In short order Ivers was loaded down with cans of all kinds of food, and quickly he galloped away.
“I am sorry you have learned about the fire, Mrs. Porter,” said the agent, “but it may be just as well, after all. Steve and I are going over. You will be perfectly safe here, and you can rest assured that we shall do everything in our power to save your homestead.”
“And we’re going too,” announced Ted.
“Then we shall all go,” declared the little mother. “I should never have a second’s peace if I should stay here while you are all over there. No, it won’t do me nearly as much harm to go over as it would to force me to remain here. Margie, run and get our things. We will be ready in a few minutes, Mr. Howe.”
At this decision the agent looked at the foreman.
“Reckon it may be the best thing, after all,” murmured Steve. “Anyhow, it will put more heart into the men to know that the family is on the quarter.” And accordingly the men hastened away to harness the blacks, while the others bustled about making ready, and at last, with Ted driving, his mother and sisters seated on piles of blankets and cushions, they set out, Phil, Andy, and Steve having ridden on ahead.
Pausing at the ridge overlooking their homestead, the boy cried:
“There’s E 1, Momsy, down where you see all those fields.”
In silence the woman and her daughters looked upon the haven, then impulsively threw their arms about one another’s necks. And alternately crying and laughing, they arrived at the shakedown, where they found Joy already busy making a washboiler full of coffee.
The pall of smoke could be seen in the west. Under its stress the introductions were short, and quickly the girls were assisting Joy in preparing the drink and food for which men were beginning to come in, some waiting to eat, others carrying back baskets and pails full to those on the fire lines.