Jonah shrugged. “I dunno. Do you?”

“Soft mattress would be nice,” Will said, as he kicked away rocks and pinecones before he spread out his bedroll on the hard earth. “But I don’t know what I’d do at home.”

“It’s different for you,” Jonah muttered. “Drew keeps you hoppin.’ But how many times can I check the damn harnesses? Even farmin’ is more agreeable than this.”

“Army life isn’t what I expected either,” Will said. “All the starting and stopping.”

“We ain’t even searchin’ for a new pass,” Jonah added. “Thought that was our mission.”

“Colonel Drew’s still thinking about the route,” Will said. “He talks about how to improve it in his notes.”

“As long as we’re gettin’ paid, I won’t complain,” Joel said. “It’s hard work, but no harder’n prospectin.’ And some other man fixes my meals.”

Will chuckled at Joel’s comment. But so far, he didn’t relish his military experience. He thought of boys his age in the East, fighting wars against each other. Mama’s younger half-brother in Missouri could be among them. All Will had to contend with were obstinate mules and a verbose colonel. He supposed he should be grateful.

Chapter 40: A Letter Home

On the morning of Monday, July 25, while the expedition still sat in camp in Surprise Valley, Drew called Will to his tent. “Ride out with our scouting party today, McDougall. See what we do.”

“Yes, sir,” Will said, and rushed to saddle Shanty. He was glad for the opportunity to see something besides his fellow packers and the backsides of their horses and mules.

They explored the hills between Surprise Valley and the summit they’d recently crossed. As they rode, Drew pointed out landmarks and vegetation. “Write down what I tell you,” he ordered Will. “Just a few words. We’ll expand on it tonight.”

Will took out a pencil and notebook and scribbled what Drew said.

When they returned to camp in late afternoon, Drew kept him for two hours, straight through supper. As Will read back his notes from the day, Drew dictated lengthy paragraphs on each topic.

The colonel spouted at length about the suitability of the area for military purposes. “Wide open expanses are visible from the tops of the cliffs,” he said. “Scouts posted in these positions could see any tribesmen approaching and warn those in the valleys below. The uplands are covered with luxuriant bunch grass, and the valleys are fertile, with plenty of water, and well adapted for cultivation. Some land along Goose Lake is alkaline, but much of the shore sprouts an excellent growth of rye grass and other vegetation. The Army should build fortifications to control passage of emigrants and Indians through the valleys.”

“Sir?” Will asked when Drew paused to sip his whiskey. “Wouldn’t the tribes also use the hilltops to watch for white men?”

Drew’s brow furrowed, and Will wondered if the colonel found his interruption impudent. “Of course,” the colonel responded. “That’s why the Army must take control of this region immediately. Think of passing through this valley with Indians lurking above us. Now, let’s get this finished. I’m sending a courier back to Klamath tomorrow when we leave camp. He can take the notes you’ve written to date.”

Will shivered as he thought of Indians lurking above. Maybe there were tribesmen watching them now.

When he completed the day’s report, Drew dictated a brief note to the commandant at Fort Klamath. “We head to Fort Boise, escorting the Humboldt-based wagons through Indian territory. From this point on, it will be too distant to send regular reports back to Klamath. Please preserve the enclosed notes for my return.”

After Drew released him, Will slunk toward the quartermaster’s wagon, hoping there were still leftovers from supper.

“Just washed the last of the pots,” Sergeant Beaty said when Will asked if there was anything to eat. “Stew’s all gone.”

Beaty kept tight charge of the militia’s provisions, and Will turned to walk away. He’d have to hope for an extra biscuit in the morning.

“Got some corn pone still,” the sergeant called after Will. “But you probably wouldn’t be interested in that.”

“Yes, I would, sir,” Will said, returning with a grin.

Beaty harrumphed. “Who you callin’ sir? I ain’t no officer, and I hear tell you’re a college-bound boy.”

Will shrugged as he bit into the heavy bread.

“Don’t you want some honey on that?”

Will nodded with his mouth full. He swallowed and took the plate and jar of honey the man handed him, then swirled the honey on the corn pone. He took another bite and savored the sweetness on the coarse crunchy bread. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“Colonel Drew keepin’ you busy?”

Will nodded around another bite of the pone.

“The colonel’s always liked to hear himself talk. Likes for others to listen to him, too.”

“Mmm,” Will choked out.

“So, you goin’ to college like Joel Pershing says?”

Will swallowed. “I’m not sure what I’ll do after this expedition.”

Beaty frowned. “You take every opportunity offered you, son. Not all of us git a chance like that. You git all the education you can, and use it. Scrivenin’ for the colonel is a start, and based on what he tells me, you’re a whip-smart lad. You best use the smarts God gave you.”

Will nodded silently. But he might have wrecked any chance of Mac sending him to college by running away.

When Will returned to the packers’ camp after his late supper, Jonah was already in bed. “It isn’t that late,” Will said. “Are you sick?”

“Nah,” Jonah said. “Joel went off drinkin’ in the woods with the other packers. He wouldn’t let me go. You was with Drew. Nothin’ to do but go to bed.”

“Still homesick?” Will asked as he took off his boots.

“Some.” Jonah sighed. “I hope Iris ain’t forgot me. Hope she ain’t found another fella.”

“If she loves you, she won’t forget you.” Will didn’t know that for sure, but that’s what people wrote in the novels Mama read. And he felt sure that Mama and Maria had not forgotten him.

“She don’t even know where I am,” Jonah said. “No one does but you and Joel.”

“Write a letter home,” Will said. “Drew is sending a messenger to Fort Klamath tomorrow. He told me so tonight.”

“Really?” Jonah sat up at that.

“Do you want some paper and a quill and ink?” Will asked.

“Are you gonna you write home?” Jonah asked, taking what Will offered.

Will swallowed. “Why not?” he said. Mama deserved to know where he was.

After Jonah finished a letter to Esther, Will took another piece of paper and the pen and ink and wrote: