“But I ain’t prospectin’,” Joel said. “I’ve signed up to run pack mules for the Army.”

“The Army,” Jonah said, his eyes growing wide. “Are you a soldier?”

“Nah,” Joel said. “I’m a contract packer for the Oregon militia. There’s an expedition headin’ out from Fort Klamath to reconnoiter the Owyhee Basin. The Army wants a better route from Klamath to Boise. And they need pack mules to carry their provisions. I’ve signed on to lead a string.”

“Then there’s nothing here for us?” Will asked. Should he and Jonah turn around and head back home? Though he had nothing to do there either.

“I know mules,” Jonah said. “So does Will. We been plowin’ with Daniel and Zeke for years. We can lead mule teams.”

Joel frowned at Will. “I thought your folks lived in town.”

“We do, sir,” Will said. “But I’ve spent a lot of time on the farms. I know how to work with mules.”

“The militia might not need more packers,” Joel said. “And I ain’t sure I want to be nanny to you two young’uns for the summer.”

“C’mon, Joel,” Jonah begged. “We don’t wanna go home.”

“Why’d you leave?” Joel squinted at his younger brother.

“Daniel treated me like a baby,” Jonah said. “Told me what to do right and left, mornin’ till night.”

“Maybe you needed tellin.’ Act like a man, you’ll be treated like a man.”

“I’m almost seventeen.” Jonah stood up straight. “You left home when you was ’bout my age.”

Joel sniffed, then turned to Will. “What’s your excuse?”

Will shrugged. “Jonah asked me to join him. I had nothing better to do.”

Joel frowned. “Your folks know where you are?”

“No, sir.” Will shook his head.

“When you aim to tell ’em?” Joel demanded.

“We need to decide what we’re doing first, don’t we?” Will responded.

“Let us stay,” Jonah pleaded. “At least for a while.”

Joel stared at the boys until his horse nosed him in the back. He turned to his mount. “I gotta deal with these beasts,” he said. “Then we’ll see what the officer in charge says.”

After tending to his mount and mule string, Joel led Will and Jonah to the Army office in Jacksonville—a set of rooms on the ground floor of a small two-story building near the east end of town. Inside the front room, a uniformed militia officer sat with his feet up on a desk. “What is it, Pershing?” he asked Joel when the three entered.

“Afternoon, Captain Kelly,” Joel said, taking off his hat. “You still hirin’ mule packers?”

“If I can find qualified men,” the captain said.

“My brother and his friend come to town,” Joel said. “They want to sign on.”

Captain Kelly eyed the boys. “Seem kind of young.”

“They’re old enough,” Joel said. “Jonah farms with mules, and Will says he helps. They’re both good with horses. I’d trust ’em with my team.”

As Captain Kelly squinted at them, Will stood straighter. He wasn’t sure he wanted to run a mule team, but he didn’t want to be thought incompetent either.

“Why are you boys in Jacksonville?” the captain asked.

Jonah stuttered about coming to visit his brother, maybe do some prospecting.

The captain cocked an eyebrow at Joel. “You weren’t expecting them, were you?”

“No, Cap’n. They surprised me,” Joel said.

The officer turned to Will. “You run away?”

Will was silent.

“What about your schooling?”

“I finished the Oregon City Academy, sir.”

Captain Kelly sniffed. “Packers have little need for education. You think you can run mules?”

“Yes, sir.” Will said, while Jonah nodded.

The officer inquired about their experience. After a few questions to Jonah, he seemed satisfied that Jonah was a farm boy well used to handling mule teams. He interrogated Will further, asking about Will’s riding experience. He seemed impressed when Will pointed at Shanty outside the building. “My mount’s part Andalusian and part Indian pony,” Will said. “He’s a good horse. I’ve ridden him since I was not much more than a toddler.”

“You ever trained mules?” the officer asked.

“Not mules, sir,” Will said. “But I’ve helped train plenty of horses. Both for riding and for pulling. I can drive teams behind a wagon or a carriage, and I can manage plow mules. And I know dogs and ponies, and—”

“All right,” the captain said. “I’ll give you boys a try. We have some time before the expedition begins.” He frowned at Joel. “You’re responsible for these boys, Pershing. Get them mustered in. Lowest pay grade for both of them.”

“Yes, sir,” Joel said. “What’s the word on when Colonel Drew will get here?”

Captain Kelly shrugged. “I’d like to know that myself.” He frowned at Will and Jonah as if he had another thought. “If you boys don’t measure up, I’ll boot you out. Plenty of men in these parts ready for work. At least you two don’t look like you drink much.” He peered at the boys. “You don’t get lickered up, do you?”

“No, sir,” Will responded, glad of a simple question to answer.

“You gotta say you’re eighteen to join up,” Joel told them as they walked to the quartermaster’s office. “So don’t balk at the roster when you’re told to sign.”

“Who’s Colonel Drew?” Will asked, hoping he wouldn’t have to lie about his age out loud.

“Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Drew, I’m told,” Joel said. “We ain’t seen him yet. We’re all waitin’ on him. Captain Kelly’s in charge till Drew gets here. Kelly’s a good man.”