"That's it, huh?"
"I've told you everything that's to be told," Grandpa assured him. "If you can think of anything else, I'll try to answer your questions."
"Can't figure another question," Joe admitted. "I should outfit right, go to Independence, get on the Oregon Trail, and use common sense."
"That's the way."
"Thank you for your time. Thank you kindly."
Grandpa muttered, "That's all my time's good for now."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing important," the old man told him. He said, more to himself than to Joe, "I'd like to do it over again, the way I did it the first time."
Joe felt a sudden, warming kinship with this man whom he had seen for the first time less than an hour ago. Grandpa Seeley was going nowhere, not ever again in his entire life. But he had flung his gauntlet in the face of a great challenge and he yearned to do it again. Joe gripped the old man's hand again, and looked into his sightless eyes. He said,
"You've given me a lot," and to the woman, "Thank you, Mrs. Seeley, for everything."