Chapter 3
An hour later the three adults sat around the hearth fire discussing what they had witnessed. One question continued to circle among them: why had Ivy's peculiar abilities seemed abated, and then suddenly reappeared?
The teakettle whistled and Becky deftly made the herbal tea. She had blended berries together to make a kind of punch. It was delectable. All three sipped and thought. Mingo's long fingers tapped the cup as his mind reviewed the afternoon. Suddenly his head lifted and he looked long into Rebecca's puzzled blue eyes.
Daniel asked the question. "You got some idea there, Mingo?"
"Daniel, I do. You know what happens when two magnets are placed north to south, correct?"
"They draw together. Sure I know."
"And when likes are placed together?"
"They push apart…….Mingo, are you thinkin' Ivy and Phil are like those magnets somehow?"
"I don't understand why or how, but that's exactly what I think. While Phil was in the room with Ivy nothing happened. Correct?" Mingo's bright eyes sparked a flame of understanding in both of his friends'.
"He's right! Dan, he's right! Phil was in the church, way in the back. I saw him. And when he left after he danced with Ivy, everything fell apart."
The three looked at each other in silence, their discovery too amazing to believe.
"What a good scientist does is investigate his theory. We have a theory. Now we have to investigate it."
"What do you propose, Mingo? Just because they're together doesn't mean it's workin' like you think."
"Suppose we are in the company of one of them and objects destruct, and then we bring them together and watch the results. Then we repeat the experiment with the other."
Becky looked at the two men, indignation beginning to grow in her blue eyes. "Now wait a minute you two. Ivy and Phil are people, not magnets. You know how badly Ivy feels just now. You can't just treat them like some cold experiment. That will hurt them!"
Mingo and Daniel looked at each other. "She's right, Mingo."
"Yes she is, but we can't tell either of them what we're doing or the experiment is compromised. Rebecca, what we are proposing is for the good of everyone in the settlement, including Ivy and Philadelphia. You saw how the entire settlement treated Ivy this evening. You don't want that to continue, I know. She's convinced everyone dislikes her. She told me so."
Mingo's argument worked on Rebecca's sensitivities just as he anticipated. She looked into the fire for several minutes, then turned to face the two men. "Alright, but you two must promise me that you will be sensitive and caring. Both of you!" Becky's eyes looked into Daniel's face, then Mingo's. They grinned and nodded. Becky tilted her head suspiciously, then sighed. "Promise! Dan?"
"I promise, Becky."
"Mingo?"
"Rebecca, you have my word."
"Now I'm going to help you plan this. Here's what I think you should do…." The night deepened as Becky, Dan and Mingo developed a plan to investigate their theory of neutralization.
In the morning Dan and Mingo strode purposefully through the stockade gates. They entered Cincinnatus' taproom and hailed the storekeeper. "How about a hot rum, Cincinnatus?" Daniel called. "Share one with us. You look like you could use it."
"That's a fact, Dan'l. You know that keg of beer I was holdin' when you left?" They nodded. "Well, it sprung a leak just after you closed the door. Rocky and I grabbed ever' mug in the place, buckets, kettles. Just about ever'thing in this place is full o'beer."
Mingo and Dan exchanged a long look. "Cincinnatus, we've got a theory as to what's going on. If we're right that might be the last keg of beer that springs a leak." The three men sat silently, lost in their own thoughts. "Ready, Mingo?" Daniel asked as he drained his mug. Mingo drained his, and the two men walked out the door.
Outside they strode to Yadkin's old cabin and knocked upon the door. Dan was surprised to feel the door give beneath his hand. Alarmed, the two men pushed their way inside. Complete chaos met their eyes. Smoke filled the room so densely that they edged their way forward, unable to see. Their eyes teared as they fumbled for the two cabin windows. Mingo barked his shins on an overturned chair and Daniel banged his head on a hanging beam. As they stood rubbing their injuries Philadelphia came through the door and stumbled into them. All three fell to the floor, Mingo wrenching his shoulder as he fell sprawled over one of the chairs and Daniel burning his hand on the hot fireplace stones.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in here?" Phil's voice demanded. In his hand the two men could see the gleam of a knife.
"It's Daniel Boone, Philadelphia. And my friend Mingo. We came to see you and thought your place was on fire. We're just tryin' to help."
"I'm sorry," Phil said as he replaced his knife in his belt. "This place is a mess. But every time I try and straighten it up, somethin' breaks. So I just quit tryin'."
Mingo looked into Daniel's tearing eyes. "Son, let's go outside and get some air. The smoke in here is smotherin' me."
"Yeah, the fireplace gets plugged somehow. I bet I've opened it a half-dozen times in the six months I been here."
Outside on the tiny porch the three men sat down. Mingo nodded to Daniel. Clearing his throat, Daniel began to question the young stranger. "You've been in the settlement six months already?" Phil nodded. "Do you intend to stay? I mean, we'd like to have you. What do you do for a livin'?"
"Well, sir, I was trappin', but I didn't have no luck. My traps kept a'breakin', or sinkin', or somethin'. So I thought I'd try my hand at carpentry. But that weren't no good neither. Nothin' I made'd stay together. Now I don't know what to try. I'd like to tend horses, but I'm kinda scared to try an' shoe 'em. I'd prob'bly nail the shoes through their feet!" The young man slumped glumly against the log wall. It creaked ominously and Daniel edged closer to Mingo. Both men eyed the logs nervously.
Mingo cleared his throat. "I noticed last evening that you seemed to enjoy your dance with Ivy Moss. She's a lovely girl. You two made a nice couple. You like her, don't you?" Daniel kicked Mingo's foot warningly.
"What Mingo means, son, is that Ivy's a fine young woman. We're kinda fond of her, in a fatherly sort of way."
"Yessir."
Mingo nodded for Daniel to keep trying. Besky's carefully thought out plan refused to come forward in his mind. Daniel searched for an idea, any idea, and his brain produced a whopper. Out of his mouth came an invitation that left Mingo's mouth hanging open. "Becky n' I'd like it if you would come to dinner tomorrow night. Ivy and her mother are goin' to be there, and she asked for you."
Phil's green eyes glowed with pleasure. "Really? I'd like that. Thank your wife for me, please, Mister Boone. I'll be there! What time?"
Daniel, realizing what he'd done, turned to Mingo for help. Mingo closed his mouth and ad libbed , "I believe Rebecca indicated the six o'clock hour, Daniel."
"Six o'clock, Phil. We'll be lookin' for you."
The three men stood. Phil took Daniel's hand and pumped it hard, then turned back inside his smoky cabin. The two men could hear his yell of jubilation. Mingo turned his dark eyes to his friend.
"Daniel, how are you going to manage this?"
"Well my friend, Becky worried that we'd be too harsh. Let's give her a try."
Mingo looked askance at the tall husband. "And you believe this tack will work to pacify Rebecca?"
"Mingo, that is my everlastin' hope."
Mingo chuckled and slapped Daniel on the back. "Now we must go and invite Ivy. This could prove to be a most interesting experiment!"