Chapter 3: The Slingshot

The next afternoon the children eagerly piled out the door of North Fork's small wooden school house and down the four steps. It was noon recess and the kids quickly dispersed in small groups to eat their lunches so they could hurry up and play. The day was windy and cool so most had on their jackets. From the north a broad band of clouds was gathering in the distance. It would probably rain later in the evening, but for now the children were eager to be outside.

"Come on, Mark," Billy urged as he and Matt took off.

Mark quickly followed the two boys around to the back of the schoolhouse. Matt quickly looked about to see if the coast was clear.

"Let's see it already!" Billy said eagerly.

From his coat pocket Matt pulled out his slingshot.

"Wow, that's a beaut!" Billy said admiring it.

"Where'd ya get it?" Mark asked curiously.

"Sid made it for me," Matt replied. Sid was Matt's older brother.

Suddenly from behind they heard a syrupy sweet voice. "Hello Mark."

All three turned around startled to see Sally Preston standing primly a short distance away, her hands laced in front of her, her head tilted to the side.

Matt quickly hid the slingshot behind him.

Seeing the girl, Mark complained. "Aw, go away Sally!"

Sally pouted. "I just wanted to know what you're doing, that's all." She looked over at Mark and smiled showing off the space from her missing front tooth.

Mark scrunched his face up. "It's none of your business!" he replied. "Why don't you just go back with the girls?"

Sally face lost its sweet charm and she put his hands indignantly on her hips. "You can't tell me what to do, Mark McCain!"

Billy stepped forward into her face. "Beat it!"

Sally sniffed. "Well, you don't have to be so rude! I was only tryin' to be friendly." She turned and walked away in a huff. However, once she was around the corner, Sally paused and poked her head back around. The boys had their backs to her so she couldn't exactly see what they were doing.

Matt sighed in relief. "That was close. Why does she do that anyway? Sneekin' up on you all the time?"

"I don't know," Mark replied. For some reason Sally Preston was always following him trying to get him into trouble. He tried to get along with her as best as he could, but she was such a pest.

"Come on, let's give it a try." Billy said.

"All right."

Matt collected some stones from the ground.

"What'll we aim for?" Matt asked.

"How 'bout those berries over there on that bush?" Mark suggested.

"All right." Matt loaded the slingshot and snapped it striking the bush. After three attempts he knocked one of the berries off.

"Let me try!" Billy said eagerly

Matt handed it to him. Billy did the same. "Gee Matt, this works great!" he said, striking a few more berries from the bush.

"It's my best one. 'Course my pa will skin me alive if he knows I've got it. He broke my other one after I accidently killed one of Ma's best laying chickens."

"You want to give it a try Mark?" Billy asked.

"Sure!" Mark took the slingshot. He was going to aim at the bush but there were no more berries on it.

Billy turned around and pointed to an old woodpecker's nest in a nearby tree. "How 'bout trying to shoot a rock in that hole?"

"All right." Mark took aim and fired. The rock hit the side of the tree. He reached down and picked up a few more stones.

As he loaded the slingshot and pulled back on the strap to fire Sally Peterson's high-pitched voice broke his concentration, startling him. "Mark McCain, what do you think you're doing?" she said bossily.

The rock released out of his grip shooting through the branches of the tree. In the next second all three boys heard the sound of glass shattering.

Mark winced painfully. Sally's mouth dropped open. Matt and Billy took one look at each other and fled. Sally took one look at Mark then turned and raced towards the schoolhouse causing Mark to groan inwardly. A few moments later Miss Hunter, the schoolteacher, came out with Sally trailing her skirt tails. Mark noticed the front of her skirt was wet.

"He did it Miss Hunter," Sally said dramatically pointing to Mark. "I saw the whole thing."

Mark stood guilty before the schoolteacher, the slingshot still in his hand. Several kids raced over to see what all the commotion was about. "I….I'm sorry Miss Hunter," he apologized feeling his face flush in embarrassment.

Miss Hunter looked disapprovingly down at him and held her hand out. Slowly he placed the slingshot in her palm.

"Are you gonna give him the switch, Miss Hunter?" Sally asked.

"Thank you Sally, but I think I can handle it from here."

"You're in big trouble now, Mark McCain!" Sally chimed. Mark threw her an irritable look. From behind Miss Hunter's skirt Sally stuck her tongue out.

Miss Hunter turned her head around and Sally straightened up primly. "Sally, that will be sufficient. Please return to the play yard."

"But…"

"Now Sally, unless you wish to share a similar fate as Mr. McCain here."

Sally took off, but not before throwing Mark a satisfied glance. Mark clenched his fist at his side. She was such a pest.

Miss Hunter addressed the rest of the children present. "That goes for the rest of you," she said sternly. The children moaned but quietly dispersed back to the play yard.

Once alone Mark could feel the weight of Miss Hunter's stare on him as heavy as iron rails. He glanced up at her. "I didn't mean to break the window Miss Hunter, honest. I was aiming for the hole in the tree."

She shook her head and sighed. "Mark McCain, what am I going to do with you?"

"I'll pay to have the window replaced, honest Miss Hunter."

The schoolteacher clasped her hands in front of her, her mouth tight with disapproval. "You realize you're father will have to be told."

Mark's face scrunched up again. Lucas wasn't going to be none to happy especially since Mark had just gotten off restriction a week ago for putting a frog in Sally's lunch pail. Not that she hadn't deserved it! But Mark stood straight and looked forward. "Yes, Mame." He stood stoically.

"Go and clean up the mess and whatever time you have left will be spent at your desk. You will remain after school until I finish my papers, then we will ride out together to your ranch so I can discuss this matter with your father."

Mark looked up at her. "Pa's coming into town later Mame. I'm supposed to meet him at the General Store after school."

Miss Hunter nodded. "Very well. I shall meet with him in town."

"Yes Mame." Mark hurried around to the tool shed. There he spotted Billy and Matt hiding in the bushes next to the shed. Mark threw them both an irritable glance. "Some friends you turned out to be!" he seethed.

"No use all of us getting into trouble," Matt said. "Besides, you're the one that broke the window pane."

Mark turned to Billy "But still, you're supposed to be my best friend Billy," Mark retorted back. "Best friend's stick up for one another, not run away."

Billy dropped his head to the ground, a look of hurt on his face. "I'm sorry Mark."

Mark sighed. He didn't really mean to snap at him. "It's all right. Forget it." He opened the shed to retrieve the broom and dust pan.

"So where's my slingshot?" Matt asked.

"Miss Hunter has it," Mark replied gripping the broom handle.

"Dog gone it Mark! Why'd you go and do a thing like that?"

Mark compressed his lips stubbornly. "I didn't have a choice. She made me hand it over to her."

"Are ya in a lot of trouble?" Billy asked.

Mark rolled his eyes. "I will be when my Pa finds out."

"Ya gonna get a whippin'?" Matt asked.

"My Pa's never hit me a day in his life!" Mark replied defensively.

"Then what are ya worried about?"

Mark sighed. "You don't know my Pa."

Billy nodded. Being the son of Lucas McCain was not always easy.

The three boys heard someone coming. Mark shut the shed door and gathered the supplies. "I better go. I'm supposed to be cleaning up the mess."

When Mark went inside the schoolhouse he noticed not only had the window pane been broken, but a glass pitcher on Miss Hunter's desk was shattered and there was water all over her desk. Miss Hunter was busy trying to wipe off several soaked books. The feeling of guilt crept up into his belly. Mark knew that value of school books. They were expensive and hard to freight. "I'm awful sorry Mame," he said again. He couldn't believe such a small rock could do so much damage.

"You are lucky Mr. McCain that I was not seated at my desk at the time," she reprimanded.

"Yes Mame." Mark swept up the mess as quickly as possible and even cleaned out the shard pieces of glass left in the pane.

Miss Hunter walked over to examine the window feeling the cool breeze blowing through it. She tutted. "If it rains tonight there will be water all over the floor."

"I'm sure I can get my Pa to repair it," Mark insisted.

"We shall see." Miss Hunter looked at her broach watch. "Recess is over. Please put the supplies away while I ring the bell for the class to return."

"Yes Mame."

Mark spent the next few hours listening to soft whispers and shy giggles as word got around the class. Sally looked smug and Mark knew who had spread the word faster than a wild fire through dry brush.

Miss Hunter finally tapped her yard stick firmly on the desk. "We shall have no more of this foolishness!"

Mark was glad when the class was finally dismissed for the day. After school, Miss Hunter assigned him various chores which he did without complaint.

He was outside chopping a core of wood when he heard a buckboard wagon approaching. Mark looked up to see Lucas reining the team to a halt in front of the schoolhouse. His pa set the break and jumped down from the wagon in one fluid stride. He grabbed the modified Winchester rifle he always carried with him. "Hello son. Thought I told you to meet me at Hattie's."

"I know but well…" Mark licked his lips nervously and looked back at the schoolhouse door.

Lucas looked at his son with knowing eyes. "You gonna tell me what happened son?"

Mark set the axe down and walked over to his father. He stood tall as he faced Lucas, but even so barely came chest high to his father. "I sorta broke the window pane in the schoolhouse."

Lucas' eyes narrowed. "Sorta? You either broke it or didn't."

"I did," Mark acknowledged, then hurriedly added, "But Pa, I swear it was an accident. Matt brought his slingshot to school and we were practicing, and well…I kinda missed the target. I didn't realize how close we were to the windows of the school house 'till well…I heard the glass break."

Lucas sighed irritably. "Mark…."

"Wait Pa, there's more," he said grimly. He might as well tell his Pa everything at once. "The rock broke Miss Hunter's pitcher and soaked some of her books."

Lucas looked at his son a long time. "Mark what were you thinking? You know you had no business even messing around with one of those things in town."

"I know. I'm sorry Pa."

"Sorry is a poor excuse son."

Mark stared straight ahead. He knew his father was right and refused to make any further excuses. His pa had always insisted Mark stand up like a man for his wrongs. "I know I was wrong. I'll take whatever punishment you deem fit."

Lucas sighed. "We'll talk about it later son," he replied quietly. "For now let's go inside so I can see the damage." Lucas took off his hat as he climbed the steps to the schoolhouse. At nearly six foot four, he had to duck down before entering.

Miss Hunter was at her desk grading papers and stood up as the tall lean man entered, his presence seeming to fill the room. She'd only met Mr. McCain briefly once before, but she clearly remembered him. He was not an easy man to forget. Mark followed slowly behind almost dwarfed behind his father.

Lucas smiled pleasantly and extended his hand to Miss Hunter. "Mr. McCain."

"Afternoon, Mame."

"If you have a moment, I'm afraid I need to speak with you."

Lucas looked down at Mark."I know, my son told me about the window. I also understand there were some books damaged?"

Her brow arched in surprise. She hadn't expected such honesty from the child. She glanced at Mark who stood nervously by. He did appear to be genuinely sorry. "No real harm done. I was able to dry them before any pages were permanently damaged."

Lucas nodded. "I'll see to it that all the damages have been paid for."

The schoolteacher came from around her desk crossing her arms. "Thank you." She walked over to the broken window. "But at the moment I'm more concerned about tonight if it rains."

Lucas went over to examine the pane. Mark had done a good job of cleaning the inset out. "Shouldn't be too hard to fix, Mame. I'll go over to the General Store directly and see if Hattie can order a new pane. In the meantime I'll board it up to keep out any rain tonight."

"Thank you."

"There's some scrap wood out back Pa next to the tool shed," Mark said helpfully.

"Go and fetch it boy and bring me back a hammer and some nails out of the buckboard."

Mark raced off returning a few minutes later with the necessary items.

In little time at all Lucas had the window boarded up. Miss Hunter examined it with satisfaction. "Thank you. I appreciate your assistance Mr. McCain."

"My pleasure Mame." His smile was wide and friendly.

There was a pause as if Miss Hunter were grappling with a decision. "Mr. McCain even though I realize this was merely an accident someone could have been seriously injured by that rock. I feel your son's actions do warrant a certain amount of disciplinary action." She hesitated briefly. "I would like him to remain after school for one week to do chores."

Lucas glared down at Mark. "He'll be here." Mark didn't dare contradict his father.

Miss Hunter turned to Mark. "If you don't mind Mark, I would like to have a few minutes alone with your father. Please go out and finish stacking the wood."

Mark looked at his pa. Lucas nodded and Mark started to retreat. "When you're done son, wait for me on the buckboard."

"Yes sir."

There was another pause. "Somethin' else, Mame?"

"Yes." The schoolteacher paced back and forth briefly.

"Mr. McCain, I understand that boys tend to have a rather active, if not rambunctious nature at times. It's only to be expected. But your son seems to be a little more high spirited than most of the boys lately, with the exception of one or two."

Lucas could guess which two. "I'm afraid he's at that age, Mame. But Mark's a good boy."

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a minute, Mr. McCain."

"Then what is it?"

She sighed. "Mr. McCain, I don't know quite how to put it without sounding insulting."

"I find it's just easiest to come out and say what's on your mind, Mame." Lucas smiled. He relaxed against her desk, crossing one long leg over the other and resting the rifle across his lap.

The schoolteacher walked to the center of the room feeling a little more comfortable standing a few feet away from this big man. "Very well." Miss Hunter clasped her hands together. "As you know, I've only been here for a very short while, having filled the position when Mr. Griswald was suddenly called away back East on a family emergency. I've had little time to settle in and adjust to my students."

"Go on," Lucas invited aware he could be intimidating.

"I've discovered that though your son is not my smartest pupil, he is nonetheless a very bright and intelligent boy. He simply lacks the discipline to live up to his full potential."

"I can't argue with you there. I'm afraid Mark is more interested in horses and fishing than books."

"Yes, I know," she said softly. "Nevertheless a good education is important."

"I couldn't agree more."

Miss Hunter paused again. "I understand you are a widower, Mr. McCain?"

"Yes, my wife passed away several years back."

"It must be hard to raise a boy without a maternal influence."

"It can be, but we manage."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Mr. McCain. I think you're doing a fine job with your son, as evidenced by the high regard he has for you. It's just that it's my job to see that each and every child is given the full opportunity for a proper education." She sighed. "Your son's recent antics have caused some disruption in my class. The frog in Sally's lunch box last week, a few weeks ago he and Billy throwing spit wades at each other and the snake incident."

"Snake incident?"

"Your son thought it would be amusing to put a snake in Lily Tomlin's rain boots."

"I didn't know about that one."

"He didn't exactly admit to it, but one of my students said she saw it in his hand."

Lucas sighed. "I'll speak to him."

"Thank you, Mr. McCain. You see in the short time I've been here, I've discovered most people seem to look up to you and treat you with high regard."

"Well, North Fork is my home. I don't see why a man shouldn't put some effort into the community he's living in."

"Of course, I didn't mean to imply otherwise. It's an admirable quality. I've noticed that many of the children seem to regard your son in a similar light."

"Is that a problem?"

"Not in and of itself. It's just that your son seems to set an example for the rest of the children. And believe me I understand a boy's nature can be a little wild sometimes. I would just prefer it not be done during class hours."

Lucas nodded in understanding. "I'll see that it won't happen again."

"Thank you." Then Miss Hunter added sincerely. "But please don't be too harsh on him. Your son is really a fine young man."

Lucas nodded and smiled warmly making Miss Hunter feel more at ease. The schoolteacher even managed to smile back. Perhaps this big man wasn't so unapproachable after all. "Now with that matter put aside, I wonder if I could speak to you on a personal matter."

"Go ahead."

"I recently moved from the boarding house into a small house a little ways from here. I believe it was the old Garrison home."

Lucas nodded. "I'm familiar with it."

"It's in need of some repair. And, I'm afraid I'm your stereotypic Eastern bred female. I know absolutely nothing about home repair or even where to start with the limited funds I have available. I was wondering if you knew of anyone who could assist me at a reasonable cost?"

"I'll be happy to see what needs to be done Mame."

"Oh, Mr. McCain I really didn't mean to imply you should…."

"You didn't. I'm offering. As a member of the town council I should have thought of it earlier."

"That's very kind of you, Mr. McCain."

"Please call me Lucas."

Miss Hunter smiled warmly. "Lucas then."

"I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon if that's all right?"

"That would be fine."

Lucas said his goodbyes and left.

Mark had finished stacking the wood and was waiting anxiously for his pa on the buckboard. When he saw Lucas come out he sat up quickly. "You were in there an awful long time Pa."

Lucas climbed aboard the wagon setting the rifle in a specially made holder in front. "Appears Miss Hunter has had a few too many of your antics lately, including a snake I didn't know about."

Mark whipped around in his seat. "Honest Pa, I didn't put that snake in Lily's boots. It crawled in there all by itself. I only found it. Besides it was only a little harmless garden snake." Mark paused then eyed his father. "Are ya mad at me Pa?" he asked softly.

Lucas shook his head ruefully. "No. But let's see that it doesn't happen again. I pay good money every month for you to go to school. I intend to get my money's worth out of you, understand?" Lucas gave Mark that no nonsense look he knew all to well.

"Yes sir."

Lucas picked up the reins and turned the team around heading back towards the center of town. "Aren't we going back to the ranch?"

Lucas shook his head. "I still need to pick up those supplies from Hattie and I want to stop in and see Henry Waller for a minute. I need to have the sights checked on the rifle."