Lazy Days (10 page)

Tim ran to the back of the wagon and peeked his
head inside. "Ma, we've reached the Wakarusa."

"Goodness, let me look out the front."
It had been two hours since lunch and Hallie hobbled to the front of the wagon to
gaze at what appeared to be a gently flowing river, and her anxiety eased.

Walking beside the oxen, Cooper called "Gee,"
and cracked his whip in the air. Seeing Hallie peek out, he smiled and she
warmly returned his smile, forgetting for the moment her awkward feelings in
the face of this new adventure.

Cooper motioned ahead. "We'll follow the
river a short ways and then arrive at Blue Jacket's Ferry. We might get some of
the wagons crossed today, but probably not all."

Hallie said, "I had visions of a rushing
river, not this slow moving one."

"Don't let this river fool you; it's more
dangerous than it looks." He pointed to the banks. "In the early days
of the trail, wagons had to be dismantled and lowered down those limestone
banks with ropes before being towed across and then roped up on the other
side."

"Oh, those poor people; thank goodness we
have a ferry."

The wagons in front of them came to a halt and Cooper
called, "Whoa!"

Captain Jones trotted his horse the length of
the train, instructing everyone to secure their belongings.

With Tim's help, Hallie made sure everything was
firmly fastened inside their wagon, while Cooper took care of the outside.
After that, she sat on the wagon seat and gingerly tried to find a comfortable
position for her ankle while waiting their turn. If there was one thing she had
discovered since beginning her journey, it was that everything moved at a snail's
pace.

An hour later, they had advanced to the front of
the line and Hallie breathed a sigh of relief. Soon they would be on the other
side. She watched Cooper speaking with the Indians operating the ferry and was
surprised when he came back and said, "This ferry is smaller than I
expected so I'm not taking any chances. Even though it will cost two ferry
tolls, we're splitting our animals up to cross over. If something happens, it's
better to lose some of them, and not all."

Hallie considered his words and decided it was a
wise decision. She watched him unhitch two of the oxen and then load them,
along with the extra ox and milk cow, onto the ferry.

Behind them, one of the pioneers yelled,
"You're just making this crossing that much longer! Nothing happened to
the wagons and animals ahead of you!"

Cooper didn't give a look or offer an
explanation to the offended man. The man continued to grumble loudly and voice
his opinion to Captain Jones when he rode past.

Captain Jones halted Midnight and responded,
"Now, Mr. Liverman, of course you're entitled to your opinion, and believe
me, we've all heard it, but that's not going to change Cooper's decision. So I
suggest you quit your belly achin' and just wait your turn. I'll not interfere
with a man who's being rightfully cautious."

Leaning from her perch, Hallie watched Mr. Liverman
narrow his eyes at the captain and open his mouth to reply, but Mrs. Liverman
elbowed him and said something under her breath. After that he stomped to the
back of his wagon.

Shifting her attention to the ferry, she watched
it transport her animals to the other side and return. Cooper now guided the
remaining oxen as they pulled the wagon aboard the ferry and then he loaded
Sweet Pea. Tim sat on the wagon seat alongside Hallie and she bit her bottom
lip as the ferry was pulled across the river. Standing behind the wagon, Cooper
held the reins of Sweet Pea. As smooth as could be expected, the ferry docked
on the other side.

Before long, the animals and wagon were unloaded
and the ferry was on its way back across the Wakarusa. Cooper tied Sweet Pea to
the back of the wagon and guided the oxen in pulling the schooner farther up
the bank to join the other oxen and cow. While he attended to the animals,
Hallie moved to the rear of the wagon to watch the continued crossings of the
other emigrants. Mr. Liverman had crowded all of his animals and family onto
the ferry, and he had more animals than Hallie.

"Please let them make it over safely,"
Hallie whispered a quiet prayer. Having just crossed the river, she understood
the fear written on Mrs. Liverman's face.

About three-quarters of the way across, a horse
spooked and reared on its hind legs, and even though one of the Liverman boys
tried to hold the reins and calm the beast, it lunged for the river. Mr. Liverman
tried to edge around his other animals, but he didn't make it in time. Mrs. Liverman
screamed when both the horse and her son plunged into the river.

Horrified, Hallie watched Mr. Liverman dive in
after his son. The horse swam toward shore and the Liverman boy went
underwater. His mother yelled, "He's afraid of the water. He can't swim!"

Suddenly, Hallie saw Cooper running toward the
river. He pulled off his boots and dived in, his powerful strokes pulling him
in the direction the boy had disappeared. Mr. Liverman reached the spot before
Cooper and disappeared under water, too. After a minute he reappeared, but his
son did not. Mrs. Liverman started screaming, "Find my boy! Find my boy!
He's only twelve!"

Cooper took a deep breath before diving under.
Praying fiercely, Hallie whispered over and over, "Save him…save him.."
Clasping her hands over her heart, sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart
pounded.

Time seemed to stand still while Cooper and Mr. Liverman
swam under water searching for the boy. Hallie went from breathing rapidly to
holding her breath. And just when it seemed the suspense would never end,
Cooper jerked the boy out of the water and Mr. Liverman's head popped up at the
same time. Together, they hauled the boy to the bank and other men ran to help haul
him up the limestone rocks. The ferry banked and Mrs. Liverman grabbed up her
skirts and rushed to disembark while her older children and the Indian operator
hurried to unload the ferry.

Ignoring the pain in her ankle, Hallie lowered
herself to the ground, instructed Tim to stay with their wagon, and hobbled to
the lifeless boy. Cooper clambered up the rocks and turned the child onto his
side, attempting to express water from his lungs. After several maneuvers the
boy suddenly coughed up water and dragged a ragged breath. Hallie and Mrs.
Liverman, on their knees beside the child, exclaimed their relief. After a few
more minutes, Cooper stepped aside and left the boy to the attention of his
parents.

Hallie called for Tim to bring towels and then
painfully started toward her wagon. Suddenly, wet arms lifted her and she
squealed.

Cooper said low, "Hallie, I sure hope you
haven't reinjured your ankle."

The rest of the day proceeded with no more
mishaps. Captain Jones instructed the pioneers who had crossed over to continue
on for a mile before breaking for camp and to wait for him and the other
pioneers before continuing the next day.

That night, with half the camp circled, Hallie
sat comfortably in her chair with her leg propped on a bucket and listened to
Cooper and Tim try to outdo each other in ghost stories. She smiled when Tim
related one of the stories he had often begged his father to tell on long
winter nights before a blazing fire. Just when he got to the scary part, Mr.
Liverman stepped into the firelight and startled her.

Cooper said, "Hello, Mr. Liverman. How's
Peter feeling?"

Mr. Liverman cleared his throat. "He's
doing right fine—thanks to you."

No one said anything and the stocky man
continued. "I just came to apologize for my behavior this afternoon. If I'd
followed your lead…" his voice cracked, "my boy wouldn't have gone
through this." He spread his hands wide. "I just want you to know how
sorry I am, and if you need
anything,
you just let me know."

Cooper rose and extended his hand. "Thank you,
Mr. Liverman. Everyone does things they wish they could change. If I were to
repeat my own list…" he smiled, "it would be a long one."

Mr. Liverman said, "You're being kind when
I deserve a punch in the mouth." He gave a little laugh. "Please call
me Hank."

Cooper said, "And you must call me
Cooper."

After that, Hank related to Cooper some
mechanical problems he was having with his wagon and asked for advice. While
they talked and Tim stoked the fire, Hallie closed her eyes and replayed
Cooper's response to Mr. Liverman's apology. He had been kind and forgiving,
even gentle, when he could have thrown the apology back in the poor man's face
and spoken as harshly as Mr. Liverman had that afternoon.
You're a wise man,
Cooper.

Ten days and three river crossings later—the lower
Kansas and the Little and Big Vermillions—the wagons circled at Alcove Spring. Captain
Jones had said it was a popular location and Hallie could see by the ruts of
previous wagons over many years that it was so.

With her ankle almost healed, she now walked a good
portion of each day, and her blisters were gone. Cooper was polite and aloof
and she knew he was trying to make her feel comfortable around him.

Gazing over the terrain, she exclaimed to Tim
and Cooper, "It's simply beautiful here. If Oregon is half this pretty, I
shall be forever happy."

After setting up camp, Cooper told Hallie and
Tim, "I've been checking out the spring. Come see the names of pioneers
carved into the rocks."

Happy to have something to do other than the
usual routine, Hallie and Tim followed Cooper to a stream with water cascading
over a ledge that jutted about twelve feet above a basin.

Tim bent to splash the water in the basin and
exclaimed, "It's so cold!"

Hallie tried it for herself. "Oh, it
is!"

Then Cooper pointed to carvings on the ledge.

For the next few minutes, they read the names
and dates of pioneers as far back as the 1840s. Hallie was pensive. "Just
think, all these people have paved the Westward Trails for us." She
touched one of the names. "And now, we're paving the way for those after us."

Cooper asked, "Would you like for me to
carve your names?"

Hallie met his gaze and in that moment felt a spiritual
bond not only with Cooper, but with the thousands who had blazed this trail,
sometimes with laughter, often with tears. Carving their own names into the ledge
would forever join them with those brave souls exemplifying the courage of the
human spirit to chase dreams, no matter how elusive or difficult.

"Yes," she breathed.

Cooper removed the knife sheathed to his thigh
and cocked his head toward Tim. "Where would you like your name, son?

Perhaps not understanding the magnitude of the
moment, but seeing the tears brimming in his mother's eyes, Tim stepped to a stone
and pointed. "There, sir."

After Cooper had carved Tim's name he asked Hallie,
"Where would you like your name?"

"Below Tim's. And, Cooper, you must also carve
your name."

Perched next to her son, Hallie watched her name
being etched into history. Tim whispered, "Ma, someday I'll return and
find our names."

Hallie patted his hand and tried to memorialize
the magic of the waterfall, the stream, the rocks, the foliage, the sky, and
Tim and Cooper in her mind and emotions.

Cooper turned, wiped his blade on his pants, and
then sheathed it. "We've left our marks." He stared at Hallie.

Late that evening, while Hallie sat and watched
the fires burning around the circle of wagons and listened to the sounds of
camp—horses neighing, a mother calling her child, fires crackling, a man's
laugh—she contemplated her day and allowed the peaceful night to seep into her
soul, refusing to worry about the future or the chores to be done on the morrow.

"Excuse me, Miz Wells. Could I talk to you
a minute?" Hallie was surprised to see one of the fancy women approaching.

"Of course, please sit." Hallie motioned
to the chair Cooper had vacated to go in search of Captain Jones.

"Thank you, ma'am." The pretty redhead
now wearing a dress more suitable to their journey, but still so tight in the
bodice as to push the swell of her breasts over the top of the rounded
neckline, daintily sat on the chair.

Seeing the woman up close, Hallie was surprised
by how beautiful she was, and young. The girl looked to be no more than
eighteen or twenty, with exquisite coloring, absent the freckles that so often
accompanied red hair. Even by firelight, her clear blue eyes in a delicate face
held the freshness of innocence, startling when one considered her occupation.

The girl fidgeted and said, "My name is
Clarissa and I…well…got elected by the other ladies in our group to ask you
something."

Hallie furrowed her brow. "What can I do
for you, Clarissa?"

"Well, me and the other ladies…well, we
like you, and we seen how that preacher woman treats you—she treats us the
same. Anyway, 'cause we like you so much we wanted to ask you first."

The woman studied her nails and Hallie prompted,
"What do you want to ask me?"

Clarissa leaned forward and said low, "We
wanted to know if you have feelins' for Mr. Jerome, 'cause if you do…we won't
pursue him. We may be fancy women, but we got morals, and if you want him to be
your man, we won't do anything. But if you don't…" Clarissa grinned,
"we'd sure like to spend time with him…if you get my meanin'." She
winked.

Hallie's eyes widened and then her mouth fell
open. Clarissa waited for her response.

Hallie stuttered, "Uh…uh…no…no…I don't have
feelings for Mr. Jerome."

Clarissa grinned and clapped her hands.
"The ladies are gonna be so happy 'bout that!" She leaned closer.
"We just think he's the handsomest man ever, and so nice and respectful of
the ladies." She leaned even closer and whispered, "I'd just
love
to marry a man like him."

Before Hallie could respond, Clarissa jumped up.
"I gotta go tell the ladies. We wasn't sure how you felt 'bout him 'cause
sometimes we seen you starin' at him, but now that you said it's okay, we're
gonna make him
real
happy. Thank you, Miz Wells." She started to
turn around, but paused. "Is it okay if we call you Hallie?"

"Yes, of course."

Clarissa grinned, made a little waving motion,
and skipped back to her wagon.

"Was that one of the women from Mrs.
Martinique's group?"

Hallie jumped at the sound of Cooper's voice
when he stepped into the firelight.

"Uh…yes."

"What did she want?"

"She…uh…she…"

Cooper waited.

"She just wanted to introduce herself. She
said she and the ladies didn't like the way Mrs. Pittance had treated me."
Hallie jumped up. "I…I need to check on Tim. He's with the Livermans."
She rushed away from her wagon.

The next morning, Tim said, "Ma, Cooper
said we're gonna cross the Big Blue today at Independence Crossing. I think
crossing rivers is my favorite part of the trail. I can't wait to do it
again."

Although crossing rivers was Hallie's least
favorite and tied her stomach in knots, she smiled at her son's enthusiasm.

Before noon, they reached Independence Crossing
and the large ferry, so different from the previous ones, helped relieve her
mind. Cooper seemed to understand, saying, "We won't have to split up the
animals this time."

By evening all of the emigrants under Captain
Jones's care had been ferried across with nary an incident. At dusk, they joyously
camped on the other side of the river, having notched another crossing on their
belts. Taking advantage of abundant water, women washed their babies and small
children in barrels, while older children splashed in the shallows and some
even swam in the depths. Hallie followed Tim to the river's edge and laughed as
he and Sam played with newfound friends. She decided that later she would return
and bathe when everyone was gone.

After lying in bed and waiting for camp to
settle, Hallie slipped out the back of her wagon with a towel and a special bar
of soap Thomas had given her. She had already unbound her hair and tied the mass
back with a ribbon. She could smell the river and anticipated bathing with
excitement, missing the elaborate tub Thomas had bought her and his teasing
about prune skin.

Now, reaching the river, she glanced around to
make sure she was alone before setting her towel on the ground, slipping the
soap from her pocket, and letting her cloak fall to the ground. Still wearing
her shift, she stepped to the water's edge and then waded to her knees; she had
no intention of undressing. Enjoying the balmy breeze, she pulled the ribbon
from her hair and bent forward to dip her long mane in the water. Before long,
her hair was lathered and she bent again to rinse it. Oh, the pleasure of fresh
water and cleanliness; washing from a basin was nothing compared to this.

* * *

Cooper watched Hallie in the moonlight and held
his breath. Her uplifted face radiated ecstasy. Her fluid movements and the
look on her face made him want to wade into the water, take her in his arms,
and taste every part of her body. She was the most graceful woman he had ever encountered.
His penchant for large, buxom women rushed out the door as he watched this
gazelle. He grinned when he imagined the embarrassment that would rosy her
cheeks and body if she knew he was watching.

The shift Hallie was wearing slipped from her
shoulder revealing a small, pale breast. Cooper whooshed and knew he should
look away, but he couldn't make himself do so. He wanted the whole damn gown to
fall to the ground. He almost groaned aloud when she righted the sleeve and
slipped back into her cloak. With a glorious mane of hair hanging to her waist,
she walked back to camp and Cooper followed.