Under the Distant Sky (24 page)

W
hen the wagon train made camp at the close of the eighteenth day, Ezra Comstock announced that they had come one hundred and forty-four miles since leaving Independence. Because of the storms, they had averaged eight miles a day. They must do better from this point on or face the possibility of running into snow in the Sierras.

The nineteenth day was Sunday, June 12. They had a service just after breakfast, and Solomon Cooper brought the Bible message, as he had the previous two Sundays. When Solomon was finished, Tony Cuzak raised his hand and asked if he could say something to the group. He announced that he had become a Christian on the night after the tornado had swept through. The Christians in the group rejoiced with him, but there was no rejoicing on the fringe of the crowd where Walt Cuzak stood with his other sons.

While Ezra closed the service in prayer, Walt swung his fist through the air and softly ejected a string of profanity. To his sons, he said, “That rotten, no-good kid has made a fool of himself! He’s embarrassed the rest of this family!”

“We oughtta disown ’im, Pa!” Frank said. “He don’t deserve to be a part of this family!”

“Yeah,” Edmund and Gordon said in unison. Edmund continued to speak. “It’s bad enough havin’ to live with knowin’
Ma was one of them crazy fanatics, but at least she’s dead. I don’t cotton to havin’ no more of them fools in the family.”

“Right!” Dwight said. “If we disown ’im, he won’t be diggin’ gold with us, and we won’t have to share none with him!”

“Well spoken, boys,” Walt said. “We’ll just take care of that right now.”

Ezra dismissed the people, telling them to be ready to pull out in half an hour.

Tony knew his father and brothers were going to be upset at hearing his testimony. He turned to watch their approach and steeled himself for a tongue-lashing. “Morning, Pa…brothers,” he said.

“Don’t call me ‘Pa’ no more, you religious fool! As of this minute, you are no longer part of this family!”

“That’s right,” Frank said. “Don’t you be callin’ us your brothers no more. You ain’t! We’ve disowned you!”

“An’ don’t you go spoutin’ any of those religious lies to us,” Dwight said. “You’re wrong if you believe that Jesus talk.”

Tony’s voice broke as he said in a loving tone, “You’re the ones who are wrong. The day you die and wake up in a burning hell, you’ll know just how wrong you were.”

“Bah!” Walt said, and ejected another string of swear words. “Let’s get away from this fool, boys. He’s no kin to us.”

Ezra had guided his horse to the lead spot when Lafe Tolliver came running up.

“Ezra! Indians! I just saw a band of them near that stand of trees!”

Ezra swung his gaze to the north. “Don’t see ’em now, Lafe.”

“They were there, Ezra. Believe me. Vanessa saw them, too.”

“Don’t doubt it for a minute, son.”

“What do you make of it?”

“Well, no white man ever sees an Indian unless that Indian wants to be seen. They appeared just long enough to be spotted.”

“Are they going to attack us?”

“I can’t rule that out. How many would you say were in the band?”

“About twenty. Would that few take on a train this size?”

“Prob’ly not. But they might have more with ’em than they let you see. Might be just a ploy to make us uneasy. They don’t like us trespassin’ their country, you know. Or it could be their short appearance was a prelude to a visit. I guess we’ll find out.”

The people were on edge as wagon wheels began to roll. Every man who walked or rode a horse had his rifle in hand. Those who drove kept rifles in easy reach.

As the day wore on, the biggest threat was the merciless sun. A few days without rain, and the sun-baked earth was ready to engulf the travelers with dust.

At midmorning the next day, Ezra was riding with Dave Croft when he saw a band of Indians straight ahead, waiting for them.

“Dave,” Ezra said, “ride back and tell everybody we’ve got company. Tell ’em to be ready for anything, but not to panic.”

It didn’t take long for Ezra to recognize Chief Big Cloud. The Indian band stopped some thirty yards from the lead wagon, but Big Cloud and four braves kept coming. Ezra raised his hand in a sign of peace, and Big Cloud did the same.

Several of the men collected beside the lead wagon, rifles in hand. Among them were Walt Cuzak and his sons.

“Mama,” came a small voice from inside the Cooper wagon. “Are these In’ians gonna scalp us?”

“No, Patty Ruth. Those are nice Indians. They’re the same ones we gave food to back on the trail.”

Ezra and Big Cloud conversed for several minutes, then the wagon master turned in his saddle and called toward the men at the lead wagon. “Big Cloud wants more food. Everybody in favor of givin’ it to ’im?”

“We really don’t have any choice, do we, Ezra?” Bill Perryman asked.

“Not if we want to keep peace with these fellas.”

“Then let’s get them some food.”

“He ain’t gettin’ none of ours, Ezra!” Walt Cuzak stepped closer and scowled at Big Cloud and his braves.

“And why not?”

“’Cause what food we’ve got was given to us by the people of this wagon train, and it ain’t right to give away somethin’ somebody presented to you as a gift. We ain’t givin’ ’em nothin’. Besides… can’t you see what they’re doin’, Ezra? They been followin’ us! Sooner or later they’ll attack us! C’mon, Ezra, wake up!”

Ezra straightened in the saddle and noticed Big Cloud eyeing the Cuzaks with displeasure.

Over his shoulder, he said, “These Pawnees roam the whole territory, Walt. They ain’t necessarily followin’ us. If they were gonna attack, they’d have already done it. Now you listen to me. The way Big Cloud’s lookin’ at you tells me he remembers you from before. I’d say you oughtta smile at him and tell your sour-faced boys to do the same.”

The sub-chief spoke a few words in a deep, agitated tone.

Ezra spoke over his shoulder again. “Walt, he just said he remembers you. He knows by your voice and the look on your face that you hate Indians. Now, I’m tellin’ you, you’d better be friendly and donate some food so I can tell him you did.”

“Not on your life, Ezra! We ain’t scared of them savages, and we ain’t givin’ ’em no food!”

Ezra said no more. It took the people of the train about ten minutes to sack up the food and present it to the Pawnees. Big Cloud managed a slight smile for Ezra and asked him to convey his gratitude to the people of the train. Before turning his horse to ride away, Big Cloud gave Walt Cuzak and his four sons a look of pure hatred.

For the next four days, the train traveled in a spread-out formation to avoid the dust churned up by hooves and wagon wheels. On the fifth and sixth days, rain showers brought some relief and allowed them to travel in a single line once again.

On the seventh day since encountering the Pawnees, Ezra announced they were nearing the Little Blue River. They would be on its east bank by late afternoon the next day.

Since there had been no more Indian sightings, the children were once again allowed to walk and play alongside the wagons.

Patty Ruth and Polly rode in the lead wagon all morning with Mr. Rabbit, who was completely healed and getting frisky. Patty Ruth knew that any day now, Mr. Comstock and her father would want to send Mr. Rabbit back to the prairie.

That afternoon, Chris decided to walk beside his family wagon for a while, and Hannah noticed him glancing back to the Lander wagon.

“You miss her, don’t you, Chris?” Hannah’s question drew Solomon’s attention as Chris nodded solemnly, and he joined the conversation.

“There’s nothing wrong with how you’re feeling, son,” Solomon said. “You may not be old enough to be in love, but you did have a special love for Joy Lynn. Just let her memory be a sweet thing. You’ll always have the memory of her.”

Chris nodded and said he would go spend some time with Micah. As he trotted toward the lead wagon, Hannah said,
“You have such a wonderful way of putting things, Sol. ‘Just let her memory be a sweet thing…’ That’s beautiful.”

Solomon smiled.

As Ezra trotted along the line, he told the people they were now entering buffalo and antelope country. If they made it to the Little Blue before dark, as he anticipated, the men who had saddle horses could go hunting. It would be a nice change from the quail, pheasant, and jackrabbit they had been eating.

About an hour after Polly and Patty Ruth began their walk, Polly pointed to a large area pocked by holes and mounds of earth. Little furry creatures that looked like fat squirrels were darting in and out of the holes while others sat up on hind legs, watching the wagons.

“Look, Patty Ruth,” Polly said. “Prairie dogs!”

Patty Ruth giggled. “Those ain’t dogs…those is western squirrels!”

Solomon looked down from his high perch on Nipper’s back, and chuckled. “No, Patty Ruth. Polly’s right. Those are prairie dogs.”

“But they don’t look anything like Biggie, Papa!”

“No, they don’t. But they
are
prairie dogs.”

Patty Ruth shrugged her tiny shoulders. “Okay. You’re the papa. You oughtta know.”

“This whole area you see here with all the holes in the ground, Patty Ruth, is known as a prairie dog town.”

“You really
are
kiddin’ me now, aren’t you, Papa?” Patty Ruth looked at Hannah. “Papa’s kiddin’ me, isn’t he Mama? That ain’t a town!”

Hannah’s smile widened and she broke into a laugh. “Papa’s not kidding you, honey. That really is a prairie dog town!”

Patty Ruth turned to Polly. “Did you know that?”

“Sure. I’ve heard of prairie dog towns since I was a kid!”

Hannah and Solomon laughed all the harder.

Patty Ruth looked at her best friend. “I s’pose you knew it, too, Ulysses!”

Soon they had passed the prairie dog town and entered fields dotted with flowers—wild bluebells, buttercups, purple and white lupine, and a scattering of sunflowers and daisies.

Patty Ruth whispered something to Polly, and the girls drifted toward the rear of the wagon, out of sight of Hannah. Solomon glanced back, and when he saw what the girls were doing, smiled to himself.

Soon the Little Blue River came into view, snaking its way southeastward toward Kansas. Ezra announced they had made good time and would camp on this side of the river at a natural ford. Since there was at least two hours of daylight left, the men with saddle horses could go hunting.

When the wagons began forming the familiar circle, Patty Ruth and Polly parted company, each with a gift for her mother.

Solomon was helping Hannah down from the wagon seat when their little redhead glided up with one hand behind her back.

“Oh,” Hannah said with a sigh, giving Solomon a hug. “That wagon seat gets pretty hard about this time every day.”

“I know, sweetheart. But look at it this way. We’re almost a quarter of the way to Fort Bridger. Just a little more than three times what we’ve done, and no more Oregon Trail.”

“Hallelujah!”

Solomon gave her a squeeze, then said, “Honey, there’s… ah… someone behind you who wants to say something.”

Hannah turned and looked at her youngest daughter. “Yes, honey?”

“I have somethin’ for you, Mama.” With that, the five-year-old extended the bouquet of mixed wild flowers.

“Oh! How beautiful!” Hannah clapped her hands, then bent down to Patty Ruth’s height and said, “And you picked all these and made me a bouquet because…?”

“’Cause I love you very, very, very much. You’re the bestest mama in
a-l-l
the world!”

Hannah hugged Patty Ruth fiercely and said, “You’re the bestest five-year-old daughter in
a-l-l
the world!”

Patty Ruth wondered if Polly’s mother was saying the same thing to
her
daughter about now.

When darkness was falling, a dozen men rode into camp, dragging a buffalo. Four antelope were draped over horses’ backs, and some of the men rode double.

Everyone in camp would have fresh meat, and buffalo jerky for a week, once it dried out in the sun.

When morning came, and the wagons were preparing to cross the Little Blue, Ezra stood at the edge of the water and shouted, “Hey, everybody! Look! The supply train I told you about!”

Across the river they saw a long line of wagons moving their way.

Elsie Lander said to those around her how glad she was to see the supply train. Now they could go home. Her family remained silent. They knew there was nothing else they could say, for Elsie was in no frame of mind to go on to California.

As Hannah looked on, her heart went out to Chuck. Not only had he lost his youngest daughter, he had lost his dream.

Bob Lander, who had been driving one of Solomon Cooper’s wagons, said he was sorry he couldn’t finish driving for him, but he must stay with his family. Before another word was spoken, Jock Weathers suggested that since the Cuzaks were down to three wagons, one of them could fill in for Bob.

Everyone looked toward the Cuzaks but they didn’t say a word.

Sweet Maudie Holden’s temper flared. “You Cuzaks oughtta be ashamed of yourselves! When you needed food, it was Solomon who first offered to give it to you!”