After the funeral, many townspeople asked if they could take Joshua and Jeremy so that Jason would not have to try and raise the boys by themselves. Jason considered it once and only once when he and the loggers were at odds, and he could not get the loggers to agree on a work arrangement. It took all of his energy to come up with a plausible sounding speech but just as he was about to make the speech to his loggers, King got in the way of the cook who was carrying the hot stew to the table and ended up spilling the stew, while Jeremy was running after King trying to grab the rope he used for a leash, and Joshua was right behind yelling at Jeremy to get the dog.

Some of the loggers stopped arguing with Jason and started to laugh, others looked disgusted but Jason, stood there with a red face, about to explode. When Big Swede walked over to him and pulled him aside and said that everything would be okay. Big Swede had caught the dog and sent Jeremy and Joshua scurrying home to get everything ready for when Jason came home.

"Jason, calm down. The boys in no way meant any harm. They went straight home and are frankly a little scared right now. I think you should go to Lottie's and have a beer!"

Jason looked at Big Swede, then at some of the others, Paul even gave a look of agreement.

"But we have to work out this problem, I can't go and discipline or take time off to make sure my brothers are behaving themselves!" Jason said still upset with his brothers. The rest of the loggers took Jason and walked him to Lottie's while Big Swede, Paul and Old John went to the cabin to have a talk with the boys.

Lottie served them drinks and listened to Jason and the Loggers discuss the work situation and the situation with Joshua and Jeremy.

"I don't want to send them away or to be raised by anyone else. Me Mother and Father would never forgive me if I sent them away!"

"We know Jason," said Corky, "School will be back in session soon. So, you won't have to worry about Jeremy, and Joshua is studying more math and will be able to step in to help in no time!"
Just then, Miss Crump walked in. She was a few years older and had enlisted the help of a truant officer who was there under the impression that Jason made his brothers work for him instead of allowing them to go to school.

"That is the man!" Miss Crump said: "Arrest him, he does not allow his brothers to attend school! They need to be taken away from him and put in a decent home!"

The truant officer, Mr. Baldwin looked at Jason and at the loggers all in the saloon. He then asked Jason where his brothers were?

Jason said: "I don't know!"

Mr. Baldwin looked at Jason and said to him: "Sir, if you are hiding children and making them work in unsafe conditions, I have the authority to take said children away from you regardless of if they are your brothers or not!"

Jason looked at Mr. Baldwin, he was about to say something foolish when in walked Jeremy and Jason, all dressed in their best clothes with a schoolbook and a pencil each.

"Jason, I need help with these figures in my math book, and Jeremy needs help with this line from that play that you read to us by Shakespeare!" Joshua finished before Jeremy could say anything. Both of them looking at Jason with expectancy.

Jason took his cue and went over to help Joshua with a math problem that Josh and Jason both knew he knew how to do. Then he looked at the line that Jeremy was trying to read and read each word with Jeremy being sure to show that he knew how to help Jeremy speak clearly.

"But, Mr. Baldwin, they are in a saloon where they serve drinks!" Miss Crump said

"Mr. Bolt, I see that you have a lot on your plate. If it would help, I can have a tutor help with the children after school if that works for you? Also, Miss Crump, as far as I can see there is not a problem with these children. They are clean and look well cared for. In fact, for running a logging operation and having to raise his own brothers, I commend him on the job he is doing." Mr. Baldwin said and then he tipped his hat to Miss Crump and left to go to Tacoma.

Helen Crump was not happy. She was unable to get Jason Bolt in trouble. She would find a way someday. She left the Saloon but not before Jason said to her:

"Miss Crump, if you ever bring someone into our family business again, I will personally see to it that you will not have a place to live in all of Seattle!"

Miss Crump left the saloon with a harrumph and Joshua shut the door, a little too hard after she had left.

Meanwhile, the loggers had discussed the logging contract, agreed that it was fair and agreed with Jason and signed the contract.

School started and there was a new teacher, her name was Miss Essie. She was very well recommended and educated. She had received her degree at Boston Normal School in Massachusetts in 1862. She went west when she received confirmation of a teaching job in California. By the time she had 4 years as a teacher she was hired on in Seattle to teach the young children in the town of Seattle. She was very excited to be there. When she arrived, Mr. Aaron Stemple was there at the pier to greet her along with Mr. Jason Bolt, and Mr. Ben Perkins the store owner. Lottie was also there but not part of the town council at that time. She was there to greet Miss Essie Kline as the new teacher.

On the first day of school Jeremy was accompanied by Joshua and Jason. Along with the Spencer children and a few others with a parent or two as well, they all filed into the small one room school and sat on the benches. Miss Essie had their names on each of the benches and desks. The young children ages 5 and 6 were seated directly in front of the class. The older 6 and younger 7's was next, the 8's and 9's and then the older children in the back. Each group or grade had their instructions. For the little's Miss Essie had a slate and chalk and the alphabet and numbers. For the older children, a McGuffey Reader. For the teens, math reading, geography, and history books as well as a 'school library' off to the side.

"Welcome to all of you. I am glad you could make it. Even the parents are welcome. I will explain how we will begin each school day and then go into the rules of what you can and cannot do at school…." She continued to show them the classroom, where the study places were and where they were to look on the chalk board for their assignments.

"One of the rules we have here, and we will agree upon is no bullying or fighting. The consequences will be:

First offense: a warning

Second offense: a note home to parents

Third offense: you will be placed in suspension.

Do I make myself clear!" she looked at each and every child. Especially the older children those in the 5th and 6th grades, who would at times be the more volatile ones in the classroom.

Everyone seemed to understand. At 12 noon, she dismissed the class for the day and reminded them to show up the next day with their books and lunches.

That first week was very trying for even the most seasoned teacher. Some of the older boys were teasing the girls or teasing each other about girls. The younger boys were finding all sorts of things to throw at each other out on the playground, but most importantly there were two boys who were constantly fighting, each other and other boys older than they were. She followed up on her rule with the warning the first time. On Friday both boys Jeremy and Buddy were fighting again. After having help to stop them, she brought them into the school room and talked to them.

"Mr. Bolt, Mr. Johnson, I do not know why you two cannot get along with each other! Can you explain why you hit Mr. Bolt?" She looked right at Buddy Johnson who looked down at his toes and did not say a word. Miss Essie looked at Jeremy to find out what had happened. Jeremy did not want to say anything but knew that he had to say something.

"It, it wa-wa-wasn't my f-f-faul, fault! He started, it!"

"I did not!" said Buddy with the full force of his voice. He was a big boy, very strong but had no real control over how loud he would get.

Miss Essie looked at the two boys, both their shirts were torn, their pants had a hole, and one was bleeding from a bloody nose.

"I shall send you home this afternoon with a note for your parents to come to school…"
"I-I-I- d-d-do-don't ha- have p-p-p-p-paren-parents!" Jeremy said.

Miss Essie looked at him and said:
"Mr. Bolt, please do not interrupt me when I am talking. I know you don't have parents; you have an older brother who will have to come to see me!"

Jeremy stared at Miss Essie, "Oh, p-p-p-p-plea-please don't s-s-se-se-send me a-a-a-away! I-I-I-I wi-wi-will do b-b-better" He looked very scared about Jason coming in. Miss Essie noticed that and finished what she was saying. Then sent Buddy back out but had Jeremy stay to tell her why he was so scared. Jeremy told her about Mr. Crane when he was 5 and that scared him about doing anything wrong at school. Except that he still wanted to fight. Miss Essie asked him why.

"B-B-Because if I-I-I can- can-can't learn then I have to…"

"Know how to fight?" Miss Essie finished the sentence for him. He shook his head. "I see, I will talk to your brother Jason about that as well. You are dismissed now."