Jim turned and recognized Jeanne Duval. She was calling and beckoning to him. “Come with me, Jim. To my house.” She nodded toward Willie. “You may come too, lad.”
“I can only stay a minute, ma’am,” Jim replied, glancing back at the church. “Colonel Clark might want me.”
“All right. Just come on.” She hurried on ahead and rushed into her house. When the boys appeared she said, “Sit down a minute. I’ll be right back.” Then she disappeared out the back door.
Willie shook his head. “What kind of business is this, Jim? Do you suppose it’s a trap?”
Jim laughed. “I don’t think so, Willie. After all we aren’t such important people in Clark’s army. She’s probably going to feed us again.”
In a few moments she returned with a thin, tired-looking blond woman. Jim stared at her for an instant, then rushed over and swept her into his arms. “Ma! Ma!” he cried. “At last! I’d almost given up hope of finding you.”
Ma Hudson was laughing and crying at the same time. “Jim, how you’ve grown! Why, you’re a man! Jim dear, we knew you were alive and well in Kaskaskia. Captain Helm told Pa.”
“Captain Helm? But he’s a prisoner of Hamilton. And where is Pa?”
Ma looked worried. “I hope he’s still alive in the fort. Pa and I are also Hamilton’s prisoners. Pa’s probably had to man the guns against the Americans.”
“Against his own countrymen!” Jim gasped. “How do you happen to be outside the fort?”