CHAPTER FOUR
_Ready for the Run_
A couple of days later, Alec sat near the Simpsons' wagon, watching hisfather exercise Sunshine. Controlling the beautiful mare entirely by theway he swayed his body and with a very light touch on the reins, JedSimpson put Sunshine into a canter. Then he drew her back to a trot, andAlec sighed wistfully.
Tomorrow was April 22, the day of the great Run, and it was impossiblenot to share the excitement that mounted all along the border. Alectried hard to calm down. He was not going to make the ride intoOklahoma, and he knew it. His father had asked him to stay with thewagon and take care of his mother and sisters. Duty was plain, and therecould be no shirking. All the Simpsons had to work together for thegood of all.
He must not, Alec told himself, even _wish_ that he could make the ride.But because he couldn't help wishing, he felt a little guilty. Hisfather brought Sunshine back, staked her on the picket rope, and beganto rub her down.
"She's in shape," he called to his son. "She'll make it."
Alec said, "I'm sure she will."
"Come a little closer, will you, Alec?"
Alec went nearer, and his father lowered his voice. "I want to talk toyou confidentially, son. You'll take good care of your mother and thetwins?"
"Yes, Dad."
Mr. Simpson grinned nervously, and Alec sensed that he too had given wayto the general excitement. His father spoke again, "I know I can dependon you."
"Yes, you can."
"Pete and I are going as light as possible, with only a little food,"Mr. Simpson said. "The important thing is to get the claims staked. Nordo I want your mother out there until there is a good house ready forher. I want it to seem like home when she comes. But we'll need onewagon and some tools as soon as possible after the land is ours. If wetake Pete's, his father and mother can move into ours until we send forthat too. Now, after this crowd gets out of here, your mother and thetwins will be all right, and I won't be afraid to leave them alone.Think you can bring Pete's wagon up when I send for you?"
"Oh, yes. I can handle the team."
"Good. Of course I'll send someone to show you the way. Now--What intarnation is that sister of yours up to?"
Hands clasped around and chin resting on her knees, Cindy was lookingintently at a big and battle-scarred old cat that had strayed into thecamp. With his tail curled around his paws, the cat stared back at thegirl. Presently he rose, walked over to her, and began to rub himselfagainst her legs. Cindy stroked him and continued to watch closely. JedSimpson chuckled.
"What does she find so interesting about that old cat?" he asked.
Alec grinned. "I think she's looking at its eyes," he replied.
"Why look at a cat's eyes?" Mr. Simpson demanded.
"Remember what Granny Bevers said about good luck following us if wewould beware a man with cat's eyes? Cindy thought she saw such a man incamp."
Jed Simpson shook his head. "That girl gets the blamedest ideas!"
Suddenly a big hound dog that had crept up behind a near-by wagon roaredhis challenge and rushed the cat. Without hesitation, the cat jumped onCindy's shoulders and turned to face his enemy. The dog charged angrilyin, bowling Cindy over in the process. The cat snarled. There was ashort, sharp fight on top of the prostrate youngster until, leaving thecat in full possession of the field, the dog ran howling away.
Alec and his father, who had started running forward the instant the catleaped, arrived to find Cindy picking herself up and brushing herselfoff. Her eyes were shining, and an excited smile trembled on her lips.
"Oh boy!" she exclaimed. "What a fight!"
"Are you hurt?" her father asked anxiously.
"Me?" Cindy looked astonished that anyone should ask such a question."Oh, no!"
"Doggone!" Alec burst out. "If you fell in a rain barrel you'd come outwith your pockets full of cookies!"
"Of course," Cindy said sweetly.
The cat resumed rubbing against her legs, and Cindy looked fondly at it.Sure that she was not hurt, and far too excited to stay in one place forvery long, Jed Simpson walked over to discuss with Pete Brent plans thatthey had already discussed a dozen times. Alec smirked at his sister.
"There's something I _will_ believe," he declared.
"What?" Cindy asked.
"The cat has cat's eyes."
Cindy made a face. "Funny boy! That man's eyes were just like thecat's!"
"You're sure?" Alec asked.
"Very sure," Cindy said firmly. "I wish I could find him again."
"Seems he's 'being ware' of us. Guess your magic must have scared himaway. Let's take a walk," Alec suggested.
"Let's get Mindy to go with us," Cindy said eagerly.
"Mindy's sewing," Alec said, and added smugly, "a proper pastime for agirl."
"I can sew too, smartypants," Cindy declared.
"Then why don't you?"
Cindy laughed. "I'd rather do almost anything else. Come on. Let'swalk."
They strolled among the camps and wagons, and it seemed that every daybrought more people who were determined to claim the free land inOklahoma. A creaking wagon drawn by six oxen and commanded by a beardedman carrying an ox goad came in and stopped. The man smoothed his beardwith his fingers.
"How far to Oklahoma?" he called to a man who was soaping a saddle.
"Hundred yards," the man said without looking up.
The ox driver stared across the border. He said, as though he had reasonto doubt it, "So that's Oklahoma?"
"Yup," the other man continued industriously to soap his saddle, "an'you better not cross afore noon tomorra. They're kickin' more Soonersout every day."
Cindy shivered. "It's so exciting!" she exclaimed.
"Sure is!" Alec glowed.
It seemed that everyone had been bitten by an invisible bug whichcontinued to bite and would permit no rest. Hands clasped behind hisback, the man who owned the race horse paced restlessly back and forth,almost as though someone had measured off a space and ordered him towalk in it forever. His cheeks were red and his eyes bright, almostfeverish. He looked at the two children as they passed without evenseeing them.
The family that hoped to "make out in Oklyhomy" were all busy, the manoiling harness, the woman and her oldest daughter piling boxes in thewagon, and the three smaller children getting in the way. The two livelyyoung men were having a wrestling match. The old man was lookingearnestly at his sorry-looking mule and saying over and over again,"Now, mule, we got to go. We got to go, mule."
"Where you got to go?" somebody called.
"Oklahoma," the old man said. "Now, mule, we got to go. We got to go,mule."
A reckless rider on a plunging horse rode through the camp. His horse,jumping suddenly sidewise, knocked over one of two water pails that werestanding beside a tent. The owner of the pails, a fat man dressed onlyin red underwear, ran out of the tent and shook his fist.
"Come back and do that again!" he yelled.
"All right! I will!"
The reckless rider turned his horse, came back, knocked over the otherwater pail, then, laughing, rode off. The fat man raised his armsheavenwards and roared at the top of his voice. Then, shrugging, hepicked up his pails and, still wearing only red underwear, went to getmore water.
A bevy of youngsters were playing tag near by. "Join the game!" afreckle-faced boy about Alec's age called.
"Let's!" Cindy said eagerly.
"Play tag, when the border's opening tomorrow?" Alec questioned.
"Oh!" the freckle-face bristled. "So you're too good to play tag withus!"
He swaggered up to Alec, raised a threatening hand, and the battle wasabout to be joined when Cindy brought her shoe sharply down on thefreckle-face's bare foot. He cried "Ooh!" and began to hop about on onefoot. Seizing Alec's hand, Cindy ran like a deer.
She led him around a wagon, dodged around another, then ducked behind atent. They stopped running and peered cautiously around the tent.Freckle-face and his friends were hunting deter
minedly for them. Butthey were hunting in the wrong direction.
"I could have licked him!" Alec glowered.
"But not him and all his friends," Cindy reminded her brother. "Besides,Mother doesn't want you fighting at all, and even Father would be angryif you fought on Sunday. We'd better get back to our own wagon, or we'llbe late for church services."
For the first time, the hubbub quieted as people gathered to worship.The church was an open space among the camps and wagons, the pulpit awagon box, and the preacher an unlettered farmer named John Taber. Buthis heart was sincere, and his beliefs were honest. Attempting no greatoration, he spoke of brotherly love, of peace, and of helpfulactivities. He reminded all present that, regardless of how bitter orharsh their future struggles might seem, they would never be alone ordeserted, for He who was above all would never forsake them. All alongthe 200-mile border, similar services were taking place.
For a while after religious services the people were calmer, but fewcould stay that way.
Jed Simpson started inspecting Sunshine's hoofs. Mindy and her motherresumed sewing. Mrs. Simpson's head was bent as though she wanted tohide the fear that lurked in her face. Cindy helped Pete Brent groom hisponies while Alec groomed the Simpsons' wagon mules. Only Granny andGramps, sitting quietly side by side and finding in each othersomething much more interesting than others found in excited thoughts offree land, seemed calm and at ease.
All night long men shouted, now and again guns exploded, and usuallysomebody had his voice raised in song. Tomorrow was the day of glory.Tomorrow the border opened, and the few who might have slept could notbecause the rest were making so much noise.
Dawn was breaking when Cindy finally went to sleep. Dimly through theslumber that was enfolding her she heard an anguished "Has anybody seena strayed mule?"
Somebody else yelled, "Here's your mule, Joe!"