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face. Maybe this place would be a good home after all.
    She lifted the bucket and carried it up to the cabin door. Fred saw her carrying the water trying not to slosh it as she walked. She had such a serious determined look about her that h e couldn’t help but be amused. It was evident that s he was trying to work f or their keep . A young child like that shouldn’t have those kinds of worries . Fred smiled at her as he took the bucket. “What were you planning on doing today , little traveler? I do hope that you weren’t planning on working on such a glorious day as this one promises to be.”
    “There are dishes to do!”
    “Yes there are, but I will do them this time. You guys get some dinner things together and we will go fishing and have a picnic by the fishin’ hole.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean that it is time you kids learned to have some fun.”
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
    The trout were delicious prepared over the open fire. They ate until they could hardly move . Nan enjoyed seeing the excitement and pleasure play across Elmer’s face each time he caught a fish. His eyes were bright and the shine had come into his hair. He had put on some much needed weight.
    Nan leaned her back against a big aspen tree and realized that she could do so with no pain. The wounds were healed. She no longer ached in her joints and the bruises were gone. A pink glow had found her cheeks and she looked the picture of healthy girlhood.
    The fishin’ hole had become a dinnertime ritual in the weeks they had been with Fred. Fred was looking more peaceful and happy himself. They made a perfect little family.
    Everyone had been working hard preparing for winter. Fred cut wood while Nan and Elmer stacked it close to the cabin —i t would take a lot of firewood to get through the winter storms. Nate and Martha sent more than adequate provisions , and Fred was grateful they had so that he could have time to bring a little happiness into the lives of the children.
    He educated them in the laws of the wilderness: tracking game, fishing, hunting and preserving the meat. All the meat was smoked and dried in the fashion of the nearby Indians. He showed them healing herbs and poisonous plants and how to care for their animals.
    They had a pack mule named Ruby , and then there was Rufus the dog, and the mustang stallion, Sonny. Fred was amazed at how quickly they learned. He discovered that they had very little formal schooling, so he promised them that in the winter months , he would teach them how to read and write and do sums.
    He decided that it was good for him to move past the pain of losing his wife and child to help these children with getting past their pain.
     
    *****
     
    Nan’s favorite place was the stream. As she sat there, she knew that she had never been as safe and happy since her parents died. The sound of the water splashing against the rocks and the lush meadow toward the cabin spoke to her of peace. She knew that Elmer was happy too. Happiness was such a wonderful emotion. Fear, torment and anger all seemed so far away. Fred was kind like his Ma and Pa. He hadn’t laid a strap to them yet. Of course, they were careful to mind him. He was human, and humans get angry and hurt those who aggravate them. Nan knew this well. She also knew that if he started in on them that they would just move on, after winter.
    The days were short and the sun was slipping behind the mountain peak. Nan shivered as she hurried down the path to the cabin. Inside, she smelled the welcome aroma of beans and cornbread. She had learned how to put the beans on to cook in the morning so that by supper they would be ready. Fred had cooked the cornbread. Nan was still amazed that a man would actually put his hand to cooking, but she guessed Fred was used to fending for himself and wanted the cornbread to be done so they could eat sooner.
    Everything tasted great! Of course they had to wait while Fred asked the blessin g . Nan knew where the