Through Rushing Water Part 14

"Does this inspector visit often? Are we notified of upcoming visits? Should I prepare a program?" Sophia collected the lunch pails and walked out with Will, pausing to lock the door. "Does he inspect you? Is he quite strict?"

Will waved his hammer at the bluffs where wildflowers bloomed in abundance. "Lilies of the field."

"Ah, yes. Do not worry. Besides, compared to the many worries besetting the tribe . . ."

The yellow dog and her puppies dashed to the edge of the path and sat in a row, watching her with eager brown eyes and wagging tails.

"Ah, Zlata, if everyone was so happy to see me . . ." She divided the remains of her sandwich among them, then continued along the path with Will. "I have some ideas."

With an easy swing of his arm, Will tossed his hammer in the air. It circled twice. He caught it by the handle. "I bet you do."

"Will kindly offered to teach me American children's songs," Sophia announced to the others around the table at supper. "If any of you would care to join us."

So much for having Sophia to himself. Will set his plate in the dishpan. Well, he couldn't expect a lady to sit alone with the likes of him.

Nettie clapped her hands under her chin just like little Rosalie. "That sounds like fun. Let's meet on the front porch, where it's cooler."

"I have a sermon to write." The rev stomped off to the office, earning a glare from his mother.

"Be glad to help." The agent didn't pa.s.s up a chance to impress Sophia.

While Nettie washed up and James tanked up, Sophia unwrapped her gusli. Since it was Will's idea, he took the seat next to her. A brisk wind off the river kept the mosquitoes away. Far to the north lightning lit up a line of clouds.

"What is that?" Sophia nodded at the pieces of wood in his hand.

"It's a limberjack, to help keep time." Will showed her the dancing doll attached to a stick. "Let's try 'Pop Goes the Weasel.' I'll show you how it works." He put the thin board under his leg and held the limberjack over it. The loose-limbed man at the end danced on the board, keeping a smart pace. At the 'pop,' he jumped with a loud snap.

Sophia laughed. "A percussion instrument. How delightful. Could you bring it to school?"

"Sure. I made one for Frank, if you can get him to play it." He motioned for Sophia to join him on the gusli. She turned out to be as good at playing by ear as she was at everything else. "Do you know 'Camptown Races'?" he asked.

She frowned and whispered, "Yes, but are you certain singing 'do-dah' is permitted for missionaries?"

"Sure. My mom sang it." They had made it through "Turkey in the Straw" when Nettie and James joined them.

"You've been talking to your students about sheep for 'Mary Had a Little Lamb.' Do you know 'Baa, Baa, Black Sheep'?" Will sang it.

Sophia joined in. "But of course! It is a French melody. Mozart used it for his piano variations."

When they finished, James put in his two cents. "Same tune works for 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.'"

"And 'The Alphabet Song,'" Nettie added. "That'll help your students."

They sang those three.

"One melody for three songs. How efficient."

James wasn't finished trying to impress. "The tune for 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' goes to 'London Bridge' also."

"We should teach you the game that goes with it." Nettie collected Henry from inside.

"London? As in England? This is considered an American song?"

"Sure." Will grabbed the opportunity before James could. He led Sophia down the steps to the gra.s.s in front of the house and took her soft hands in his. The sun set straight down the Missouri, making her hair s.h.i.+ne like gold. "We'll be the bridge."

The others crept under their linked hands until "my fair lady," when they caught James.

"My students will love this." Sophia's eyes glowed.

"I'm getting a crick in my back." James traded places with the teacher, leaving Will with the much less satisfying job of holding the man's sweaty hands. They sang through the verses and caught each other.

"And that's the last," Will said after "Give him a pipe to smoke all night." He let go and dried his hands on his pants.

The agent knew better. "No, there's a verse or two about a dog."

From the shadows came a chorus of giggles and snickers. The entire village had gathered to watch their antics.

The rev muttered about dignity and ordered the staff inside. Only James followed.

"Guess we're a pretty funny bunch." Nettie joined in the laughter.

Will rocked back on his heels and chuckled. "About time we gave them something to smile about."

Sophia grabbed Little Chief, who was about as short as she was, and formed a bridge. Will started the song. Nettie bent and wiggled under, then the rest of the people and Sophia's yellow dogs followed. The bridge captured Little Rosalie on the first verse, Good Provisions on the second, and Moon Hawk with baby White Buffalo Girl on the third. Then Big Snake, at close to seven feet the tallest man in the tribe, got caught. Sophia's hearty laugh echoed against the bluffs, joined by hoots and howls from the people.

Only G.o.d would know that a Russian French teacher was just the right person for the Poncas.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

For the first time in weeks Sophia could breathe. They had all decided, given the blistering heat, to take the day and go to the waterfall. A magnificent cataract cascaded into a large pool, then flowed into the creek. The moving water cooled the air, and the lush vegetation around the pool made the place feel like Paradise itself.

Sophia's bathing costume consisted of a blue flannel suit trimmed with white braid. The trousers were gathered at the ankle and covered by a calf-length overdress. Modest by any standard, but when she removed her long bathing mantle, jaws dropped. Henry turned purple and seemed ready to burst into a sermon. James and Will were speechless.

Brown Eagle chuckled and tapped their chins. "Going to eat flies."

"Sophia, what an adorable outfit!" Nettie pulled the back of her skirt between her legs and tucked it into her belt. "Much more convenient than this nonsense. Well, I'm ready."

Paying no attention to all this adult drama, the children plunged into the pool, accompanied by Zlata and her lively puppies. "C'mon, Teacher," Rosalie called.

"Miss Makinoff!" waved Frank.

Sophia stepped into the cool water. "Heavenly!" She glanced at Henry, wondering if he might consider that blasphemous, and amended it to, "We are blessed."

"G.o.d has provided." He rolled up the legs of a worn pair of pants and led the way up.

Sophia watched as Will began to climb, the water sluicing down his well-muscled calves. He reminded her of the Samson statue at Peter the Great's palace. Would the rest of him be as well formed? She tried to rein the thought back in but failed. What a pitiful excuse for a missionary she was.

Sophia bent over and dangled her hands until they cooled, then splashed water on her neck and let the drips run down her back.

Every day in August had dawned hotter than the last. The school turned into a furnace, inhabitable only by flies. Will had built her a pergola, which he called a brush arbor, allowing Sophia to conduct cla.s.ses outdoors in the shade. Even so, it was too hot to concentrate, so she sent the children home soon after lunch.

These deviations from the norm earned her a good measure of disapproval from Henry. She might remind him that most American schools closed for the summer, but it would be a futile argument when her students had so much catching up to do.

"C'mon, Teacher," Frank called.

Sophia would be quite content to stay with Nettie at the pool. But Mary and Elisabeth, Brown Eagle's wives, linked hands, then reached for Nettie. Sophia held her breath, wondering if the older woman would make any comment about the evils of polygamy. Henry certainly would have, had he not been otherwise occupied. But Nettie just smiled, grabbed on, and started up the waterfall. "Save some watermelon for me," she called.

Julia joined the chain and clasped Sophia's hand; she had little choice but to follow. The Ponca women were as sure-footed as mountain goats, even though Elisabeth was enceinte, and Julia carried baby Timothy on her back.

For the first few steps, through the pool at the base, Sophia had no problem finding footholds. But the slope quickly steepened and the water churned. Trees along the bank formed a green tunnel overhead. The shade mottled the surface and further obscured the view of the creek bottom.

Nettie yelled and pointed. Sophia could not hear her words over the roar of the water. She put her foot where the woman indicated and plunged into a hole.

"Ooh!" Blessedly cold water swirled up to her waist. The women giggled, and Sophia hoped Nettie would point out a neck-deep hole the next time.

Will showed Joseph and Frank how to squirt water between their palms. His large hands shot a higher stream than the boys'. Marguerite and Susette splashed back. Rosalie squealed and hid behind her father.

Sophia paused to look behind her but could not see the bottom. She hoped they did not have to descend it. What if someone-herself, for instance-broke a leg? Or twisted an ankle?

Brown Eagle ran down the waterfall, leaping like a deer, and yelled to the women, "This way."

"Halfway to the top." Long-legged Will bounded behind him and called, "Ignore the rus.h.i.+ng water."

Sophia laughed. Ignore the rus.h.i.+ng water? How could she? It was everywhere! She grasped an overhanging branch and felt for the next foothold. It was here somewhere. Ah, solid rock.

At last she arrived at the top. The children and dogs romped in a quiet pool while the adults dried off and the sun lowered enough to make cooling shadows.

Brown Eagle's Mary handed her a chunk of watermelon. What a treasure. The family had been carrying water to their garden twice a day all month.

"Thank you." Sophia sat on the bank beside Rosalie and enjoyed the sweet flavor. "This is the most perfect watermelon ever. Magnificent."

Julia dangled her son in the shallows. The boy kicked, spraying himself in the face. His eyes opened wide, then he chuckled and did it again.

"Give me that little man." Will pulled Timothy through the water, splas.h.i.+ng the older kids. The man's wide grin showed even, white teeth. He was so good with children. Was he thinking of marrying Julia? He would make a fine husband.

The few who had shoes put them back on. Escorted by yellow and orange b.u.t.terflies, they walked the long way around, down a gentle slope past newly mown hay fields. Brown Eagle and his family headed south to their home. Julia and her son continued on to hers.

Nettie fanned herself with her hat. "I hope they don't move to Indian Territory. I can't imagine living in a place hotter than here."

Henry said, "Last winter you said you couldn't imagine a place colder than here."

"True. Winter was wicked. Won't be any better this year, with the gra.s.shoppers eating the corn, the sun burning up the wheat, no one having shoes." Nettie tied her hat on. "Sure would be handy to have horses again. And our own boat, so we wouldn't have to wait for a ride to town."

"If we had the money," James said.

If we had the money, Sophia thought as she prepared for bed that night. If the tribe did not move to Indian Territory. If the gra.s.shoppers didn't return. If the annuity payments came on time. If the government sent cash instead of trinkets. So many worries.

Will's words came back to her: Ignore the rus.h.i.+ng water.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

Sophia should have been listening to the oldest students recite, and watching the younger ones write their alphabet and the middle group work their sums, but her mind kept wandering.

The funds allocated for the Poncas' removal could just as readily be used to purchase food and clothing for this winter. Could she write to Congressman Rexford Montgomery? Why did no one seem to care? Without help, her students would sicken and starve. And why had the Board of Foreign Missions not sent the fabric and shoes she requested?

Ignore the rus.h.i.+ng water.

Ignore the rush of thoughts and focus on the students.

Sophia smiled at Marguerite. "Perfect. Go trade in your second reader for the third. And the next section . . ."

Halfway through dinner, a low whistle and a plume of smoke announced the arrival of a steamboat.

Please, let it be clothing, fabric, shoes, Sophia prayed. Mail. Barbed wire. Food. Money. What did they not need?

The steamboat tied up to the trees and unloaded several barrels and large boxes. The captain handed Henry a packet of newspapers and mail, including a letter from the Mission Board to Sophia.

"What?" She scanned the page. "They want to know what size shoes and what color fabric to send. Seven hundred seventy-one people will freeze because the Mission Board is afraid of making a fas.h.i.+on error."

James pried open the first barrel. "They'll starve to death first."

Nettie gasped.

"It moves." Sophia stepped back. She was going to lose her dinner.

Will poked his screwdriver into the gray mess. "Pork. Infested with maggots."

Henry groaned. "This s.h.i.+pment was for us too."

Lone Chief's black-and-brown dog sniffed the box, yelped, then ran away.

The next barrel held fifty pounds of mealy flour. Nettie grimaced. "Bring the flour to the kitchen. I'll put a bay leaf in it."