“They must have gone to see Joel,” Esther said. “I wrote him, but I ain’t heard back yet. He’s a poor correspondent. He might not write, even if they show up on his doorstep.”
Mac cleared his throat. “Where’s Daniel today? I want to speak with him about our next steps.”
“He’s cuttin’ timber with his pa and our Sammy,” Esther said. “In the woods between our claims.”
He tipped his hat to Esther and left. It was too bad Daniel was with his father—the elder Abercrombie would surely interfere.
Mac found the men where Esther said they’d be and called out as he approached. Daniel walked over. Old Samuel leaned on a bandsaw and spit a stream of tobacco juice, and Sammy waited with his grandfather. Mac dismounted to speak with Daniel.
“What is it?” Daniel asked, and Mac described his meeting with the Eugene storekeeper again.
Initially, Daniel thought they should investigate further. “But I can’t leave home till after Esther has the baby. Our Cordelia can handle the household, but I don’t want her responsible for the birthin.’ If the Tullers were still alive, I’d get Mrs. Tuller, but—” He shrugged.
“What about Hannah Pershing?” Mac wasn’t eager to embark on a wild goose chase, but if Jenny insisted he go, he wanted Daniel with him.
“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “We have so many young’uns now, it’s hard for anyone to look after ’em all. And you’re not sure it’s worth the trek to Eugene.”
“No, I’m not,” Mac said, glad Daniel agreed with him. He’d wondered why Jenny and Esther were so sure the sighting in Eugene was true. He hoped he cared about Will as much as Jenny did, but maybe he didn’t. Maybe that’s why this lead on the boys’ whereabouts didn’t seem substantial enough to pursue.
Daniel continued to plan out loud. “But after Esther’s confinement, I can go. Pa can deal with the timbering and Zeke with my crops. They can manage while I’m gone. How long do you think a trip would take?”
Mac threw out his hands. “I have no idea. We don’t know anything except the boys might have traveled through Eugene. In the meantime, we’ll wait to see if Joel responds to Esther’s letter.”
Chapter 30: Supply Train
Lieutenant Colonel Drew was not at Fort Klamath when the cavalry and mule trains got there. For two days, the reconnaissance unit milled about the fort with little to do. The sergeants kept the soldiers doing drills, but the civilian packers received little supervision. Only Sergeant Geisy paid the packers any mind, and he harangued them daily over caring for their horses and mules. He also put them on alternating day and night guard duty. But when they weren’t occupied with these tasks, the packers’ time was free.
Jonah went fishing in a creek near the fort, and Joel hung around the campsite with the older packers.
Will took out his Bowie knife and scrounged a small piece of a fallen oak limb to start whittling. Before long, the rough shape of a mule emerged from the wood. By evening, Will was bored, and pulled out his journal.
June 1, 1864. Heavy rain today. First rain in many days. I’m carving a mule. So far, Army life doesn’t have much to recommend it—it’s mostly waiting, with occasional hard work thrown in. And no sleep when I have night guard duty.
About noon on their third day at Klamath, a soldier rode into camp and delivered a message to the fort adjutant’s office. An hour later, Sergeant Geisy called the packers together. “Cap’n Kelly wants to talk to you,” he told them. “Look sharp when you fall in.”
Some of the men were away from the fort, but Will, Joel, and Jonah were among those who gathered. “Colonel Drew is further detained,” Kelly announced. He seemed perturbed but did not elaborate on the reasons for Drew’s delay. “We will not leave for the Owyhee Basin for several weeks.”
Some packers grumbled, but Joel murmured to the boys, “As long as we get paid, I don’t mind. I’ll take the easy life.”
“To earn your keep,” Captain Kelly continued, as if he’d heard Joel, “you packers will haul supplies between Fort Klamath and the public storehouse in Jacksonville.”
At that, the grumbling increased, and now Joel joined in.
“You will be paid per pound of freight hauled, instead of per diem,” Kelly said. “The more you haul, the more you’ll make. There’s an opportunity here for those of you who work hard.”
“We’ll have to hustle,” one man muttered. “Pound rate ain’t likely to be much.”
“How long will we run supplies?” another packer shouted.
“I don’t know,” Kelly said. “Until the colonel arrives. You start on Saturday.”
June 3, 1864. We leave on a supply run tomorrow. Back across the Cascades to Jacksonville with laden mules. Loading my mules will be hard. Joel is upset about the pay.
The next morning, the packers rose before dawn. Will washed down ham and biscuits with coffee. “Won’t eat this well on the trail,” Jonah grumbled.
“That’s up to you,” Joel said. “We’ll be cookin’ for ourselves. No quartermaster on the supply runs.” The packers were to carry their own provisions on their mules. Sergeant Geisy and a small cavalry squad accompanied the packers, but they had no other military support.
The mules were heavily laden for the supply trip, each mule carrying four panniers weighing about one hundred pounds each. The packers loaded the panniers each morning and unloaded them at night. The only diminution in weight was what the packers ate each day.
Will struggled to load his two mules, which left his muscles quivering by the time he pulled himself into Shanty’s saddle to ride.
The journey itself was wearying. Some of the snow melted in the pass, but at the summit it was still deep underfoot, requiring careful footwork by the horses and mules. As with the trek from Jacksonville to Klamath, it took four days for the return trip to Jacksonville.
Will slept well but awakened each morning with aching muscles. Shanty seemed content enough, as long as he could graze. But Shanty didn’t have to load and unload the mules.
Will sat by the campfire on the last night before they arrived in Jacksonville. He wondered if he could find a way to leave the expeditionary force.
