Sarah's Search for Treasure Read online

  “We don’t have time,” David said. “If we don’t hurry, all the gold will be gone before we get there! We’ve got to leave right away! All those men in town are going. You heard them! We can’t let them get all that gold before we even get there!”

  “If those stories are even half true, there will be plenty left for us if we leave at first light. If we’re not prepared, we’ll run into all kinds of problems. Sarah, these sausage and biscuit sandwiches are good. Your cooking is almost as good as Ma’s.”

  “Thanks!” murmured Sarah, the compliment warming her. It was still cold. She nibbled on her sandwich and listened to them talking about the gold.

  Pa handed her a steaming cup of coffee. Sarah looked up in surprise. She never drank coffee. “Drink it, Sarah,” Pa said. “It will warm you up. Careful you don’t spill it or burn yourself.”

  Sarah cautiously took a drink of the dark brew. She made a face. It smelled so good and tasted so bitter. How could anyone drink it?

  David shot her a teasing grin, but his thoughts were obviously still on the gold. “Can we ride Prince and Patty, or will we need to take the wagon?”

  As Sarah listened to them make plans, she began to feel uneasy. If Pa and David both left, who would look after everything? Who would milk their five cows? Also, they had a heifer ready to freshen soon. Would they be back in time?

  “How long will you be gone?” asked Sarah.

  “Don’t know,” answered Pa. “It might be a week or even more. Do you think you and Dennis and Dorie can look after the livestock and do the milking that long?”

  “Of course, they can,” David interrupted. “I was milking before I was Dennis’ age. It’s time he grew up a bit.”

  “We’ll see what Ma says about it,” Pa answered.

  But Ma wasn’t quite as excited as Pa. She finally talked them into waiting another day, so she had time to sew them both another shirt and a pair of pants. Sarah helped with the sewing and baked extra food for them to take along. Even Dorie helped sew on buttons.

  David almost couldn’t handle the wait, but Pa kept him busy chopping firewood and doing other chores. “They’ll never use all this firewood in a million years,” he grumbled.

  Finally, Wednesday morning arrived. It was still dark outside when Sarah helped them carry their bundles to the two waiting horses.

  “Let’s go do the milking one more time before we leave,” Pa suggested.

  “I’ll help,” offered Sarah, quickly. “Ma will probably have breakfast ready by the time we’re finished.”

  After breakfast, Sarah held Gracie, while she waved her plumb little hand. “Bye Pa! Bye David!” Pa turned one last time to wave from the saddle on Prince. David didn’t bother, but urged Patty to a trot. The bundles around him were tied too securely to even bounce. Sarah had seen to that.

  After they left, everything seemed so quiet. Sarah wasn’t sure what she should do first. She recalled Pa’s words when he hugged her. “Take care of things, Sarah,” he had whispered.

  “Why don’t we start on your new dress, Sarah?” Ma’s voice interrupted Sarah’s thoughts. “That sure is a pretty color you chose. Then, maybe we can make a new dress for the other girls and new shirts for the boys. I still don’t know why Pa bought all that material, but I guess we might as well use it. Children, why don’t you all help me decide what color everyone gets?”

  Dorie skipped in the house happily. Dennis kicked at a stone. “Why couldn’t I have gone along?”

  Sarah put a hand on his shoulder. “Dennis, if they are going to be gone, maybe as long as a week, I will definitely need your help. We have five cows to milk, not to mention the pigs, chickens, and Lady need our care. I couldn’t manage all that without you to help.”

  “Did you get yellow material, Sarah? I always wanted a yellow shirt.”

  “I’ll work on that first, if it’s okay with Ma,” Sarah promised as they went inside.

  While Sarah and Dorie finished the breakfast dishes, Ma spread the yellow material on the table. “Why don’t I cut out a shirt for both you and Brian?” she asked Dennis.

  “Yes!” exclaimed Dennis. “Then we’ll match. I’ll go fill the wood box for you, Ma.”

  Sarah exchanged a smile with Ma as he left. Dennis returned shortly with a load of wood. “Someone’s coming, Ma. They’re turning in the lane already.” The wood thumped as he hurriedly tossed it into the wood box.

  Sarah looked out the window. “It looks like the Holden brothers. Whatever do they have?” Their mules looked as if they were loaded down even more than Prince and Patty had been. And they were leading a cow. Was that a calf following?

  Ma and Sarah went outside to greet them.

  “Howdy, ma’am!” greeted the bigger one. Sarah had never been able to remember them apart. “Is your man a’ home?”

  Before Ma could answer, Dennis asked, “Are you going to look for gold, too? That’s where Pa and David went.”

  “We’s goin’ to,” answered the second one. “We wondered if you’d be kind enough to look after our livestock ‘til we get back. Ya kin keep all the milk an’ eggs an’ such ‘till we get back.”

  So those were chickens in the gunny sacks they were holding out! The black and white cow shook her long horns and complained loudly.

  “We’ll just put them in your barn iffen that’s okay, ma’am. We’re sorta in a hurry.” With that, the two men led the complaining cow toward the barn.

  “But Scott and David aren’t home,” protested Ma.

  “That’s okay. You can just milk ‘em right along side yourn. We’re much obliged.”

  Sarah followed them to find they had already tied the cow up in Patty’s stall. They dropped the squawking bags, tipped their hats, and rode out as fast as the plodding mules would go.

  “Well, I never!” exclaimed Ma. “So much for asking.” She opened one of the sacks. Out flew the scrawniest chicken Sarah had ever seen. It had almost no feathers.

  “Sarah, get that dust in the shed. We’re not letting these chickens loose with ours until they look much better.”

  When Sarah brought the insecticide back, Ma and Dennis had the old rabbit hutches ready for them. Feathers flew as they tried to dust them and stuff them in the pens, but four of them got away. Sparky, Dennis’ pup, chased them all over the barn and around and around the yard.

  Finally, they were finished, except the last four. “Let’s leave them,” said Ma. “They’ll probably go into the barn to roost tonight. We can get them then.” She grimaced as she plucked a dusty feather from her hair.

  Sarah eyed the long-horned cow uneasily. They had said she hadn’t been milked yet this morning. “Might as well get it over with,” she murmured, and picked up the stool and bucket Dorie had brought out. She patted the cow’s rump. “Over, Bessie.” The cow willingly obliged. As Sarah settled down beside her, the cow turned into a wild beast, kicking and bucking.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  The Runaway

  “WHOA!” SARAH JUMPED BACK, TIPPING over the three-legged milk stool. The cow made short work of it, sending it flying against the wall with a bang. Sarah, Ma, and the children watched from a safe distance.

  “So that’s why they haven’t milked her yet this morning,” Sarah said. “They probably couldn’t. Wonder if she’s ever been milked.”

  Ma sighed. “What are we going to do with her? We can’t milk her.”

  Sarah studied the still-kicking cow. “Seems she’d be tired by now.”

  “She hasn’t even touched her feed,” noticed Dennis.

  The calf bawled in the pen nearby. This seemed to drive the cow even wilder. She pulled on her rope and gave an answering bawl.

  “Let’s put the calf to her,” Sarah suggested. “She’s obviously not been fed yet.”

  To their surprise, as soon as the calf was with her, the cow settled down and began to eat. Sarah slipped in the other side. Talking softly, she cautiously began milking. The cow held perfectly still. Sarah worked quickly, hoping she w
ould be finished before the calf.

  After a while, the calf wandered away, but the cow stood quietly until Sarah was finished.

  “Well, that was a surprise,” Ma said. “I guess she wants things done her way.”

  Sarah smiled as she took the brimming pail to the house. “May I make some more cheese, Ma? I think we have plenty of milk.”

  “If you want to. Then I’ll work on the sewing. Maybe we can all have new clothes for church on Sunday. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

  Things fell into a pattern the rest of the week. Even with the extra chores, they managed to sew either a shirt or dress for everyone before Sunday.

  But Sunday brought another surprise. “Ma, are we early?” asked Sarah. “There is hardly anyone here yet?”

  But by the time the services began, it was clear they would have a small congregation. Very few menfolk were present. At the end of the service, Pastor Johnson announced, “As most of you know, most of our men are digging for gold. Since we have so few people left, I decided to close the church for now. I thought I might join the men on the gold fields.”

  After he dismissed them, everyone sat quietly for a while, stunned by the news. As Sarah followed Ma to leave, someone tugged on her sleeve. It was Missy Winslow, Sarah’s best friend.

  “Come, Sarah,” she whispered. “We have to talk.”

  Ma heard and nodded. Sarah slipped outside with Missy. Missy leaned against the fence and sighed, “What is your family going to do?”

  “What do you mean, Missy?”

  “Pa’s been gone for a week. Ma said if he’s not back by the end of next week, she’s going back East.”

  “Why?”

  Missy sighed, again. “Ma never wanted to come out here. She begged and begged Pa not to go to the gold fields. But Pa just laughed and said he’d be back in a couple days, and we’d all be rich. Ma said if he’s not back by Sunday, we’re going to Aunt May in Denver. She said she’s not staying in this place if Pa’s not here. And now the preacher’s leaving, too . . . ”

  “Surely, they’ll be back before another week,” Sarah said. “Pa thought they might be gone a week, but surely they won’t be gone any longer.”

  “I hope not,” answered Missy. “I like it here, and Denver is so crowded and noisy. I’d miss you.”

  “Missy!” someone called. Missy hurried to answer, leaving Sarah alone with her thoughts. So far, it had been kind of fun to be in charge of the livestock, but what if Pa, David, and the other men were gone longer than they planned? Surely they would be back by the end of the week.

  But the next weekend came and more men were leaving for the gold fields. As far as Sarah knew, no one had returned yet. Not even for more supplies.

  Dennis spent much of his spare time watching for them. Sarah noticed Ma checking the road often, also. Sunday evening, Ma planned a special supper. Sarah was certain Ma figured they would be home by then. Finally, it was time for bed, and they still hadn’t come.

  As Sarah was finishing the chores Monday morning, she heard someone coming. Picking up two pails of foaming milk, she hurried out to see who it was, certain it would be Pa and David. She stared in disbelief. Coming up the lane was what looked like a whole herd of cows, led by a young boy. As they got closer, Sarah recognized Missy’s twelve-year-old brother, Lester. He waved his hat proudly.

  Sarah set down her milk and hurried out to meet him. Dennis joined her, shouting a merry greeting to his friend.

  “Ma wondered if you could take care of our livestock and the Martins’? We can’t sell it, cause nobody’s buyin’. Us an’ the Martins are going to Uncle Tom and Aunt May in Denver until the men come home. Ma said you can use the milk to make cheese and butter.”

  Sarah remembered that Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Winslow were sisters. Before she had time to respond, Dennis had swung the gate open, and the herd was following Lester into the field.

  Sarah could only watch in amazement as at least a dozen pigs trotted after the cows. Mixed in with the cows were several sheep. Running everywhere and nipping at their heels were three dogs. Following them were two excited boys on ponies—the Martin twins.

  “What in the world is going on?” asked Ma, appearing suddenly.

  “Ma,” Sarah was relieved to see her. “The Winslows and Martins are going to Denver. They want us to take care of their livestock while they are gone. I can’t possibly milk that many cows. I’ll bet there are twenty of them! Plus a whole bunch of pigs.”

  Ma didn’t have time to answer before a wagon came thundering down the lane. A very terrified Susie Martin was trying to hang on to the lines. She was see-sawing the lines back and forth. The team of heavy work horses was out of control!

  “Help!” Susie screamed as they rushed past. She made a circle in the yard, narrowly missing the clothesline posts.

  “Pull back on the lines!” Sarah called. But she doubted Susie could hear above the noise of the cows and the dogs.

  The team turned into the open gate where the cows were lowing and milling about. Sarah was afraid they would start a stampede.

  Suddenly, the horses turned and headed for the open gate again, followed by the cows and the dogs. Sarah ran, but she knew she could not possibly get the gate closed before the team reached it. She stumbled and fell over something. Vaguely, she wondered why a bag of feed was lying there, but she didn’t have time to wonder. She jumped up and ran toward the gate.

  Sarah heard a noise behind her and jumped aside just as another team and wagon came rumbling by. What was going on? Another runaway?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  More Animals

  SARAH RAN, FOLLOWING THE SECOND wagon. It stopped in front of the open gate. The runaway team had no choice but to swerve or run over the other team. It swerved and made another circle in the field, but was slowing down.

  As it neared the other team again, it finally stopped. Sarah leaned weakly against the wagon, out of breath and trembling. Susie Martin half-climbed and half-tumbled from the wagon. Sarah could see she was crying and hurried out to her.

  “I told Ma I can’t drive the team,” Susie sobbed.

  “But you did,” Sarah laughed to keep from crying. “You did. And probably faster than anyone else has driven them.”

  “That’s right,” said Missy. “Whew! There was no way I could keep up with you.” She gave a shaky laugh. “And you stopped a runaway, too.”

  “No, you stopped the runaway,” protested Susie. “You parked your team so mine couldn’t go through that open gate.”

  “You both did a great job! And you got the team stopped.” Sarah said. They tied both teams to the fence. “I’m glad the cows didn’t come out.”

  By then Ma and the rest had gathered. “Why don’t all of you come in for cookies and milk?” Ma suggested. “It will give you a chance to calm down.”

  After Ma’s delicious molasses cookies and milk and having the runaway rehashed what Sarah guessed to be at least fifty times, Missy said, “We didn’t ask if you could take care of our livestock, did we?”

  “We’re already milking six cows,” Ma said.

  Susie looked worried. “I don’t know what is going to happen if you don’t take them. Ma said we’ll just have to turn them loose.”

  “My ma agreed,” Missy added. “We can’t give them to anyone, and nobody is buying now. We can’t possibly take them to Denver, Colorado, with us.”

  “Our mas said if you take them, they’re yours,” Susie went on. “And we’re going to keep our wagon and the Winslow’s team here. Our pas will probably want those back because we could sell the horses and wagons. We’re selling all the rest.”

  “I don’t know if we have enough feed for that many,” Sarah said.

  Missy replied, “That’s why we’re keeping a team and wagon here for you. We both still have feed at our place. And you can go get it.”

  “How many cows are there?” Sarah asked. “That looked like quite a herd.”

  The girls exchanged uneasy looks. Finally, Lest
er answered, “Some of our neighbors brought theirs over before they left.” He shrugged his shoulders. “They never came back, so we brought ‘em along.”

  “Does anyone know how many milking cows there are?” Sarah asked again.

  “We brought six,” said Jamie Martin, one of the twins.

  “We brought ten,” said Missy, “but they weren’t all ours.”

  “You can have our ponies, too, if you promise to take good care of them,” Jeremy, the other twin said, quickly.

  “Yippee!” yelled Dennis. “I always wanted a pony. Now I have two.”

  “Do not!” Dorie said. “One’s mine!”

  “Hush, children!” Ma said. “If we have all those animals to care for, no one will have much time for riding ponies.”

  “Thank you very much, ma’am,” said Missy. “Now we need to get those wagons unloaded and be on our way. We’re leaving early in the morning. And we still have quite a bit of work to do.”

  Sarah rose quickly to help them. “What is on the wagons?”

  “Mostly feed,” Susie answered, quickly.

  “Also some chickens and a few rabbits,” added Missy. “Ma said, if you want, you can butcher them or just turn them loose.”

  After unloading the wagons, they said their goodbyes. Missy and Susie both promised to write as soon as they got to their uncle’s place. After they left, Sarah turned to survey their farm.

  “Ma, we’ve got twenty-two cows to milk,” Sarah said.

  “I know. But I didn’t know what to do. We can’t just turn them loose.”

  Just then, Dennis and Dorie came tearing past on the ponies. “Stop!” called Sarah.

  Dennis made a circle and came back, with Dorie hot on his heels. Her pony came to an abrupt stop also, but Dorie didn’t. She flew on over the pony’s head and lay still in the dust.

  Ma ran to Dorie’s side. “Get some water,” she told Sarah.

  Sarah ran to the pump. But there was no glass there, and nothing to put water in. She pumped hard and held her cupped hand under the water. She carefully carried her filled hands toward Dorie. But by the time she had gone a few steps, the water had all drained from her hands. Frustrated, she ran back to the pump and filled her apron.