Summer Of The Drums by T. V. Olsen

Author:T. V. Olsen [Olsen, T. V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4285-0628-2
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Co., Inc.
Published: 1972-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

That afternoon, as Ceph Mangrum was about to take his leave, Theron announced his intention of accompanying Ceph to the Bark River. He’d be joining up where all the action was, or where it soon promised to be. He could buy a horse some-where along the way, if Pa would loan him the money. And Pa was more than generous, giving Ther fifty dollars in gold and not voicing a word of disapproval. However he felt about the war himself, he no longer believed he had a right to block Ther’s choice. Mother made up a bundle of food for both boys and managed not to cry until they’d swung out of sight along the upriver trail, Ther tramping beside Ceph’s horse.

With Theron gone, I felt considerably easier about my next move, which I figured must be to fetch To-mah home to my family. What else could I do? Not leave him with Joe Devil Bear, who was tending him as a favor Tome and not because he cared whether the Sac lived or died. I couldn’t take the chance of To-mah getting well and returning to his people. Anyhow I looked at it, I’d made him my responsibility.

I got my rifle and headed for the woods.

Reaching the hillside cave, I found Joe Devil Bear squatting outside. I told him about Ben and he only gave a gloomy nod, as if he’d expected it or had maybe read it in my face. He said stonily that the Sac was much worse and would probably die, his tone hinting that this was only just.

I crawled into the burrow. The smell almost gagged me. Joe hadn’t exaggerated. To-mah was unconscious, but must have thrashed around till he’d torn the dressings from his leg. It was indescribable.

I slipped back outside and, with Joe’s help, hacked down three saplings. We used our knives,trimming two saplings into nine-foot poles, cutting the third into two-foot lengths, and lashing these between the two poles to form a litter. Then we lifted To-mah onto it.

As we tramped into the yard, Pa came out the door. I motioned Joe to set down the litter, and we eased it to the ground. Pa looked at the Sac boy and his bloated leg, then at me. For the next few minutes, I did some fast talking. Meantime Mother and Ena came out and stood listening and staring.

For some minutes after I’d finished my fumbling speech, nobody said anything. And I wasn’t at all sure how they’d take it, what to expect.

I should have known my family better. What held them quiet at first was surprise. Maybe they felt no more enthusiasm for the business than I did, but duty was always plain to a Trask.

“Kev, you and Joe carry the boy inside,” Pa said. “Martha—”

“Come along, Ena,” Mother said briskly. “We’ll make up Ben’s bunk.”

Deep in fever, the Sac had no idea what was happening. He thrashed around so much that we had to hold him down, and all his delirious babblings came out in straight Sac.

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