Race for Freedom (18 page)

The captain looked first at Caleb, then at Jordan. “Find Doctor Sweney. If he’ll come, bring him to us. If Lake Pepin doesn’t open soon, we could have an epidemic on our hands.”

An epidemic
? Libby knew that like wildfire, a disease could spread from one person to another.

“We’ll do our best,” Caleb promised.

“While you’re gone, I’ll tell the deck passengers to take their belongings onto land,” the captain answered. “We’ll scrub down the areas where they’ve been living and sleeping. Maybe that will keep them from getting sick.”

The fear was gone now in Caleb’s eyes, replaced by respect. “I’ve never known a captain to do that.”

“I have,” Libby’s father answered. “The captain who did it stopped an epidemic.”

“What if the ice goes out while you’re cleaning up?” Caleb asked. “You’ll miss the race to St. Paul.”

“It’s a risk we have to take.” Captain Norstad sounded as if he had already thought about that. “If we don’t, we can be sure that many of the deckers will lose their lives.”

The captain turned to Jordan. “Get warm clothes from Caleb. Under the tall pines there will still be slush and ice where the sun doesn’t reach. If all goes well, you’ll reach Red Wing by four or five o’clock.”

If all goes well
, Libby thought as Caleb started for the door.

“Just a minute,” Captain Norstad said.

Caleb turned back. “Sir?”

“Take Libby with you.”

“Libby?” Caleb’s protest sounded like a groan. “I have to take
her
?”

“That’s what I asked.”

As Caleb glanced toward Libby, she stiffened. More than anything, she wanted to go, to bring back help for Elsa. Yet it was clear that Caleb didn’t want her along.

“Libby, take a small bundle of extra clothes in case you get wet,” Pa said. “But don’t carry more than you need.”

The warm feeling that Pa believed in her welled up inside of Libby. He knew she could do something hard and succeed. “I’ll do my best, Pa,” Libby promised.

“I know you will.” His long look matched hers.

“I need to move into your cabin.” As Libby explained about helping Elsa to her room, she caught Pa’s quick glance toward Caleb. Was Pa wondering if she had already caught cholera from Elsa?

When Libby went out, she left the door open just a crack. Stepping to one side, she leaned against the wall and listened.

“Sir.” Caleb’s voice was courteous.

Always Libby felt surprised at the relationship between Caleb and her father. More than any other person, Caleb felt free to say what he liked to Pa. Often Captain Norstad talked with him about his decisions, as though to help Caleb understand his reasons. And once Pa had said, “I would trust Caleb even with my life.”

“I want you to take Libby,” the captain said now, as though knowing what Caleb was going to say.

“She’ll slow us down. She’ll be nothing but trouble.”

Libby strained to hear, but her father did not answer.

“There will be mud and bears and snakes.” Caleb paused as though thinking of more reasons why Libby shouldn’t go along.

“And ice and sharp limestone and danger,” the captain answered.

“Sir.” Caleb’s voice was quieter now, as though he were thinking it through. “You want her off the
Christina
, don’t you? You’re afraid that if Libby stays, she’ll get cholera. Do you know how much she’s already been around Elsa?”

Again Libby strained to hear. When her father did not answer, Libby knew.
It isn’t that he thinks I’m brave. If there’s an epidemic, he wants me far away
.

Suddenly the warm feelings inside Libby vanished. With it went her hope that her father believed in her.

All that big talk about knowing I’ll do my best!
Anger raced through Libby, leaving a bitter taste.
We’re a never-give-up family, all right!

When Pa did not answer Caleb, Libby knew the matter was decided in spite of Caleb’s protest.

Then Libby heard Caleb’s steps coming toward her. In a flash she leaped away from the door. As Caleb left the cabin, she raced toward her room.

I’ll show them!
Libby promised herself.
I’ll show both Pa and Caleb that I can do more than they think!

CHAPTER 15

Y
ou’re not the kind of girl to live in this wilderness!
”

As Libby decided what clothes she’d take, Caleb’s words spun around in her head.

Soon after she met him, Caleb had let her know what he thought of her fancy dresses. According to him, women coming into this newly settled area should be proud to wear a jean dress or a checked apron.

Well, I’ll surprise you, Caleb Whitney!
In secret she had sewn a skirt made from jean cloth. Now it was ready to wear.

Then Libby remembered her hair. Caleb hadn’t liked her long, tight red curls either. Her hair was combed out now with just a curl at the end, and the front of her hair pulled back. Yet Libby was certain that in no time her hair would be full of twigs.

When ready for the next day, Libby spread the quilts she hadn’t given Elsa on the floor of Pa’s cabin. Still feeling upset with both Pa and Caleb, she fell asleep.

Hours later Libby had a nightmare. In her dream she knew she had to rescue Pa. Over and over she called for help, but her voice wouldn’t come.

As she tried to cry out, Pa shook her awake. “Libby! Wake up!”

At first she didn’t understand what was happening. Then she began to sob.

“What’s wrong, Libby?” Pa asked as she came awake. “Are you afraid of the walk to Red Wing?”

Libby shook her head. “I dreamed that something was happening to you.”

“Something bad?”

Between sobs, she nodded.

“Oh, Libby!” Pa exclaimed.

She heard him moving about, then saw a soft glow as he lit the lamp next to his rocking chair. Pa led Libby over to the chair, sat down, and pulled her onto his lap.

Not since she was a little girl had Pa rocked her, and Libby felt almost silly. She was really too big to fit on his lap, but Pa’s arms went around her.

For a time he rocked her, saying little. Then he asked, “Libby, do you worry about what might happen to me?”

Her face tucked against his chest, she nodded. Then she remembered Pa’s talk with Caleb. “Do you worry about what might happen to
me?
” she asked.

“I try not to,” Pa answered. “But I want to be careful, to be wise about taking care of you.”

“Is that why you’re sending me with Caleb?”

“It’s a hard choice, Libby. It seems to be the lesser of two evils.”

“So you don’t really think I’m strong and courageous.” Libby began crying again. “The worst of it is, I’m
not
!” she wailed. Her nightmare still seemed real. “I get so scared about
you!”

When her sobs quieted, Pa spoke gently. “Libby, I’m your Pa. It’s my job to take care of you, but it’s not your job to take care of me. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to do it.”

“Then what do I do?”

“Maybe you’d better let God take care of me.”

God. There it is again
, Libby thought. “Are you sure God can manage?” she asked.

Pa smiled. “I’m sure,” he said. “Even if the very worst happened, God would be with me. He’s the one who takes care of both of us. Wherever we are, He
is
.”

Reaching out, Pa pulled the lamp closer to them. “Do you see this, Libby?” he asked.

She nodded. More than once she had noticed the lamp. Inside the glass base, a piece of red flannel floated in the oil.

“This lamp always reminds me of your ma,” Pa said. “Christina was like a lot of pioneer women. She put the flannel in the lamp to remind herself that red is for courage.”

“You’ve told me that before—that Ma had courage.” Yet it seemed as though everything Libby tried had worked out wrong. “How did Ma get courage?”

Pa rested a hand on his big Bible. “Your mother found verses—promises that helped her trust the Lord. There’s one she liked especially much. ‘Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God.’”

Startled, Libby sat up.
The words I heard down in the hold! So that’s how I knew them
! Libby’s voice joined Pa’s. “‘I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee.’”

Strangely comforted, she looked Pa in the eyes. “Did Ma teach me that verse?”

Pa smiled. “I wouldn’t be surprised. Whenever she needed courage, she repeated those words over and over again.”

When it was time to leave, Pa looked Libby straight in the eye. “Don’t forget you’re a Norstad, Libby. And remember your mother’s verse.”

Pa’s hug felt warm and strong, making Libby believe she really could walk all those miles to Red Wing.
Maybe Elsa will get well, after all. If only we can find Doctor Sweney and bring him back in time
.

It was still dark when Caleb led Libby and Jordan down the gangplank. Without making a sound, they crept up the steep bank next to the river. The town was quiet now. Even the nearby steamboats lay silent.

Then Libby heard footsteps from behind. She strained to listen. There it was again—the sound of boots on the gangplank.

Libby tugged at Caleb’s arm. She barely heard his warning shush, but she knew. Caleb had also heard the footsteps.

When he picked up his pace, Libby and Jordan stayed with him. As they passed one of the town’s seventeen hotels, a dog started barking. Caleb walked even faster. They were a short distance beyond the hotel when the dog fell silent.

Moments later he barked again, and Caleb hurried on. As silence filled the darkness before dawn, Libby once more heard footsteps. Soon Caleb slipped into the shadows between large warehouses. Libby and Jordan joined him in the darkness.

In a few minutes, three dark shapes hurried past them. As Libby caught her breath, Caleb’s warning fingers tightened on her arm.

Along the streets of Reads Landing, no one else stirred. Before long, the footsteps of the three men died away. Caleb slipped out from between the buildings. For a short distance, he walked along the street next to the river. Nearby, the great steamboats rose from the water. In the darkness their tall stacks seemed to disappear.