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sung in a round.
Karl began the song again at the right place. Elli and Amalie added a third
part. Søren joined his pappa , and the girls added their voices to their
mothers’.
    When that song ended, Karl and Jan jumped into another brisk
tune, and then another and another. As the wheels of the train sang against the
rails, the enclosed car rang with laughter and song. Finally Jan began a hymn.
They sang hymn after hymn until their hearts were full and their voices well
used.
    “ Pappa , I love when our family sings,” Kristen
whispered, yawning and burrowing into her father’s chest.
    I love that when I look at you I see your beautiful mamma ,
Jan thought, his cup running over.
     
    The train stopped every so often that day to take on coal
and water. When it did, Jan and Karl slid open the car door. Everyone clambered
down to stretch their legs and breathe fresh air. Along the way they emptied
the necessary and refilled their water can. Where available they purchased hot
food.
    As the sun was sinking, stealing their light away, Karl
pulled out the Thoresen family Bible and began to read aloud. Jan always
thought of his father and mother when he saw the thick book. They had tearfully
presented it to their eldest son as both of their children prepared to leave
them, probably forever.
    “I never imagined our familie Bibelen would leave our
country, but it must go with you and your sønns , Karl, and you must
faithfully record our family’s history in it,” their far had instructed,
a catch in his voice.
    Karl and Jan, with their wives and their children, had knelt
on the wood-planked floor of the old farmhouse and received their father’s blessing.
“ Jeg ber til Gud om at han gir dere sin velsignelse og sitt vern . I
fervently pray our merciful God will extend his blessing and protection on you.”
    Why is life like this? Jan pondered. I have spent much
of my life trying to leave my parents and their home, but now I am looking back,
already missing them. Will Søren someday leave for far-off adventures? And will
Kristen marry and move away? How will I feel if my children leave and I am
never to see them again? Ah, Lord! This is hard to think on.
     
    Three long days later their train steamed into Council Bluffs. All were weary of traveling, but perhaps Karl and Jan the most.
    After situating Elli, Amalie, and the girls in another boardinghouse,
Karl and Jan, with Søren in tow, went to investigate how to ferry their
families and belongings across the river.
    Using the words “ferry” and “please” written by the helpful
immigration man, they soon arrived at the bustling crossing. They found a good
place to study the process and watched for half an hour, observing how others
made their arrangements, how the workers loaded the ferry, and how long the
crossing took.
    Jan poked Karl. “Look there.”
    Karl squinted and looked in the direction Jan was pointing.
A large Swede sat atop a loaded wagon. The three Thoresens circled around until
they found a path to reach the man.
    “ Hei! God ettermiddag! ” Jan called to him.
    The blonde, raw-boned man flashed them a smile. “ God dag!
Norsk? ”
    “ Ja ,” Jan replied. “It’s good to hear a familiar
tongue.” Swedish and Norwegian languages were close enough that they could
understand each other.
    “I am sure it is! I’m Olafsson. Are you just arrived?” He
climbed down from his wagon and shook their hands. He clapped Søren on the
shoulder. “So! This young Norsk wants to become an American, eh?”
    Søren grinned and bobbed his head.
    “This is my sønn Søren. I am Jan Thoresen,” Jan
introduced them. “This is my brother, Karl. Our train got here a few hours ago.
Are you going across yourself?”
    They stepped into the shade of the wagon bed. “ Nej ,” Olafsson
answered. “I live in this town. I own many wagons and we help unload the
railroad cars and load the ferries.” He laughed. “Until they build a bridge for
the train here, I will have