MISCOMMUNICATION

 

 

            Jody was still stunned from the shock and horror of the fight in Volusia that morning. But while he was weak and sore, he did feel up to a short evening stroll in the scrub. In fact, he felt that he needed it, to clear his mind.

            But then he came upon Arch, Pack, and Gabby on horseback. Jody started back from them in alarm, his little face tense.

            "Why, what ails you, young un?" Arch wondered.

            "I'm skeert," Jody admitted. "Please don't hurt me." He'd had enough for one day.

            "Now why would we hurt you?" Pack asked.

            Jody stammered, "'Cause you're riled at us."

            "We are?" Arch was confused.

            "Ain't you?" Jody inherited his confusion.

            Arch got down from his horse and went close to the boy.

            Jody exclaimed in fright and backed into a tree.

            "Easy, steady, young un," Arch put out a gentle hand.

            Unexpectedly, Jody began to cry, surprising himself as much as the Forresters.

            "Aw now." Arch picked him up and held him close. He comfortingly cuddled the sobbing little one, and exchanged looks with Pack and Gabby.

            When at last Jody calmed down enough to speak, he inquired carefully, "Where you-all been all day?"

            "Huntin'."

            "And...you ain't been home? At all?"

            "Not yit."

            "Oh. That's why you don't know." He regarded them fearfully.

            Arch put a soothing hand to Jody's head. "Come on now, baby, tell us. What ails you?"

            "Buck...and Mill-wheel...and Lem...."

            "What 'bout 'em?"

            "They...they goed to Volusia."

            "We know. So?"

            "They...got into a fight."

            Arch chuckled. "All of us is allus doin' that."

            "They...beat up Oliver Hutto. Real bad."

            "Oh?"

            "And...Pa and me...tried to stop 'em."

            "Oh??" His eyes bulged in amazement at the Baxters' gall, but not yet in anger.

            "And...and they beat us, too!" Jody dissolved into tears.

            "Oh my." Arch resumed patting him.

            "I'm scairt!"

            "Now, now. We ain't riled. But, I reckon th'others are, a mite."

            "Yeah," Pack agreed. "'Specially Lem. Whyn't we tote the boy home with us, and he'p him set it right with 'em?"

            "No!" Jody shrieked, soprano, in Arch's ear.

            Arch drew back and poked in annoyance at his ear.

            "I'm sorry," Jody whispered, intimidated.

            "S'all right. Don't git all faintified on me; I'll not punish you. But look, see: Pack is right; we got to git this problem settled."

            "I know. But I'm afeered of 'em. They hurted us so bad."

            "Well, they'll not hurt you now. We'll protect you."

            "Really?" Jody raised his eyes to Arch's. "But Lem a'most kilt me!"

            Pack offered, "We'll watch out for Lem."

            Arch put Jody up behind Pack, and mounted his own horse.

            Pack could feel Jody's trembling all the way to Forresters' Island. He found himself thinking that it must've been some fight.

            The party halted just outside of the trees that marked the beginning of their property. At Jody's begging, Gabby was sent ahead alone to see who was home while the others waited. He returned with the happy news that Buck and Mill-wheel were in the barn, but that Lem was away at their still, deep in the forest.

            "There'll never be a better time, then," Pack announced in satisfaction to Jody.

            The child agreed reluctantly, and they set out for the barn. As the three horses pulled abreast of the barn door, Jody made himself small and hid behind Pack, a task that was easily done.

            Buck and Mill-wheel looked out somberly at their brothers. Arch had the feeling that their arrival had interrupted a long conversation.

            He forced a jovial smile. "Howdy!"

            They nodded.

            Arch pressed on, "We understand you-all had a real eventful day."

            Buck straightened. "You been talkin' to Ma?"

            "Not exactly."

            "Don't matter," Mill-wheel declared. "Wherever you heered it, we gotta figger some punishment for them Baxters. And as for Oliver...."

            Jody sniffled in fright. It was a small sound, but it caught the attention of the two in the barn entrance.

            "What wassat?" Mill-wheel demanded.

            Jody gasped softly in fear at his discovery.

            Arch glared over at him.

            Jody screwed up his face to force himself to be quiet.

            "Nothin'," Pack lied, pretending to scratch the back of his leg, and pinching Jody's instead, demanding silence.

            Jody clutched at the back of Pack's shirt, and smothered his face into it.

            Arch covered tentatively, "What iffen we was to tell you that we know of a leetle feller that's powerful sorry for what he done, and jest don't want we should be riled at him?"

            "Jody?" Mill-wheel guessed.

            Arch nodded. "You kin forgive him, cain't you? He jest lost his head as young uns do. And you know you keer for him. Remember how you love to swing him around, Mill-wheel? And remember how you like to hug him, Buck?"

            The two looked at each other.

            "Well," Buck drawled. "I reckon. Mebbe."

            Mill-wheel pointed. "Is he what's squirmin' around on Pack's horse?"

            There was another tiny gasp.

            "Yup." Arch slid down and reached up for him.

            Jody clung timidly to Pack and resisted, but Arch hauled him down and held him, and walked to Buck and Mill-wheel.

            Jody sobbed and buried his face in Arch's shoulder.

            "All right." Buck reached to take him.

            Arch surrendered him, working to disengage the clutching little fingers that still hung onto Arch after the rest of Jody was already in Buck's arms.

            "Oh for lord sake." Mill-wheel helped to pull him loose. "It ain't that bad, boy. We ain't monsters."

            Jody blubbered at him, "You said you was gonna punish us. Please don't!"

            "Well. I s'pose not."

            "I'm 'fraid o' what you'll do to me! Please don't hurt me! Please don't let him hurt me!"

            Arch, Pack, and Gabby watched in amazement and pity for Jody, as all slowly migrated into the barn.

            Buck smoothed Jody's hair comfortingly. "Ain't hard to figger you mean Lem."

            "Yes!" Jody wailed. "He hit me so hard! I'm 'fraid o' the pain! I'm 'fraid o' the fear!"

            "Well, you are a mess, ain't you?" Mill-wheel declared with gentle humor over Jody's panic, as he rubbed the little one's neck.

            Buck chuckled at Mill-wheel, and then told Jody, "We'll not hurt you, Jody. And we'll he'p you git it square with Lem."

            "Thank you!" he sniffed.

            "Oh izzat so?!" came a harsh voice from the doorway.

            Jody screamed piercingly in Buck's ear.

            Buck pulled back and probed in irritation at his ear.

            "I'm sorry," Jody murmured, remembering that he'd previously played out this scenario.

            "S'all right," Buck excused him.

            "Now, Lem," Mill-wheel informed him. "We ain't gonna hurt him."

            "Then give him here!"

            "Look, Lem," Buck told him. "You got five agin you. You cain't do nothin'."

            Lem looked frustrated.

            Arch suggested, "Now whyn't you jest set down here and listen to the boy. And talk to him. Give him a chance."

            Lem sat. But he didn't appear too receptive.

            The others sat, too, forming a loose circle with him, with Jody still in Buck's arms, and the two of them at the opposite side of the circle from Lem.

            Jody was crying softly, and hiding his tender little face in Buck's shoulder. Mill-wheel nudged the boy, encouraging him to try. Jody's most difficult task, it seemed, was forcing himself to raise his frightened little eyes to Lem's sullen face. His eyes pleaded humbly with his dangerous foe.

            Jody asked suddenly, "Do you hate me?"

            Lem was startled. He hadn't expected such a blunt question. "Hate? Well, that's a mite strong. No, I don't hate you."

            "Do you like me?"

            "Well. I used to."

            "Do you, still?"

            "I reckon. I'm jest riled at you, is all."

            "And you wanta punish me?"

            "Yeah. I do." He was definite on that point.

            "How bad?"

            "What?"

            "How bad you wanta punish me? How bad do you want me to be hurted?"

            Lem was at a loss. Once again, he hadn't expected the question. "I don't know!" he retorted irritably.

            "Well, do you wanta kill me?"

            "No," he answered evenly.

            "Do you wanta almost kill me?"

            Lem shrugged in annoyance. "I don't reckon I need to go that far, neither."

            "Then, I'm a'ready punished," Jody concluded.

            "What?" Lem asked again.

            Jody explained, "You've a'ready goed farther'n you meant to. You a'most kilt me in the fight."

            Lem blinked at him.

            "I was knocked out seven hours. Pa says I a'most died."

            Lem stared. Buck and Mill-wheel regarded each other solemnly. Arch and Pack shifted uncomfortably. Gabby whistled.

            Lem said, "I only hit you oncet."

            Jody eyed him, unashamed. "That's all it takened. I'm leetle."

            Lem nodded. "I know. Jody...I'm sorry."

            Jody's heart warmed to him. "I love you." He reached out a small hand to him.

            Startled, Lem reached and took it.

            "I love all o' you. Please love me."

            "We all do, Jody," Buck said.

            The others nodded.

            Lem reached out to him. "Leave me hold you."

            Jody reached up to him.

            Buck relinquished him.

            Lem cuddled the little one in his lap. Jody snuggled sweetly into Lem's comforting arms. Lem regarded his brothers sheepishly.

            "Oh well. He do have a charm, don't he?"

            They smiled.