Jeremy was still sleepy-eyed when he got up late in the morning and exited the tent. There was no one there at the moment, but that would change. Somebody was always walking through. There were a few axes and saws to be sharpened, and that was his job.

First he wanted something to eat, though. He was really hungry. There was always coffee, and usually biscuits or some kind of bread. So far they hadn't had to have beans for breakfast, although that could change. Especially if Jason didn't get paid.

He found a biscuit and some meat, put that together, poured himself some coffee and went to sit outside their tent until somebody came through.

Of course, that would be Josh, and he must still be mad, because he walked up to his younger brother and smacked the side of his head. "Don't you ever do that again. You scared the heck out of me."

"Well, I won't," Jeremy agreed.

"Just like that?"

"Huh?"

"No argument? No explanation? Just – okay, you won't?"

"Uh-huh." Jeremy took the last bite of his sandwich and washed it down with his coffee.

Blue eyes studied blue eyes for a moment, and Josh half-laughed, gave his brother a quick hug, and said "Good. You did scare me though. It was cold and raining and you left your coat. I thought it was you."

"I know."

"Why? Why'd you do it?"

Jeremy licked his fingers."C-cause I c-could."

"You could've got ate or killed."

"I d-didn't."

"Yeah. I'm glad."

"Wh-wht did Jason say?"

"He said we all need to have a long talk, and he's glad one of us had enough sense to know how you thought, even if it wasn't him."

"Is that all?"

"He used a lot more words."

Both boys laughed.

Saturday evening found the three brothers back at their old home, which had been opened and cleaned and freshened. They were there to take the things they wanted with them to their other cabins. Jason was doing most of the choosing.

"Look your fill," Jason said, and was amused when Jeremy did exactly that, clasping his hands behind his back and walking from one spot to another, just looking.

He was more amused when Josh just watched Jeremy looking, and said something about there being something wrong with that kid. Joshua was not happy with being here.

"Well, boys, do we want to take any of these dishes with us tonight?"

"We can?"

"Yes."

"What if D-Da gets m-mad?" Jeremy was still somewhat worried about ghosts.

Jason shook his head at Joshua before he could speak. "He won't," Jason answered. "We talked about it, he and I, and he was sorry that he separated us from so many things that Mom wanted us to have and use everyday. By that time he was too – tired to start bringing things down, not that I think he would have if he could have. It was just too hard for him." Jason shook his head. "I can't imagine being that entwined with someone. Of course, I'm starting out at a disadvantage. I'm already tangled up with a couple younger brothers. That I'll never want to forget."

"If we got dead, you w-wouldn't lock up our everything and n-never look at us again?"

"Absolutely not. In fact, the next time one of those camera people come through, we're going to get some pictures made so that if something should happen to either of you, I'd have something to look at. And you to have for me." Jason chose some portraits and pictures to take, and looked through the books that had been left behind.

He turned to the glass cabinet, studying the dishes and the knick-knacks and miscellany that had been locked up for the last few years.

Jeremy stood as he had been, just watching as Jason moved things around and put them back or took things out.

"Here," Jason said, holding something out to Jeremy. He tucked it into the boy's hand.

Jeremy looked at it doubtfully. "What is it?"

"You are so stupid." Josh was impatient with the whole day. Why couldn't they just leave things alone and go on from now? " It's Mama's locket, with a pitcher of her and Da when they got married. Open it."

Jeremy looked at Joshua, who roughly took it from the boy and opened it, then handed it back.

"Oh." Jeremy studied the picture for a long time without speaking.

"Boys? The dishes? Yea or nay?"

"I. Don't Care." was Josh's answer for about the hundredth time.

"Jeremy?"

"Okay." He was still studying the picture.

Jason thought, for about the hundredth time, that maybe he should have just done this by himself. But after the high-handed way Da had yanked them all from their home, he couldn't. These boys deserved to have a say in their living conditions. They deserved to be heard, even when every decision couldn't be in both their favors.

And Joshua 'didn't care' and Jeremy just okayed everything. Well, they were, when all was said and done, still children, although Joshua would argue the point. He had been doing a man's work the summer past, and even through the winter when he was needed.

Yes, they were still children, and had had their lives turned upside down for a second time. And there would be no second time running over their opinions, not if he had anything to say about it.

And he did have the say-so now.

"It's still not the same,"Jeremy said suddenly.

"It stopped being the same when Mama died," Josh said. "Even if we stayed here, it wouldn't be the same. It already wasn't. That's why we had to move to town."

"I jus' thought it would feel the same, only a little bit different."

"Well, you were wrong."

The younger boy shrugged.

"Are you ready to go now?" Jason asked.

"I was ready to not be here," Josh answered.

"I'd never have guessed that from your level of participation," Jason teased.

Jeremy walked out the door without a word.

A few weeks later

Jeremy walked around the room, looking at the old stuff in their new places. He occasionally would put out a finger and touch some of the pretties lightly. When he had lived with them before, he hadn't been allowed to touch some of them.

He did the same quick touch to the pictures and even the books that Jason had brought down.

"You act like you've never lived in a house before," Josh told him.

'It d-d-don't – d-doesn't feel l-like the same place."

'You're weird."

"G-guess that's better than b-being dumb."

Josh laughed.

Jason looked up from his books and smiled. "Feeling more like a home, young 'un?"

Jeremy shrugged, and went to stand by Jason, who gladly put down his work, and the boy on his lap.

"I don' understand 'bout homes, I guess."

"What's to understand?" Josh asked. "Home is where you live. Even if you don't like it."

"N-no, that's just a house. Or a p-place. We live at the c-camp, sometimes, but we don't call it home."

"We would if it was the only place we had."

"Don' think so, Josh."

Josh shrugged.

Jeremy leaned back against Jason and sighed. "Jason, why din't you ever answer me when I ast you 'bout a home?"

"Because you'd already told me your definition of a home," Jason answered promptly, then nodded towards Joshua. "It was at the camp, too."

"You're sayin' words instead of telling me again."

"But, Jeremy, you told me your definition of home, just before you went to sleep, the night of your adventure."

"I did? I must be smarter when I'm cold an' tired."

"And rescued," Josh added.

"You was asleep."

"Like heck I was! I had to know you were okay, didn't I? And that Jason found you, and didn't ride off a cliff or fall in a river looking for you."

"Oh."

"You said camp was a better home because it was where we all were. And I thought, you know what, he's right. That's the best definition of home ever."

Jason and Jeremy stared at him. That was more enthusiasm than they had heard from Josh in a long time.

Josh reddened, but stared back at them.

Jeremy giggled, Jason chuckled, and, finally, Joshua laughed with them.

They were home.