"No," as always, Emma rose to the occasion. "Leave them alone and do
nothing to frighten them. They'll roost somewhere tonight and we can
catch them easier."
She kept an anxious eye on the chickens as she mixed bread dough. The
chickens were very precious and Emma did not know whether or not they
could be replaced. But she would not let her children know that she
worried or they might be troubled too. Barbara got a pailful of water
from the spring and started peeling potatoes. Emma cut a generous chunk
from the ham Yancey Garrow had given them and got it ready for baking.
Sam returned with a huge armload of wood.
"You want a fi'?" he asked.
"Oh, thank you. If you will, please."
The Negro built a fire in the fireplace and Emma dismissed him. Tired of
playing, the younger children had cached their treasured frog somewhere
near the spring and were lying listlessly in the grass. Twilight came,
and with immense gratification Emma saw the chickens go back into their
crate. It was a good thing, for certainly they could not ride all the
way to Oregon without being out of the crate, and if they would go back
of their own accord they could be freed every night.
Not until twilight started to fade into night did Joe and Tad return.
"By gosh!" Joe exclaimed. "You really have a camp set up!"