The Kid by Jeff Schill

Author:Jeff Schill [SCHILL, JEFF]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Published: 2024-05-07T00:00:00+00:00

Jameson, Kansas

July 1882

Baked Beans Bart had said they’d go just a quick jaunt south, a wee bit out of the way, and then they’d be back on their path toward Destiny in no time.

But two days later the tiny wagon was still bouncing south over rocky and bumpy trails somewhere in barren western Kansas. All Herbert could see ahead of them was dry, flat land and dusty sagebrush. The same dry, flat land and dusty sagebrush he’d been staring at for two days.

“Is this detour really necessary?” he asked for the hundredth time.

“Yahuuup,” Bart responded.

Herbert leaned back in his seat. “I understand that this is an important customer, Bart. And from what I can gather, possibly even a friend of yours. But we are two and a half days south of our trail. That means two and a half days back. This little adventure is costing us nearly a week of our time. A week where we could be heading toward Destiny. All to deliver one lone bag of beans to a small town in the middle of nowhere.”

“Yahuuuup,” Bart answered.

Herbert sighed. There was nothing he could do but sit and wait and watch the dust clouds.

It took another four hours to reach their destination: Jameson, Kansas. It turned out not to be the bustling little town Herbert hoped for, but instead merely the family ranch of one Norton Jameson, his wife, Rachel, and their many children. There were so many children moving this way and that in the yard that Herbert found counting them difficult. They all had the same dusty blond hair and kept crossing one another’s paths, making counting even more difficult.

Bart gave a loud whooooaaaaa and pulled the wagon to a stop in front of a small wood building with a sign above the barn that read Jameson, Kansas. The homestead appeared to double as a general store for those in the area. Lord knew where they might be.

A large man with his thumbs hooked in his overalls stood in the doorway chewing on a long piece of wheat straw. He’d been watching their arrival.

When Bart approached, the man smiled as large as a crescent moon and said, “Well, looky what the wind blew in.” He picked Baked Beans Bart up into a big hug that lifted Bart’s boots full off the ground.

Herbert assumed this man was Norton Jameson and was not surprised when Bart introduced him as exactly that. Herbert smiled and tipped his hat.

“Come here, boy,” Mr. Jameson said, pulling Herbert off the wagon and also into a big hug. “Any friend of Baked Beans Bart is a friend of mine.” He nearly squished Herbert in his attempt to welcome him.

As quickly as he had been picked up, Herbert found himself placed down on the dusty porch of the farmhouse.

“Boys,” Mr. Jameson called to a scrambling bunch of children in the front yard. “We have us some guests. Be hospitable and get these gentlemen some of that fresh coffee and a slice of cheese.”

Herbert’s mouth watered.

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