitchen dresser. “We ate the pork,” Margaret told them. “Couldn't let it go to waste!”

“But we kept Rufus,” Eddie added with a laugh. “He's a tough old bird, so we decided not to eat him.”

Tom's pocket watch was on his bureau. He wound it, then placed it in his pocket. “It's good to be home,” Tom said again and again. This really
was
his home. Thomas Campbell Murray's home!

It took a couple of weeks for everything to get back to normal. Amos borrowed his brother's boat to bring lumber over for the Murrays' new wharf, and Enoch, Ken, and Amos started putting the dock together for the Murrays' boat. Tom, Eddie, and Bert were assigned to waterproof the underpinnings with a black tarry paint.

“Watch me read the label on the can,” Eddie said. “Gib-son's Dock Paint. Guaran-teed water proof.” He looked pleased with himself. “See?” he said to Bert. “Tom taught me to read this winter. Ma and Pa were right surprised at Christmas when I read to them.”

“I can read and write … a little,” Bert said.
“Maybe you'll teach me to read better. Will ya, Tom?”

“Sure,” Tom said. “We got the whole summer ahead of us.” He looked up from his work to see Amos and Enoch off by themselves, talking seriously. Enoch glanced over at Tom several times. Finally Enoch motioned for Tom to come over.

“What's wrong?” Tom asked, walking over to them, the paintbrush still in his hand.

“You tell 'im,” Amos said. “I ain't good at this.”

With a sudden chill, Tom knew what he was about to hear. “Mr. Fowler's comin' for Thunder,” Tom said. “Isn't he?”

Enoch nodded.

“When?”

“This afternoon.”

“He can't!” Tom screamed, throwing the paintbrush onto the rocks.

“What's wrong with you?” Eddie asked him.

“Leave 'im alone,” said Bert. “It's bad news. That Mr. Fowler's comin' to get Thunder.”

“What are you goin' to do?” Eddie looked horrified. “You can't let 'im take Thunder!”

“I know what we'll do,” Tom answered. “We'll
run away. We'll hide and no one will ever find us! Come on, Thunder!” The dog jumped up and followed as Tom flew up the path to the house.

Fiona was in the rocking chair on the porch, nursing April. “What's wrong?”

“Mr. Fowler's comin' to take Thunder away!”

Fiona's face paled. “Oh, no! Oh, Tom!”

“We're gonna run away. We're gonna hide. He can't take Thunder from me.”

“Tom, don't be so upset,” Fiona begged. “Try to think how happy Mr. Fowler will be to see his dog again. And how sad he must have been to lose him.”

Enoch, who had raced after Tom, entered the yard. “Tom, let's go inside and talk about this.”

“Can we buy 'im? You said maybe we'd offer money for Thunder.”

“Tom, you know that most of our money has gone into the boat and the wharf. There's no way we can pay for a prize dog like Thunder. Besides, if Mr. Fowler's comin' all the way from Massachusetts down in the States, then he must want his dog real fierce.”

Tom sat on the porch steps, put his arms around Thunder, and cried into the white streak
on the dog's chest. “You're my clever, good dog. You don't want to leave me, do you?” He smothered his face in Thunder's furry neck and sobbed. “I won't let them take you. I won't!” He looked up at Amos, who had come up to the house. “Did you tell Mr. Fowler how to get here?”

“Not me, boy. But someone on the mainland gave him directions.”

“It's all your fault,” Tom yelled at Amos. “You're a spiteful, jealous, mean man!” Tom ran into the house, holding the door open for Thunder. “Come on, boy!” He raced up the stairs to his room. Thunder, having never been allowed up the stairs before, stopped, then sat on the hooked rug at the foot of the stairway.

Tom lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. He had prayed so often to keep Thunder, and now he was going to lose him anyway.

Enoch came into the room and sat at the foot of the bed. “I know how you're feelin'.” Tom didn't speak, so Enoch went on. “Tom, you can recite all the Ten Commandments by heart. You must remember the one that says it isn't right to covet what belongs to someone else.”

“Amos and Bert coveted Thunder.”

“That's right, and look at the trouble it's caused, lad.” Enoch was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “Tom, you might ask yourself if you're unhappy because you know Thunder rightfully belongs to Mr. Fowler.”

Tom turned away. “I don't want to talk about it.”

“Perhaps God sent Thunder to you in that storm because you needed him. And look what he's done. He saved Rowena, Fiona, April. He saved us from the church spire collapsing on us during the earthquake, and he warned everyone about the tidal wave. Most of all, he brought us together, as a family.”