Ben and Emily were sitting in their parlor in the evening, after they had put the children to bed. They were getting used to having Michael and Abigail with them. Emily wanted to ask Ben if he would mind adopting the children.

"Ben, you know, it has been a pleasure having two more children here. Our son Robert Benjamin will have other children to play with when he gets older. And you will have two sons to help you in the store."

Ben thought on this and then asked Emily:

"Well, I do enjoy Michael, he does seem to be a bright boy. I have him run errands once in a while for me. But what if they have family and they come looking for them? will you be upset if they have to leave? I don't want you to get hurt Emily?"
"Ben, if they do have family I would rather them go to their family but yes, it would hurt for a little while." she said wishing she could have more children but knowing that Robert might be the last time she would ever conceive, besides if having a little girl by adoption Abigail was her only chance, she would take it.

Ben thought about it. He knew she was afraid to have another child since the first two had died after birth, but he thought even if they had to go to their own family someday, he could see that she would be happy and content. He had been watching her as she took care of both babies as well as Michael. She had laughed a lot since these children had shown up and he knew that her laugh and smile was more important to him than putting her in danger of losing another child again.

"Well, we will get in touch with the judge and formally adopt these children!"

Emily smiled so wide, and her eyes twinkled as she jumped up and ran over and gave Ben a large happy hug and kiss. Ben smiled too. He enjoyed Emily's smiles and hugs as well.

The next morning Ben wired to the judge in Olympia and asked to find out how to adopt the two children. Aaron came in to purchase some things he needed and when he found out what Ben had been planning his face looked pained when he told Ben the news that the family had been found and they were on their way there this very minute. Ben looked at Aaron, he was saddened by the news but realized that he needed to tell Emily before she found out without him there to comfort her.

Lottie was just opening the saloon for the lunch crowd when a couple rode up in a small wagon that looked as if it had been overused.

"Ma'am, can you show us the way to a Mr. Stemples office Please?' the elderly man said as his 'wife' popped her head out of the canvas covering.

"Yes sir, Mr. Stemple's office is down the road apiece on your right.!" Lottie said wondering who these people were.

Aaron had just gotten back to his office when they pulled up to the front door. The couple got out and went into the office.

"May I help you?" Aaron stood up.

"Sir, I am Roger, and this is my wife, Wilma Jensen. We have come for the children."

Aaron looked at them and he had been hoping that they would not come or want the children but here they were. He looked at them again and said he would take them to Ben and Emily Perkins. The children will be with them. Ben is the owner of our store: "Perkins Mercantile' and Emily is his wife. They have one son who is about a year old. They have been very happy to watch Michael and Abigail."

The couple walked behind Aaron and when they got to the Mercantile, Ben had Emily and the children with him. He had just finished telling her about the couple.

"Hello, my name is Emily, and this is my son Robert!"

Roger looked at her but said nothing, he nodded to the young woman to speak to Emily. He did not speak to her as she was no relation of his. But he did speak to Ben.

"And the young boy, Michael? Where is he?"
"Oh yes, I just sent him on an errand, he should be back momentarily!" Ben said with a smile on his face. Emily was handing Abigail over to Wilma who took her gingerly and held her so very carefully.

Just then a loud ruckus came from behind the store, Aaron, Ben and Emily and the Jensen's looked to the noise. First came the dog then three boys, chasing the dog. The dog seemed to have something in his mouth and would not let it go. In that group of boys was Michael who was doing his best to keep up but tripped and fell in the mud puddle that was nearby the group and splashed mud on both the visitors as well as Aaron, Ben, and Emily.

"Michael! Michael!" said Ben with a worried look on his face. "Are you okay?"

Michael stood up and tried to brush himself off but managed to spread more mud on his clothes. "
Roger and Wilma looked at him with a little bit of annoyance in their faces.

"I presume this is Michael. The last time I saw him he was such a tiny tot. Wasn't hardly worth his weight in the food he ate!" Roger turned to Michael and said:

"Well, son, I hope you are ready to help around the farm. We need all the help we can get! "Roger smiled and then said: "I have quite a large spread, so I am expecting a lot of work out of him!

Emily looked at Ben and Ben looked at Emily, then Ben said:
"You will send him to school, won't you?"

Roger looked at Ben and said: "only enough so he can write his name. don't need no more learnin' I need field hands and a grandson is just what I want. Wilma, they can keep the girl. You got another at home to help in the house! You can give that child back to this lady. We will come for her when she is old enough to learn to cook and sew!" Wilma gave Abigail back to Emily as she was told.

Jeremy and Candy were walking to the store with Christopher and Molly and said hello to Aaron and Ben and Emily and the Jensen's. Candy had heard exactly what Mr. Jensen had said about Abigail and was about to say something when Jeremy squeezed her hand.

"Sir, just who do you think you are telling someone that they will only be able to care for the child until you come back for her! and What plans you have for Michael seems to be nothing but work. These children need to grow and have love and be cared for!" Christopher said to Mr. Jensen. This surprised everyone, especially Jeremy who was about to say something to Mr. Jensen.

roger Jensen looked at Christopher and then said: "if this is how your children behave to their elders then I really will take Michael away from here this instant. Children need to respect their elders do not question them!" Mr. Jensen, then made to pick up Michael and put him in the wagon. Michael was small enough and understood what was happening, he ducked under Mr. Jensen's arms and ran down the street and around the corner.

"Robbie, Fred, get out of the wagon and get that boy, he won't be running away long! we will teach him some manners!"
Jeremy saw the bigger boys jump out of the wagon and tackled them. Aaron and Ben stopped Mr. Jensen While Wilma went inside the wagon and sat down waiting to be told what to do. This was man's work, so she did not participate. She had been raised that she as a woman had only two jobs, raise children and clean house.

Candy noticed that she was in the wagon and went to her to talk to her.

"Wilma, hi, my name is Candy can we talk?"
At first, she said nothing but then:

"Hello Candy. Please don't talk to me. If you do, I will get beaten for talking when I have not been told to talk."

Candy was shocked and said:

"Wilma, why are you married to this man? What happened to you?"
Wilma in a quiet voice said that her parents had died, and this man would come around collecting young boys and girls old enough to do the work of adults and take them to his 'farm.' If they did what they were told they would have a good meal and no beating, if they didn't there were many beatings. He ran a farm where the boys were outside working all day and the girls were in the house cooking, sewing, and cleaning and having babies. Sometimes he would sell the babies to make some money other times he would 'farm' out the children to work on other farms that needed manual labor.

Emily and Ben heard that and so did Lottie, Joshua, and Aaron. They all discussed it and wondered what they could do to stop this person and find homes for the children. Mr. Jensen came back with Fred, Robbie, and Michael.

"We will be leaving, and you can say your goodbyes now, but Fred will hang on to you until we are gone!" Mr. Jensen said as Robbie jumped back in the wagon and Michael was about ready to cry. Emily tried to put her arms around Michael and looked to Ben and Aaron for help.