A Dream for Tomorrow (15 page)

“And you want to remain out here?” Elizabeth called back.

The woman nodded to the wagon behind her. “We must stay. Everything we have is in there. We’ll wait for help.”

“Good luck,” Elizabeth told her. She wasn’t sure that she’d remain behind if she were in their same position—not in this awful place. But it wasn’t for her to decide. She was just thankful it wasn’t anyone in their unit. That would mean that her father and brother would be forced to return. Fortunately, the wagons were only a few miles from the river. But each mile out here felt like a hundred.

Elizabeth had never thought much about the smell of water, but that is what first told her they were reaching the end of Devil’s Backbone. She could smell something tangy in the air, something green and clean and slightly pungent. And then it hit her—it was water! Her team seemed to smell it too because they began to lift their feet a bit higher, hastening toward it along with the other teams.

The trees and green grass were just coming into view when JT came bounding up on Grandpa’s riding horse. He had two buckets in one hand. “Grandpa told me to go to the river and get some water,” he happily told her. “Brady will take Beau and Bella to the line first, and I’ll be there to meet them with water.”

“Bless you!” she called out.

It was amazing how everyone instantly became energized as they got closer to the Sweetwater River. Even though they hadn’t actually tasted the sweet water of the river yet, Elizabeth was sure it would be true to its name, and she felt as if the very air had revived the weary travelers. The sounds of laughing and singing and happy conversations flitted through their campsites as people settled in for the night. Elizabeth parked her wagon in the space that Brady seemed to be saving for her. Then as he began to remove the harnesses from the team, she grabbed two buckets and ran straight down to the river, meeting JT coming toward her with his own two pails.

“The water really does taste sweet!” he told her.

“I can hardly wait.”

He held up a pail. “Go ahead and have some, Ma.”

“Not yet.” She shook her head. “Take it to the animals. They deserve it.”

It was like a big party at the river. Some of the travelers had jumped in with their clothes on. Some had taken parched horses to drink directly from it. She found a clear spot and dipped a bucket in, and holding it up, she stuck her entire face in and thirstily drank. It was true—the water was sweet! Sweet and cold and fresh and clean. She felt as if they’d walked through hell to get here, but this was indeed heavenly!

Chapter Ten

D
espite some of our setbacks, we’re making good time,” Asa told the family later that evening. Tired but happy, they had just finished supper and were enjoying their campsite near the Sweetwater River.

“What about those poor folks who are still stranded out there on Devil’s Backbone?” Clara asked.

“A rescue team went out hours ago, and the captain said they should all make it into camp before midnight,” Asa assured her. “I’m sure relieved everyone in our unit made it with no problems. Otherwise I’d be out there now.”

“How many people do you s’pose broke down by the end of the day?” Matthew asked.

“The captain said there were about a dozen wagons all together. Unit two had the most troubles.” He cleared his throat. “Sounds like their councilman may get replaced.”

“Did he do something wrong?” Clara asked.

Asa shrugged. “Not exactly. But I hear he’s too easy on his folks.” He glanced at Mrs. Taylor, who was still picking at her plate of food. “The captain said he should have forced them to rid themselves of more weight before they crossed Devil’s Backbone. One wagon was still carrying a maple dining room set that must have weighed near five hundred pounds.” He shook his head. “Can you imagine the toll that took on those poor oxen!”

“Well, you can be proud that no one in your unit had a problem,” Jess told him. “You are a fine leader, Asa.”

He grinned at her. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Pa?”

She looked slightly embarrassed but pleased just the same. “
Pa
.”

“If we keep making good time and pushing hard this week, Captain Brownlee says we should make Independence Rock by the Fourth of July after all.”

Matthew let out a whoop. “
Independence Day at Independence Rock!
” He stood up and grabbed Jessica, and singing “Yankee Doodle,” he led her all around the campsite in a joyous jig. Naturally JT and Ruth joined in as well, all of them singing loudly and joyously. Elizabeth hummed along, well aware that making this spot by this date was critical to the success of the wagon train. To arrive even a week later could be the difference between safely crossing the last mountain pass and getting trapped in an early blizzard.

Despite the warm evening, she shivered to remember the chilling tale of the Donner party. She and James had read a graphic account of this tragedy about ten years ago. It was a heartbreaking story of pioneers headed for California who perished in the mountains, and she had pushed this dreadful report far into the recesses of her mind—and never shared it with her children. But she had every confidence that with wise leaders like Captain Brownlee, Eli, and her own father, they would not be caught like those poor immigrants.

“Tonight we will have some real music,” Matthew told them after they ended “Yankee Doodle” on the third verse. “We’ll celebrate making it across the Devil’s Backbone.”

“What about the Fourth of July?” Ruth asked hopefully. “Will there be celebration at Independence Rock? Will we have fireworks and ice cream and horse races?”

Asa laughed. “Not likely, little one.”

“Besides the cream,” Elizabeth said, “where would we get
ice
way out here—and in the middle of summer?”

Ruth’s mouth twisted to one side. “Then what about fireworks and horse races? Will they have those at Independence Rock?”

“I don’t think it would be fair to race our horses,” Elizabeth told her. “They’re already working hard enough.”

“According to the captain we’ll reach the rock in midmorning,” Asa told Ruth as she returned to collecting the dirty supper dishes. “And we can’t stay there long. We’ll have time enough to take a quick look around and inscribe our names on the rock if we so choose. But even if there
were
any fireworks to be had, it won’t be dark enough for fireworks there. I have a feeling that fireworks are as scarce as hen’s teeth—and ice—out here.” He chuckled with a twinkle in his eye.

Elizabeth eyed her father as she washed a plate. Knowing his love for fireworks, he’d probably packed a little something for the Fourth. Not that she planned on mentioning this to her children, but it wouldn’t surprise her a bit.

“Would you like me to take over the dishwashing for you?” Mrs. Taylor offered.

Elizabeth reached for the bar of soap and smiled. “No, thank you,” she told her. “I’m actually enjoying this immensely. It’s so nice to have my hands in warm soapy water again with no rationing.”

Ruth handed her another dirty plate. “Isn’t it lovely that we don’t have to wash our dishes in the dirt anymore?” she said, and everyone laughed.

Before long, Matthew, JT, and Brady reappeared with their musical instruments, and soon they were playing a merry accompaniment while the women continued cleaning up after supper, tapping their toes as they washed and dried and stowed things away. Elizabeth had just finished scrubbing the last pot when some of their fellow travelers began showing up. Everyone was in good spirits. Some, like the Schneiders, just came to listen, tapping their toes and clapping. Others, like the McIntires, brought their own instruments or simply sang along. And some, especially the young people, started up some dances.

One thing was clear—everyone seemed exceptionally happy tonight. As Elizabeth tossed the dirty dishwater out behind the wagon, so glad she didn’t need to save it, she whispered a silent prayer of thanksgiving. How wonderful that they would be traveling along the Sweetwater for the next hundred miles. As she used a rag to wipe out the washtub, she vowed to never take water for granted again.

It wasn’t long until nearly everyone in their unit was present at Asa and Clara’s campsite. Even Gert Muller set her chair on the perimeter of the impromptu party, smoking her pipe and looking on with interest. Elizabeth was grateful that their site wasn’t large enough for everyone to dance tonight. She was content to simply sit around the fire, visiting with the other women as they watched the young people having a merry time. Meanwhile the men were gathered around Asa, smoking pipes and listening to the latest news—probably reports on the breakdowns on Devil’s Backbone and the possibility of reaching Independence Rock in a few days.

“It gets surprisingly cool in the evenings,” Elizabeth said as she pulled her shawl more snugly around her shoulders.

“I don’t mind the chilly night air a bit,” Ruby said. “But I suppose that has to do with my age.”

“I’m afraid I was a bit hasty in getting rid of blankets and heavy clothing,” Lavinia Prescott told them. “Hugh suggested we should reduce some of the weight we were carrying last week. It was so warm that day, I assumed we’d have no need of winter things. So I let him leave a whole trunk full of woolen clothing and blankets alongside the road.”

“You didn’t!” Flo Flanders’ eyebrows arched.

Lavinia grimaced. “Evelyn doesn’t even know yet—but her best winter coat was in that trunk. As well as a heavy woolen quilt that my mother made for our wedding more than twenty years ago. Not to mention the blankets and long johns and whatnot.”

“What on earth will you do when winter comes in Oregon?” Mrs. Taylor asked.

“How will you and your children stay warm?” Flo demanded.

Lavinia’s countenance suddenly changed and she looked unconcerned. “Oh, we’ve had a shipment of dry goods en route for nearly a year now. There are blankets and coats and all sorts of necessary supplies. They should arrive in Vancouver in early August.”

“A shipment of goods?” Flo’s brows shot up even higher. “Isn’t that awfully expensive?”

“We are merchants,” Lavinia reminded her. “We plan to open a store.”

“A store?” Flo looked impressed. “Out in the wilderness. Well, well, that’s a right good plan.” She elbowed Elizabeth. “Sure wouldn’t mind having a store where we settle. Say, Elizabeth, did your sister-in-law say if there’s a store where you’re going?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “Malinda hasn’t mentioned it.”

The women continued to chatter on about what it would be like when they settled and where they planned to be. It seemed that many of them were considering joining Elizabeth and her family. She was about to warn them that it would add additional travel time to their journey, but instead she was distracted by a certain someone who had just entered their camp. Dressed in his usual buckskins, Eli had his guitar with him. But he looked uncertain—as if he thought he might not be welcome. Naturally, and to her relief, he was warmly greeted by Matthew, and before long he was playing enthusiastically with the other musicians.

She tried not to be too obvious watching him as she tapped her toes to the lively music, but she was glad he’d come. Even more glad that he felt welcome. Still, it reminded her of his comment. Were people really gossiping about Will courting her? She glanced over to the group of men and was somewhat surprised to see Will looking directly at her, almost as if he’d been watching her the whole time. She simply smiled at him and then turned back to the women, where Mrs. Taylor was excusing herself to bed.