WITHOUT THE STRANGER

 

 

            Jody had had a marvelous time at the doin's. It had been a long thrilling evening, but now it was winding down at last. Jody was getting quite sleepy; the crowd was quieting and drifting away; and Penny had run out of tales. Even the Forresters were getting less rambunctious at their end of the church. Grandma Hutto suggested to Ory and Jody that perhaps it was soon time for the Baxters to accompany her back to her house for the night as planned. Jody reluctantly agreed with her and offered to carry her suggestion to Penny, where he still stood with some of the other men.

            But at the same time that Jody approached Penny, so did the Forresters.

            Buck asked, "Penny, you and Jody 'bout ready to go home?"

            Penny colored with embarrassment. Of course, he thought, we came with them; they don't know of our plans to stay. But he didn't much like the awkwardness of telling them. Aloud, he said, "Well, fellers, me and Ory and Jody'll be stayin' in town tonight. We kin go home tomorrer; Ory brung the wagon when she come."

            "In town?" Mill-wheel asked suspiciously.

            "Do we need to guess where?" Lem taunted derisively.

            Penny shifted uncomfortably where he stood. "I reckon you kin guess a'right."

            "Fine," Buck concluded coldly. "Let's go."

            "Fellers, don't be offended." Penny tried to smooth things over, but to no avail.

            The Forresters left without a backward glance.

            Penny shrugged helplessly, and said to Jody, "Well, reckon we best be on our way, too."

            Jody still stared distractedly after the vanished Forresters. "That's what I come over for. Grandma said so."

            The Baxters and Grandma Hutto climbed into the Baxters' wagon and rode to the Hutto house.

            Grandma peered suspiciously through the dark. "Why's they a light on at my place? See that?"

            "Yes," Penny confirmed. "Who'd go in your house and light a lamp? Unless...."

            "Oliver!" Jody guessed gleefully.

            "Oh, I hope so!" Grandma was all smiles. "I miss my boy so!"

            They descended hurriedly from the wagon. Grandma was the first to the door. She flung it open, and Oliver, grinning hugely, grabbed her up and swung her. They laughed together. The Baxters joined them, and Jody was the next to be swung. Oliver shook hands with Penny and hugged Ory. Only then did they notice Twink waiting patiently.

            "Folks, meet my wife," Oliver announced.

            Grandma and Ory both kissed the girl, and Penny pressed her hand warmly. Jody just stared in astonishment.

            "Well." Penny smiled. "Now we have still another reason to celebrate."

            "Yes." Grandma beamed. "Hit's Christmas; my boy is home; and he's got hisself a wife."

            They began to party with renewed spirits, as though they had not just come home exhausted from one.

 

            Meanwhile, the Forresters were hesitating at the edge of the river.

            "I say we jest cross on the ferry and go home," Gabby declared.

            "And I say we check out the house," Lem argued. "Somethin's goin' on."

            "How you figger?" Pack inquired.

            "Hit's Christmas." Lem replied. "The perfect time for them two to come sneakin' back here. All evenin' I been expectin' it, waitin' for some sign of it."

            "But they ain't been none," Arch reminded him.

            "That don't mean they ain't back," Lem insisted. "And the Baxters, now, that makes me suspicious."

            "You figger iffen Oliver was comin' they'd wanta see him? And that'd explain them stayin' overnight?" Buck offered.

            "That's how I figger."

            "Well," Mill-wheel speculated. "That could also explain why Penny was so uneasy 'bout havin' us come along to the doin's. Iffen he knowed Oliver was comin'."

            "Or iffen he jest suspected it," Lem agreed, "like I do."

            "All right," Buck agreed. "Let's go see."

 

            Jody was intrigued by Oliver's tales of Boston, and the adventures that he and Twink had had in getting there. They were almost as interesting as his tales of the China Sea.

            Suddenly Jody was distracted by a subtle flash of movement outside of the window. He had only caught it out of the corner of his eye, so he turned his head to look directly. There was nothing there. Jody decided that he was imagining things. Until he saw it again. With that, he rose and quietly let himself out of the front door to take a quick peek. The boy was instantly grabbed from behind, including a hand planted roughly over his mouth, silencing the scream that had just begun to form. His heart pounded as he was dragged away from the house and into the bushes.

            With tears of fright in his eyes, he looked up at Buck, Mill-wheel, Arch, Pack, and Gabby glaring down at him from where they crouched all around him. Automatically, he deduced who held him from behind and beneath him. Lem had Jody in his lap, and not with affection.

            Lem growled in Jody's ear, "Don't you dare to scream! Understand?"

            Jody nodded, fully aware of his peril.

            Lem removed his hand, and demanded, "Did you and your pa know Oliver was comin' home for Christmas?"

            "No, sir," Jody whispered in terror. "Even Grandma didn't know. 'Twas clear she was surprised." Then, he gulped and dared to ask, "Please lemme go!"

            The Forresters variously growled and grunted at him, and one or two chuckled in derision.

            "How long you-all been plannin' to spend Christmas with ol' Mis' Hutto?" Buck hissed.

            "Jest a few weeks. In early December, we was here, goin' to Boyles' Store, and visitin' Grandma. She invited us for Christmas with her. Iffen Slewfoot ain't kilt the calf, and got Pa all riled up, Ma and Pa and me woulda come together in the wagon to the doin's and to her place."

            Mill-wheel demanded, "Your pa was tryin' to git us to go home after we dragged out the carcass o' ol' Slewfoot, 'stead o' comin' to the doin's. Was that 'cause he figgered Oliver'd come home??"

            Jody shook his head. "I don't know. Iffen Pa wondered, he ain't said nothin'. Nobody talked 'bout it, not even Grandma. So, even iffen anybody thought it, they ain't said it."

            Lem grumbled, "You 'spect us to b'lieve you-all and his ma ain't even talked 'bout him at all, weeks ago??" He jerked the child harder against him, by the throat.

            "Ow! Please! It hurts!"

            "Ease up, Lem," Buck urged. "He's answerin' us."

            Jody stammered, "I...didn't say we ain't talked 'bout him; I jest said we ain't said nothin' 'bout whether he'd be home for Christmas."

            Arch prompted, "So what was said 'bout him, weeks ago?"

            Jody thought back, and spoke hesitantly, "Well, Ma said to Grandma somethin' 'bout Oliver runnin' off with a chipperdale...whatever that means."

            At that, several Forresters had to stifle guffaws.

            Pack remarked, "Reckon that ain't set too good with ol' Mis' Hutto. What'd she say back?"

            "Somethin' 'bout feelin' sorry for Twink, 'cause she was left a orphan at the mercy o' the Christians."

            More stifling was needed among the men.

            Buck said, "Now I know your ma ain't liked that none."

            Mill-wheel grinned. "Somethin' tells me your ma and Oliver's ma don't git on too good."

            "No, sir, they don't. Hit takes Pa to git 'em to stop quarrelin'."

            Buck's brows rose. "Mebbe that's why Penny figgered he'd be a great peacemaker, when he butt in on our fight with Oliver."

            Mill-wheel replied, "He shoulda knowed, stoppin' our quarrelin' 'd be a heap tougher."

            Lem demanded, "Don't tell me your pa ain't said nothin' 'bout Oliver, when you-all visited weeks ago?"

            "He did. He told Grandma he was fretted 'bout Oliver, and...and...and...."

            "And???" Lem nudged Jody ungently.

            Jody hastened to obey, "And he said he hoped you-all ain't run Oliver out afore he was ready to go."

            "Hmph. Anythin' else?"

            "Yes, Lem. Pa...warned Grandma 'bout you in pertickler."

            "Oh really??"

            "Yes, sir. Pa feared you'd come here drunk and hurt Grandma."

            Lem emitted a quite unsavory laugh at that.

            Experimentally, Buck wondered, "What insultin' things did they call us when they was talkin' 'bout this?"

            Jody swallowed hard, and his eyes darted a bit frantically.

            "Uh huh!" Buck nodded. "So, there was somethin'!"

            In a very small voice, Jody asked, "How'd you know?"

            Buck studied Jody with a crooked smile. "You jest told me."

            Jody gasped. "You tricked me."

            Buck wore a wry grin. "Let's hear it."

            Jody winced.

            Lem's grip tightened.

            Jody sobbed and admitted, "Pa called you-all big bullies, and Grandma called you black devils. And Pa warned Grandma that Lem ain't human when he gits to sullin'."

            Anger reentered the men's eyes once again.

            Just then, a voice called, "Jody??" It was Oliver.

            Jody's eyes grew as big as saucers.

            "Answer him," Mill-wheel ordered.

            "I dast not!" Jody murmured.

            Lem poked him hard in the side, making the boy cry out in pain.

            "Jody!" Oliver hastened toward his little friend's pained outcry. He barreled into the bushes, saw the Forresters, and drew himself up short. "Whoa!"

            Buck quickly kicked the sailor's feet out from under him, so that he could not escape back the way he'd come. Oliver went down hard on his butt with a muffled grunt. His eyes darted frantically as he quickly counted and realized that all six of the Forrester men were there. "Oh lord," he murmured. There was a tremor in Oliver's voice, but he loudly, firmly requested, "Please leave Jody go."

            "He ain't goin' nowheres," Lem uttered in sadistic delight. "We got the bunch o' you, and none o' you-all's gittin' away."

            Oliver thought fast, and then tried, "Fellers, listen. Ain't no quarrel no more. Twink is my wife now."

            "What??" Lem demanded, shocked.

            "'Tis true. We got married in Boston."

            The Forresters were quiet, and exchanged looks among themselves for some time. The others were clearly, silently urging Lem toward a specific conclusion. At last, he sagged resignedly in evident concurrence.

            Lem said, "I s'pose she aims to live here with your ma whilst you're out at sea?"

            Oliver nodded wordlessly, afraid to say anything at all that could possibly be taken wrong.

            "Iffen you...or her...ever say anythin' wrong, or insultin', or quarrelsome to ary one of us, the fight'll be on agin. You understand me??"

            The tall blond nodded again, wide-eyed.

            Buck put in, "You-all stay polite, or leave us be, and we'll leave you be."

            "Thank...you," Oliver stammered.

            Mill-wheel clarified, "Iffen you see us in the store, or at the doin's another year, or at the Baxters'...anywheres...you best be respectful. And this here's your only warnin'."

            Oliver nodded mechanically. "Yes, sir, I...understand real good."

            The Forresters rose around him, and Lem released Jody. Oliver hastily drew Jody close to him. The big men nodded to the two blonds, and left.

            It took Oliver and Jody a fair amount of time to calm themselves, and to return to their families.