ONE OF OUR BOYS IS MISSING

"Now if this don't beat all," said Mrs. Hutto, peering out through the door into the front lawn. "I've heered of a dog follerin' a boy home, but never a boy follerin' a dog."

Her housemate, Ory Baxter, staying with her while Ezra was away at the war, came casually to see, the dish that she was drying still in her hands.

Ory took one look at the dark-haired child who'd followed Fluff home, and declared, "We got trouble. That there's the leetle Forrester boy."

Olivia made a face. "That dratted family! Like wild animals in the scrub! And their mouthy ma what quarreled with me!"

"The very same. But their ma's the least of it. Leastways, she come to visit me, polite and proper, when this un and my Jody was nigh new-borned. Peculiar woman, but friendly 'nough, I reckon. And this un has a right quare name.... I cain't recall."

"All them Forresters got quare names! And she wa'n't nothin' like polite to me, nor friendly! But I thought all them rough wild boys was older'n Oliver; this un is 'bout Jody's age, like you said."

"They had one more at the last minute; she's gittin' too old now."

"Didn't they a'ready have enough?! How many do this make now?!"

"Seven, I figger."

"Seven! Brood mare! Anyways, walks a mite funny, don't he?"

"Borned with a crooked spine."

"Hmph! Serves her right, havin' one so late. But the poor leetle feller don't deserve that."

"Only unhealthy one she had. And my Jody, borned the same year, was the only healthy one I had. I've buried as many as she's got."

Olivia shook her head. "Life's so unfair. And I'da loved a couple more. But Oliver's daddy died too quick."

The little boy had sat down in the grass, and was cuddling Fluff in his lap.

Olivia frowned. "How'd he git here, so far from home? 'Specially crippled and all?"

Ory nodded. "A feller like that don't hobble sixteen miles here from Forresters' Island."

Olivia snorted at the name.

Ory went on, "They musta come to town and fetched him with 'em. They's likely at the store."

Olivia suppressed a shiver. "The parents, or them wild men?"

Ory shrugged. "Either. Both. No way to tell. But you kin bet they's frantic, wonderin' where their boy's wandered off to."

Olivia groaned. "How old're them wild men now? I ain't seed 'em in awhiles." She refrained from adding that her avoidance had been deliberate.

"They'd be in their twenties by now."

"Oh yes, o' course! I recall now, they was allus 'bout ten-year older'n Oliver." She sighed heavily. "When they was teenagers, and Oliver was jest a leetle un, they played rough with him at the doin's. That's when their ma and me quarreled. And they been even rougher with him, since. I reckon I...made it worse. I was only tryin' to protect him."

"You didn't know. You done your best."

"Small comfort, iffen Oliver git hurted." she sniffed.

"I know I've accused you of bein' too protective of him. But when it comes to them dangerous Forresters, ain't no sich thing as too protective."

Olivia smiled, grateful.

Ory fretted, "Ezra likes 'em. Lord knows why. Reckon it's from visitin' 'em with his preacher-pa when he was jest a young un. Now, he neighbors with 'em. Tell you what worries me. When he comes back, and we go back into the scrub, I'm feered he'll take Jody with him to visit."

Olivia scoffed. "That'd be a mistake! Bad influence!"

"That's what I figger. But he'll tell me it's good for Jody, 'cause o' that leetle feller there on your grass. Same age, he'll say; only other boy within miles, he'll say. And what kin I say? Hit's true."

"Speakin' o' that leetle feller on my grass, what'll we do??" She looked infinitely reluctant. "Reckon I should go to the store and...tell 'em he's here."

Ory had never heard fear in Olivia's voice before, but she heard it now. Although she could tell that the older woman was working hard to hide it, so she refrained from calling attention to it, and just said nonchalantly, "I'll go. I'm a'most finished with the dishes anyhow."

Olivia steeled herself. "My property, my responsibility."

Ory wanted to help without hurting her pride. Still speaking casually, she said, "I git on with her all right; you don't. Easier for me to go."

"I'll go," said Oliver from behind them. They hadn't even known that he'd been in the room, listening.

Olivia whirled. "You'll not!"

"I'm the man o' the house," Oliver said importantly. He'd grown up feeling that way, with his pa gone.

Ory saw Olivia bite her lip; she didn't want to hurt her son's pride, but she knew that he was the last one who should go, because he would be the most in danger.

Olivia said carefully, "Yes, you're my brave man, but I'm still your ma, and growed up, and...."

Little Jody had come in and pushed past them, delighted to see another boy his age on the lawn. He went out, and the two smiled and began to play with the dog together.

"Oh dear!" said Olivia, seeing this.

"'S'all right," Ory said fatalistically. "I done told you, I figger they'll be playmates anyways."

The two women still watched carefully for a moment, to be sure that the two little boys would get along. And when they turned back, Oliver was gone.

"What you mean, they ain't here?!" a frazzled Olivia shouted at Boyles. She'd run all the way to the store, and Ory had been hard-pressed to keep up with her.

The shopkeeper shrugged. "They finished their business and left. Your Oliver come in lookin' for 'em. When I told him they wa'n't here, he left."

"Where'd they go?! Where'd he go??!"

"I don't know where nobody goed."

She growled in frustration.

"What's the trouble, anyways?"

She had no time to explain to him, and fled without replying, with Ory right behind her.

At a loss where to search, and having to start somewhere, they raced to the church. That was where they were intercepted by Easy Ozell.

"There you are! I was headin' to your place to tell you to stay home! Them Forresters is on the rampage! Their boy is missin', and they're turnin' the town upside-down huntin' him! They're even accusin' folks o' takin' him! I know you and them don't git along to begin with, so stay in your house and stay outen their way!"

If Olivia was frantic before, this revelation doubled her distress. She put a hand to her heart.

Ory interjected, "Easy, we got him!"

"Oh mercy!" he declared in shock.

"He jest wandered in. How many o' them Forresters is in town?!"

"All of 'em!"

"All?!" Olivia's head reeled.

"The whole blasted family! Them six wild men and both parents! You best stay outen their way!"

"We cain't! We got him!"

Easy went on as if Olivia hadn't spoken, "They know they ain't liked nor trusted here, by nobody in town! They figger somebody done snatched their boy o' purpose, to tell 'em to keep out!"

"Nobody'd dare!" Ory remarked.

"Where are they??!!" Olivia demanded desperately.

"Go home! Be safe! Go home!!"

Olivia looked ready to strangle Easy. "Where are they??!!"

Ory explained to him, "Oliver goed after 'em. They prob'ly got him by now."

"Oliver??" Easy paled. He swallowed hard, and said quietly, "Last time I seed 'em, they was headed for the old grove."

Ory pursued Olivia as best she could. By now, she was also worried about their having left Jody and the Forrester-boy alone for so long. The two were mighty young to be left by themselves like this. Her only child! And what if something happened to the Forresters' boy; what would they do to the two responsible - or irresponsible - women? And to Oliver?? And to Jody??? What if the two little boys fell in the river????

Her thoughts churning, she almost collided with Olivia from behind. Her housemate had stopped dead just outside of the old grove. She was facing Mr. and Mrs. Forrester and three of their burly, bullying sons.

Ory had previously seen the friendlier side of Clara Forrester. Now, she saw the cold steel side of her and shuddered. The woman was standing with her arms folded, her hair drawn rigidly back in a strict bun, and a no-nonsense, just-this-side-of-violence expression. At the sight, Ory felt her jaw go slack. This woman was capable of almost anything. Her husband was carrying a gun, a rifle. He was not yet taking aim, but he looked ready to use it. Three of their sons ranged behind them, looking as menacing as monsters in a nightmare. But the scariest sight of all was the absence of the other three giant sons: where were they??!

"Where's our boy?" Clara demanded slowly, in a voice that was used to demanding and compelling obedience.

Struggling to keep the tremor out of her voice, Olivia countered, "Where's my son?!"

Clara smirked. "I asked first."

Olivia's jaw worked. "We...got...him."

Clara seemed unsurprised. Doubtless, she already knew of his whereabouts.

"He...jest wandered in...."

"Sure." Clara snorted.

Olivia said defensively, "He follered my dog! He liked Fluff!"

"Fluff!" One of her sons guffawed in disdain.

"Quiet, Gabby," ordered Clara.

Ory tried to help. "Mrs. Forrester, it's the truth. Your boy seems to like animals. He's playin' with my Jody, and her dog, right now." She fervently hoped that they still were. "But where are your other three sons? Searchin'? We kin show you where the boys are. But now, young Oliver's missin', too."

Clara considered Ory for a moment. Then she said flatly, "I don't 'specially mistrust you, Mrs. Baxter, but I know you ain't really no fonder of us, than the rest o' this town." She raised her voice. "Tell 'em, Arch." She knew that her grown sons inspired fear. This was psychological torture, Ory knew.

Arch grinned coldly, and announced, "We got Oliver."

Olivia gasped.

Arch continued, "You wondered where our other three brothers are. They got him."

Olivia's eyes closed; she was trembling. Ory put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.

Clara nodded at that. "Iffen you're on her side, you ain't on ourn."

"I ain't on no sides! I...jest don't want nobody hurted."

With a cold smirk, Clara said simply, "Tell 'em, Pack."

Pack grinned. "They'll hurt Oliver only as much - or as little - as you-all hurted Fodder-wing."

That was the name! Unbidden, Ory's earlier fears about the boys falling in the river came to her mind. Her consternation must've shown in her face, because all of the Forresters were regarding her with deep suspicion, even as Olivia was protesting indignantly, "We'd never hurt a child!"

Unruffled, Clara replied, "Well, we would. Your child. Iffen anythin' happens to ourn."

Ory's heart sank. If the Forrester boy had fallen in, three of the burly brothers would deliberately and cold-bloodedly drown Oliver??? And what had happened to Jody by now???

The Forresters were still watching her. In confusion, so was Olivia.

"I'm...only fretted 'cause now we've left Jody and...Fodder-wing...alone too long. I'm worried 'bout 'em! But we runned off quick after Oliver, when we realized he'd goed to tell you-all, your boy had wandered into our place, follerin' that dratted dog. We know you-all ain't fond of Oliver, neither, and we feared...." Ory struggled for a harmless word. "We feared...havin' Oliver face you," she finished lamely.

Clara's eyes lit with comprehension, now that she had the full story, but not yet with conviction. She was willing to accept the possibility that the wife of Ezra Baxter was telling the truth, but she was not yet willing to guarantee it.

Olivia saw Ory's point, and the risk involved. "We best git right back to the two leetle boys. But Oliver...!"

Mr. Forrester said flatly, "Oliver stays with our sons, 'til we git Fodder-wing back, safe and well." His determination brooked no argument.

"But where...?!" Olivia tried to insist.

"Let's go," Clara ordered.

Five members of the Forrester clan followed Olivia and Ory back to the Hutto house in tense silence. Ory was mentally praying every step of the way, Olivia was wringing her hands, and Clara was a steel-eyed machine. If anything terrible had befallen her little boy, Clara would not cry in front of the other two women, Ory knew; only Ory and Olivia would do that. And that the Forresters would then carry out their vile threat, Ory had no doubt. Oliver's life depended on Fodder-wing's.

When they arrived at the front of the Hutto house and saw no boys and no dog, Olivia instantly began screaming, as if Oliver were already dead. But Ory reacted more constructively. She dashed into the house, yelling, "Jody?! Where are you?! Fluff! Here, Fluff!"

There was an answering bark. Fluff bounded into the room.

"That's a dog??" Gabby muttered in disdain. He was used to sleek, homely hunting-dogs, not white balls of fur. The tribe of Forresters and a frantic Olivia had followed Ory into the house.

"Jody?!" Ory and Olivia both shrieked.

A very timid Jody emerged from a bedroom, frightened by all of the commotion, and now, even more intimidated by the roomful of strangers. Ory dropped to her knees to embrace him, a very uncharacteristic gesture, alarming him further.

"Where's...?!" Olivia tried to demand. When the strange name eluded her, she insisted in frustration, "...the other boy?! Where's the other boy?!!"

Jody eyed her panic in discomfort; he wasn't used to seeing that, either. He mumbled, "Hit got dark. We come in. I hope that's all right." It was indeed dusk.

"We?!! Where is he??!!" Olivia screeched.

"Calm down," Clara ordered coldly. She was taking it better than Olivia, and it was her boy. No, Ory realized, it was both of their boys.

"You'll not git an answer by scarin' him to death." Clara eyed the small blond. "Where's my son? Where's the boy you was playin' with?"

Jody stared up at her, bewildered. "He...left. It got dark. He goed home." Jody clearly had no comprehension of distances involved. And his "we" must've referred only to Jody and the dog.

Olivia was devastated. "He goed...?!!! How could he go home?!!!"

Clara regarded her family. "He likely goed back to the store, figgerin' we was there. Gabby, go find out. Come right back, either way. The rest of us'll wait here." She eyed the other two women frigidly.

"Oliver...!!!" Olivia was in tears.

"Not 'til we git ourn," Clara repeated rigidly.

"But hit's dark! Hit's gittin' late! He'll be so scared...!"

Clara smiled coldly. "He ain't alone. My boys is with him. You don't got to worry 'bout wild animals."

"No!" Olivia lashed out at her. "I got to worry 'bout your wild animals!"

Alarmed, Ory tried to shush her.

Arch moved closer to the two women and towered over them. "Our boy is a heap younger'n yourn, and he is alone!"

Pack moved in, too. "And iffen anythin' happens to ourn, it happens to yourn!"

Ory fought down a grisly mental image of Fodder-wing being torn apart by wolves, and then his brothers tearing Oliver apart similarly. She shivered. Olivia must have thought of something similar, because she began to sob brokenheartedly. Ory put her arms around her, and eased her down onto the sofa, and sat with her.

After a moment's consideration, the Forresters apparently decided that they might as well sit, too, and they took chairs around the living room. Ory saw Clara sneer at the frilly fineries and furnishings, but the rougher woman made no comment. Olivia didn't see it; she was too busy sobbing in despair, her face in her hands.

For a while, the Forresters left her alone, and exchanged snide looks while Ory held her and whispered comfortingly to her.

But finally, Pack remarked unkindly, "Hit's a wonder you've survived all these years you've had Oliver, frettin' 'bout him so."

Olivia raged, "Nothin' like this has ever happened afore!"

Ory explained more calmly, "Hit's true; she protects him a mite."

Arch realized, "Mama's boy, uh? Over-protective, are you?"

Olivia fumed, "I'd better be, with you-all around!"

Ory shushed her again, and whispered a warning.

Finally, tearily, Olivia gazed imploringly at Clara. "Please understand! He's the only one I got!"

"I know that," Clara acknowledged neutrally.

Olivia was trembling. "What'll they do to him??!"

"I done told you...."

"No, I mean now! Right now! Waitin' and not knowin'! What's happenin' to my baby right now?!"

Arch was smug. "Nothin'. Long's he ain't aggravatin' 'em."

"But they hate him! You-all hate him!!"

Pack said smoothly, "Most they'll likely be doin' is scarin' him, tormentin' him."

"Oh my poor Oliver!!!"

Clara snapped, "And my poor leetle cripple is out there alone some'eres, but you don't hear me carryin' on like that."

"You got others!" Olivia hurled accusingly.

Clara's eyes blazed. "You think that makes me love my boy less? He's special. Got a way with animals...."

Ory muttered, "And that's what got us into this mess."

In agreement, Olivia actually glared at her own dog, cuddled in Jody's arms where he sat on the floor, listening wide-eyed and uncomprehending to all of this clamor.

"Where's Oliver?" Jody asked innocently.

Olivia recommenced wailing, and buried her face again, and the Forresters rolled their eyes.

"Nope. Ain't there," Gabby said as he came back into the house. "Boyles ain't seed him, neither."

"Oh no, oh god, oh no!!!" cried Olivia.

"Hush up," snapped Clara. She was glaring daggers into the frantic woman.

Ory tried to intervene. "B'lieve me, she ain't hurted your son; she'd never hurt no leetle boy! This is my fault, too; I shoulda stayed with the two leetle boys when she runned off after Oliver, but I was afeered you and she...!" She trailed off in discomfort.

Clara smiled wryly. "You was afeered we'd fight."

"Uh...yes...."

"And you figgered you'd try to stop us."

"Uh...well...." Ory blushed at the ludicrous picture that that idea inspired.

The men were all grinning. They clearly would've enjoyed the spectacle.

Clara's face went serious again. "We should all be out searchin', 'stead o' settin' here."

Olivia said to Ory, "'Ceptin' you stay here, to watch Jody."

"I'll go," Ory told her kindly. "You stay with Jody. You're in no shape to...."

"I got to go! Oliver...!" Olivia began to rise.

Clara told her sharply, "We're huntin' Fodder-wing, not Oliver."

Olivia lashed back at her, "I'm huntin' both!!!"

"I don't suggest it," Arch said coldly. "You bust in on my brothers, fussin' like you have been, and they jest might hurt him."

She blanched, and sat back down abruptly.

"I found a bunny."

Everyone whirled and stared at Fodder-wing standing in the open doorway.

"Look, Jody, I found a bunny."

"I thought you goed home." Jody scrambled up from the floor to go pet the rabbit. Fluff barked at it, and Jody fussed at him.

"I tried. I got lost. I found a bunny."

Hastily, Jody caught the struggling rabbit as Arch snatched up Fodder-wing and swung him. "Where you been, you leetle scaper?!" He laughed heartily, and swung the boy right into his mother's arms.

"I don't know whether to hug you, nor spank you!" she declared. She thumped him lightly on the back. "Don't never wander off like that!"

"Kin I keep the bunny?"

Gabby said, "We'll build a cage for it."

Fodder-wing beamed at him.

"Please!" Olivia broke in on them. "Oliver???"

Clara seemed about to agree, but then Pack put up a hand and said, "Wait." He knelt down to the child's level. "Fodder-wing. Did anyone hurt you? Did these women hurt you?" He pointed.

Fodder-wing stared. "No. I don't even know 'em."

Pack straightened. "Good enough." He offered to his mother, "I'll go fetch th'others back here."

She nodded, and he departed.

Ory slipped an encouraging arm around Olivia. "See? It'll soon be over."

"Iffen mine's all right," she said tightly.

Oliver was white as a sheet when the four men brought him into the house. Olivia, having fidgetted the entire time, sprang up instantly and rushed to him, crying his name. He stared back mutely, haunted.

Pack grinned. "'Twas like I said: they tormented him and scared him a mite. But they ain't hurted him."

Olivia was embracing and nuzzling him and crying into his hair. "Oh my baby, my poor baby, my sweet baby...!!"

The crowd of newly-arrived Forresters regarded her, askance.

"Baby!" Lem sneered.

"That's the trouble," Buck remarked. "We kin see she babies him too much."

"Remind me not to take him on no campin' trip agin," Mill-wheel commented.

"What you mean?" Arch wondered casually, sauntering over to them.

"Well, we built a fire, kept him warm. But he still kept shiverin' anyways," Mill-wheel explained in annoyance.

Buck continued, "We asked him why. Said 'cause he was scared. Scared of us."

Lem looked disgusted. "We told him we'd not hurt him, long's he didn't rile us, and long's Fodder-wing was found okay. Then, he cried harder'n ever!"

Oliver and his mother were both crying now. His return home had given him release from his shock and fright that had caused his temporary numbness, and the built-up tension was flowing out, being washed out by tears. "I was 'fraid this was it!" he murmured.

Buck shook his head. "Kept cryin' like that, kept beggin' us not to hurt him. Sickenin'."

Mill-wheel agreed. "Kept talkin' 'bout nightmares, kept askin' why had to be us three, had him. Made no sense."

Lem nodded. "We didn't hafta torment him; he kept tormentin' hisself. Nauseatin'."

Olivia, wet-faced herself, turned his cherished little face up to hers in concern. His beautiful blue eyes were red-rimmed, and his handsome teenaged face was fright-white.

"Hit's true?" she whispered. "They ain't hurted you?"

"They ain't. But you're right; I got to stay away from 'em! Somehow, I got to! My nightmares! Ma, them three is the ones!!!"

She hugged him desperately to her bosom as she looked up at the indicated three in dread. Her own tears streamed freely at the terrifying sight of them, and the horrifying thought of what she knew that Oliver meant.

Uncomprehending, Buck shook his head. "What could make him fear us this much?"

Arch sneered, "Like mother, like son, I reckon."

"Mebbe we'll know someday," Mill-wheel speculated.

Olivia and Oliver both sobbed even harder at hearing that.

"Mama's boy," Lem taunted.

"Sissy," agreed Pack.

Clara Forrester looked disgusted. "Let's go home."