Migrating to Michigan (10 page)

“It's cold and raining in Houghton,” he said. “Better put on your jackets.”

As we were about to walk into the green cloud, Owen sneezed again, then tripped on his shoelaces. As my friend fell, he hit his head on the corner of Professor Tuesday's desk with a big THUNK. We had to stop and wait until he finished fixing his glasses. Then he rubbed the goose egg that was growing on his forehead.

“I don't think he'll ever learn,” said Rachel.

Mister Adams looked at the bump on Owen's noggin. Then he signed two letters …
O
and
K
.

“Thanks, Mister Adams,” Owen said, “I'm okay.”

I could tell that Owen was hurt, but he's pretty tough.

T
he professor was right. It was a cold and miserable day in Copper Country. We landed in a forest of tall pine trees. A thick layer of pine needles under our feet made it feel like we were walking on pillows. The professor pulled out his compass. We followed him as he started walking. All the while, the three of us kept close watch on Mister Adams to make sure he didn't wander off again.

A chilly wind blew off the lake and dark clouds covered the sky. There was steady drizzle coming down as we walked out of the woods and toward a muddy street. We could see water behind us and a large ship tied up at a dock. The ship had tall masts that looked like huge flagpoles poking into the sky. Its sails were neatly folded up and tied. It reminded me of those tall ships that take people for rides in Traverse City. Sailors were working on the deck and high on the masts and rope lines. On shore, men were taking crates and barrels off the ship. Others were loading barrels back on board. It all looked like very hard work.

We came to a stop on the road. “This is Quincy Street,” said the professor. Then he pointed up the hill, away from the water. “Right up ahead is the Quincy Mine. I think we should stop by and see what kind of work is going on there.”

“This isn't much of a street,” Rachel said. “It's more like one big mud puddle.”

Owen and I agreed. What a mess! Our shoes and pants were covered in mud. The farther we walked, the muddier we got.

The professor stopped before we got to the mine. “Take a good look around,” he said. “Think about what you see and take careful notes in your journals.”

The big, dark lake behind us blended in with the cloudy sky. Once again there were tall, thick trees everywhere. Huge pines grew right to the lakeshore. They lined the muddy streets and stretched as far as we could see. The rain had scoured deep ruts in the sandy road.

Rachel wrote down descriptions of everything she saw. Owen mostly drew pictures.

W
e picked our way up the muddy street, jumping between puddles as best we could. They were everywhere. Owen and Mister Adams were trailing behind the professor, Rachel, and me. When I turned to look back at them, they were jumping in mud puddles and laughing out of control. When Mister Adams saw me looking at him, he put two fingers from his right hand by his nose while pointing outward with the two fingers of his left hand. Then he brought his right hand down.

I looked back to Professor Tuesday, and he was smiling. “Mister Adams says he's having fun. I think the two of them are becoming friends.”

“I could be Mister Adams's friend if I wanted to,” Rachel said. “But, I've already got a lot of friends.”

“Oh,” said the professor, “can a person have too many friends?”

Rachel didn't know how to answer the professor's question, so she just shrugged her shoulders.

Suddenly, something caught my eye. There was movement in the shadows of the forest. I thought it was a big dog, but I wasn't sure. I don't like big dogs. They scare me. Whatever it was, it seemed to be following us. When I tried to get a better look, it seemed to vanish. I didn't say anything to the professor. Maybe I should have. I was feeling a little nervous.

After walking about a block and a half, we started to come across several small wooden buildings. They looked very rough, more like broken-down shacks than houses. Thin wisps of smoke drifted out of the chimneys. I liked the smell of wood smoke. Now and then little children in tattered, dirty clothes could be seen running and playing in the rain. I shivered as I watched them.

At the end of the road we saw a large wooden building. Men were hauling wagons full of rocks toward the back. Others were hauling barrels of rocks out the front. The loads looked heavy as the men strained to push them along.

Suddenly, a noise came from behind us. We turned to see a group of workers coming toward us up the road. They were carrying picks, shovels, chisels, hammers, lanterns, and other tools. They passed us without a word and walked into a smaller building on the hillside. As they stepped into the building, others came out.

“Let's watch and see what happens,” the professor said.

Those going into the building looked kind of clean and neat. The men coming out were covered in dirt and mud from head to toe. Their faces were black with grime. One by one they walked over to the side of the big building and washed up in water from a wooden barrel. Once most of the mud was cleaned off their hands and faces, they gathered underneath a tree and started eating their lunches. Their food looked like some kind of piecrust. Professor Tuesday came around and adjusted our Tuesday Translators so we could understand what they were saying.

The translators crackled in our ears as we listened. One man talked about finding a nice vein of copper. He told his friend that the copper was several inches thick and as long as his arm. The other man mentioned that he was working on a crew that found a big rock of native copper. The rock was so big that they couldn't get it out of the mine by hand. His crew was chiseling away at the boulder so they could take it out piece by piece.

“Professor,” Owen asked, “can we go down into the mines? I'd sure like to see what it looks like.”

“Heavens no,” said the professor. “Mining is a dangerous business. Copper mines often cut deep into the hillsides. And, rats and bats like to make their homes in mines.”

“E-w-w-w,” Rachel squealed. “I hate bats, and I hate rats even more.

The professor continued, “The mines were dark, dirty, and wet. Miners often used wooden beams to keep the ceiling of the mine from caving in around them. Still, there were many, many accidents in the mines. The mining companies here in the Keweenaw tried to hire the best and most skilled workers. Some of these men came from Scandinavian countries, like Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Others came from mining areas such as Cornwall in England.”

The professor thought for a time before continuing. “As you can see by looking at the men who just came out of the mine, it is a very dirty business. The miners often go deep into the earth to find veins of copper. They use heavy hammers and chisels to dig out what was called ‘red metal.' Rocks and pieces of copper are carried to the surface, where it was sorted then shipped throughout the United States.”

We sat quietly for a while and listened as the miners continued talking. The two of them talked about their families and children. Then one of them mentioned something that scared me.

“We must be very careful with our children,” he said. “Isak told me he saw a wolf behind his house the other night.”

“A wolf,” the other man replied, “I thought that Johan chased the pack off for good.”

“Well, I think they are back. Anyway, we must all watch the children and our animals very carefully.”

I swallowed hard. Maybe I had seen the wolf in the shadows alongside the road. “Professor, can we go now?” I asked. “I'm getting cold.”

A
s we headed back I was careful to keep a close eye on Rachel, Owen, and Mister Adams. The idea of wolves nearby scared me. I didn't want anything to happen to me or anyone else.

Professor Tuesday stopped short and took a look at his watch. “Oh, my gosh, look what time it is.” He held up his watch for us to see, but he put his arm down so fast we couldn't tell what time it was.

“We don't have time to discuss this visit right now,” the professor said. “I want to see more before the day is over.”

We headed back toward the spot where the teleporter dropped us off. As we approached the pine forest, a cloud of insects greeted us.

“Oh, no,” said the professor, “Keweenaw eagles.”

“Eagles … where?” Owen asked as he swatted insects away.

“Black flies,” said the professor. “The miners called black flies ‘Keweenaw eagles' because they were so big.”

Professor Tuesday dug into his emergency pack and pulled out a can of insect repellant. We closed our eyes and plugged our noses as the professor sprayed us down. “Black flies and mosquitoes were another nasty hazard that immigrants in Copper Country faced.”

We continued walking into the pine forest. It seemed like we had been walking a long time when the professor stopped and raised his hand.

“What's wrong, Professor?” Rachel asked.

“The teleporter cloud should be here somewhere,” he said as worry crossed his face.

“Where is it?” Owen asked.

“I don't know,” said the professor as he checked his compass.

“What do we do now?” I asked.

“The first thing we should do is to relax and not panic,” said the professor. “I'm sure the teleporter is nearby. I want the three of you to stay here while I go look for it.”

“Professor,” I said, “maybe I should have said something before, but I thought I saw a wolf following us. I don't know, maybe it was just a big dog … maybe.”

“Oh, no!” Rachel cried. “I don't like big dogs or wolves.”

Mister Adams gave her a big hug, and she settled down a bit, but we were all starting to get scared.

“It will be okay,” said the professor. “I won't be far. I'll start a small fire. That should warm you up a bit. Plus, it will help to keep animals and bugs away.” The professor turned to Owen. “Can you tend the fire safely?”

“I can, Professor,” Owen said proudly. “And, we'll all take good care of Mister Adams.”

The professor took some dry pine needles that were under the trees and protected from the rain. He quickly gathered up some twigs and small branches. Then he opened up his emergency pack and took out some matches. A small fire quickly came to life.

Before leaving, the professor turned to his nephew. “Mister Adams, it is very important that you stay with your friends and not wander.”

Mister Adams gave the yes sign. Then the professor started off to search for the teleporter.

We huddled around the small fire and warmed our hands. Rachel started sniffling. It was easy to see that she was upset. The rain picked up a bit and the thick smoke got in our eyes. Owen watched the fire carefully. Now and then, he would gather up dead wood and throw it on the fire to keep it going. On one of his trips for firewood, Owen found a long sturdy branch that looked like a club.

“Don't worry,” Owen said when he returned to the fire. “The professor will find the teleporter soon. And, I've got this piece of wood I can use if a wolf comes around.”

“Yah, right,” Rachel said.

Suddenly, we heard something crashing through the forest. Whatever it was, it was close and seemed to be heading toward us. Rachel, Mister Adams, and I huddled together. Owen picked up his club and bravely headed toward the sound. When he thought he was close, Owen got himself ready to strike.

“It's me,” said the professor, “I found the teleporter.” He stepped out from behind some tall brush. It was just over the next hill. I don't know how I missed it, but we're safe now.”

Owen ran to the professor's side. “Am I ever glad to see you. For a minute there, I thought there was a wolf coming after us.”

The professor roughed up Owen's hair. “I'm pleased that I left you in charge of the fire,” Professor Tuesday said. “You kept everyone safe, and I found my way back by following the smoke.”

Our spirits rose as we put out the fire and headed toward the teleporter. It was a close call. Little did we know that something really scary was about to happen.

W
hen we got to the top of the hill, we were all excited to see the teleporter again.

Owen decided to keep his club as a souvenir of his trip to Copper Country. He held it in both hands as he followed the professor, Mister Adams, Rachel, and me into the teleporter cloud.

We all realized something was wrong once we landed back in the professor's office. A loud, low growling sound sent chills up and down my spine. We didn't see it at first. Finally, we saw two eyes glowing in the dark corner on the far side of the room. Slowly, steadily, a wolf edged into the light, baring its teeth. Rachel and I screamed. We grabbed Mister Adams and ran behind the professor's desk.

Owen stepped forward with his club and started swinging it back and forth. The club made whooshing sounds as it cut through the air. The wolf backed into the corner and continued its fierce growl.

“Professor, the wolf must have come through the teleporter,” Owen whispered. “We've got to do something fast!”

“My goodness! My goodness!” the professor said. He joined Rachel, Mister Adams, and me behind his desk. “I'll re-set the teleporter to send it somewhere back in time. We've got to get that wolf out of here now. Does anyone have an idea of how we can do it?”

Rachel and I were too scared to think. “Don't let the wolf get us,” Rachel cried.

Our eyes widened as Owen bravely swung his club back and forth. The wolf tried to come forward, but Owen managed to keep him cornered. The professor quickly tapped away at his laptop. While the professor worked, Mister Adams was rummaging through the drawers in his uncle's desk.