TED GOES BACK
“But, Ted, it would be impossible for us to go on Saturday. I am not so
sure that we can go at all, it will require a lot of thinking.”
Mrs. Marsh had heard the wonderful news and Ted’s sudden plan for them
to go out to Big Gulch or Wayland. She was trying to show Ted how
impossible it was for them to do it and he was only just beginning to
acknowledge that perhaps Saturday would be too soon.
“Well, I tell you, mother. Maybe Saturday is too soon, but you will be
ready in two weeks--that is plenty of time. I know that Helen will be
able to do whatever she wants to do out there--and this money, after
we have repaid the Deans, will help to tide over the time until we are
settled. We shall hear what Helen says--and I shall speak to Mr. and
Mrs. Dean when I get out there.”
Helen was told the news almost before she passed the doorstep. She was
astonished and glad and cried all in the same minute.
“How wonderful!” she finally managed to say.
Then she was told of Ted’s plan. The boy had thought that she might
need convincing, but she agreed almost at once.
“I know I can obtain a position in my line of work out there. It is a
land of opportunity and we should grasp the chance to get out there.”
All that remained was for Ted to get the opinion of the Deans.
Ted went down to say good-bye to Strong and Walker the next day. Both
men were very busy, but the three had lunch together and Ted promised
to write to both of them.
“You may have to write both of us at the front--we shall go off to the
war--that is, Walker will. It may be my bad luck to have to stay on
duty here, although I have asked to be relieved.”
“Well, Ted,” said Walker, “I shall see you at the train.”
“And I will try to do so,” added Strong.
The boy told both his friends of the plan to bring his mother and
sister out West. They agreed that it was a good plan.
His mother and sister, and Walker and Strong saw him depart. It was
just a year before that Ted had left, what a big year it had been.
Ted’s thoughts turned to the ranch. He was eager to see Red Mack,
Smiles, Graham, Pop, and the Deans. He hoped it would be Red who would
meet him--and that he would bring his horse down so that they could go
back to the ranch on horseback. Of course, in all likelihood, it would
be the Packard that would come down for him, for the distance was long
and it would mean a lot of extra trouble for Red or anyone to lead his
horse down all the way. The trip to Big Gulch seemed long because of
the boy’s eagerness to see his friends. He awakened very early on the
second morning when the train was due. When the train finally reached
the station, he eagerly looked out to see who was there. But he could
see no one until he stepped from the train.
There stood Red and next to him Pop. There were three horses and one
of them was his.
Glad greetings were exchanged.
“My, I’m glad you came for me on horseback. I hoped you would, but it
seemed too much to expect.”
“Well, we figured you would like it. Glad you do.”
They started off. As best he could, Ted told his story and both of the
men listened with different interest. When Ted came to that part where
it had practically been settled that his mother and Helen were to come
out, a queer look came into Pop’s eyes which neither of them saw. The
older man rode behind most of the way after that.
“You should see Wolf, you would not know him,” said Red.
“I guess he would not know me, either,” answered Ted.
“He may be your dog, but I’m kind of attached to him myself,” remarked
Red.
Some time in the afternoon they reached the ranch. Smiles was there and
so were the other men and they gave Ted a great welcome.
So did Wolf, who had grown wonderfully, and who, while he did not
look like any particular kind of dog, showed himself to have an
individuality, all his own. He sprang at Ted and barked his delight. It
made Ted feel good to have the dog remember him. It was queer to see
how the dog tried to pay attention to both Red and Ted, and it made the
men laugh at his double devotion.
Ted hurried to the house where Mrs. Dean was waiting for him. She
showed how glad she was to see him.
“Mr. Dean will be back a little later. He has been very busy.”
Ted thought he would wait with his news until later and merely
mentioned some of the things that had happened.
“Ted, dear,” said Mrs. Dean, “I want to tell you that we are going to
have a little stranger in this house, soon.” Then Ted knew why he had
hesitated about blurting out his news--there was an even bigger event
to happen.
“I’m so glad,” said he.
He stayed a little while only, as Mrs. Dean did not seem strong.
He saw Dean when he came home. To both of his friends he told his
news, what had been done, he showed Sir Robert’s letter and then spoke
of his plan for his mother and sister.
“How wonderful,” said Mrs. Dean, while John Dean looked tenderly at her.
“I’m proud of you, Ted. I counted on you, but you did much more. I
heard from Strong, but I did not know what had been accomplished. As to
your mother and sister--they must come out here--the wonderful thing is
that Mrs. Dean will need your mother’s help very soon and it all seems
to fit one thing into another. Helen will get a rest here; she need not
worry as to finding the right kind of opportunity. When do you expect
to write home?”
“At once,” answered Ted.
“The sooner they come the better, although I suppose it will be every
bit of two weeks.”
Ted started to leave his friends to rejoin Red and the rest. Dean
caught up with him about one hundred yards from the house.
“You know, Ted,” he started without any preamble, “I feel as if my
country is calling me. I cannot think of going until the child is born
and Mrs. Dean is well. But I shall have to, hard as it may be. That
is one reason why I shall be glad to have your sister and your mother
here. They will be company for Mrs. Dean. She agrees with me that I
should go. She is the bravest, best woman in the world.” He stopped for
a minute. “I shall see you later, as soon as Mrs. Dean takes her rest.
I want to know all about Chicago and what happened.”
He returned to the house while Ted joined the men.
They were in the midst of a discussion of the war. Ted listened. Smiles
and several of the other men were leaving in three days--off for the
war. Red was not going--he was American. “I may go later, if they need
me,” he said. There was to be a great shortage of men at the ranch.
Dean had made Pop the new foreman to take Smiles’ place. Pop was not in
the conversation, he was sitting by himself and he showed every desire
to be left alone. After a little while, he left the room.
It made the war very near and Ted felt very lonely to hear that these
friends of his were going off, some of them never to return.