The next week at school was a good one for Charlie. She got 100 on two different spelling tests, and even mastered her triple arithmetic task
that the teacher set out. Some of the kids were planning a fishing jaunt after school on Thursday afternoon, and Charlie had asked for
permission to go. That morning, Charlie was gathering up her fishing pole before she set out for school on Gurth.
Scott came out of the house, carrying her lunch pail. "You don't want to forget this," he said.
"No, I sure don't," Charlie said.
"Maria put some extra in there for you so you can share some sweets with your friends while you're fishing," he told her.
Charlie's face lit up. "Churros?" she asked, hopefully.
"I think maybe so."
"I'll be sure to thank her," Charlie promised.
She gave Scott a hug, and he held her fishing pole until she had mounted Gurth, and then handed off the pole and the lunch pail
to her. Her hands were definitely full.
"I might not be here when you get home," Scott told her, resting his hand the back of her saddle. "But Murdoch and Teresa will be. Don't be
late and make them worry."
"No, I won't," Charlie promised. She was curious about where Scott might be having to go, but knew from past experience that he might not
tell her even if she asked. She hoped it had something to do with meeting the bank board to talk about her adoption. Scott didn't look worried or such
when he spoke of not being at home that afternoon, so Charlie decided not to worry, either.
She rode off, waving at Scott when she was down the lane.
The sense of happiness that Charlie felt that morning last throughout the day, and in the afternoon when she went fishing with several of the
kids. She succeeded in catching two catfish herself. One big one and one smaller. She shared the treats that Maria had packed, and stretched out
in the sun, in a circle talking and laughing.
After a couple of hours, when the kids were beginning to gather their belongings and leave, Charlie did the same, taking her two fish
and her fishing pole. She said her goodbyes, and got on Gurth, giving Monte a ride for a bit. On the way they talked about school, and the
new teacher, and Monte was telling Charlie about a kit of baby foxes that he knew about.
"Want to see?" he asked Charlie.
"How far off?" Charlie asked. "I gotta be heading home soon."
"About a half a mile, as the crow flies," Monte said.
Charlie considered. She figured as it was about five o'clock. Supper was at six. She really shouldn't...
"It's about five," she said.
"Nah, it ain't five yet," Monte denied. "More like four-thirty."
Charlie wasn't sure about that part of it, but it would be fun to see baby foxes.
"You're not bothering them, are you?" she asked Monte. "The mother might not like it if you do."
"Nah, I'm not. Do you wanna see them or not?"
"I guess. But I can't stay long," Charlie said.
"That's what you always say," Monte said, with a grin.
They rode Gurth a good bit, and then got off, tying him to a tree, and leaving her fish string wrapped around her saddle horn. They plucked their way into the forest of trees by foot.
"What if the mother's there?" Charlie asked, in a whisper as they got close.
"She's not. If she's there, I can see her from here," Monte said. "Come on." He walked ahead of Charlie and then stopped, pointing to
the kit of foxes snuggled together.
"Ohhh," Charlie said, low. "They're so beautiful-"
"Yeah. They're only about three weeks old or so."
"How did you find them?" Charlie asked him.
"John and I were in here tendin' to things, and came across 'em."
Charlie wondered what he meant by that. Tendin' to things.
They watched the babies for a few minutes, and then began their trek back out of the trees to where Gurth was tied.
"Thanks for showing me," Charlie said.
"Wanna help me set off some traps?" Monte asked her, before they'd walked very far.
"What traps?" Charlie asked. "You're setting traps?" she demanded, scowling at Monte. "I thought you liked animals-"
"I do like animals. They're not my traps. They belong to some of the ranchers that live 'round here."
"Why are they setting traps?" Charlie asked.
"Cause they don't like the raccoons, or the foxes or any of the critters botherin' their stock, or gettin' into their feed, so they set traps all
over these hills." He paused to look at Charlie. "Wanna help?"
"I don't wanna make Murdoch worry-" Charlie said, fighting against what she knew she should do, and what she wanted to do. She did want to help
Monte set off those traps. She made up her mind in a hurry.
"I'll help with some," she decided, and Monte grinned.
"Stay behind me," he ordered. "I know where they are, and you don't. You might step on one of them, and then you'd lose a foot."
"You're making that up," Charlie accused.
"Nope. I'm not."
When they'd walked a ways in the opposite direction, Monte paused, selecting a big stick. "Here's one," he said, and then Charlie watched while
he used the stick to set off the trap.
The trap had what looked like teeth to Charlie, who'd never seen such a thing before. It snapped shut with a sound that made Charlie
feel like shuddering.
"See?" Monte said. "Imagine that comin' down on your foot. Or on an animal's foot."
"Does it kill them?" Charlie asked.
"Rabbits or such, maybe. But, bigger animals, no. They're caught there, and they bleed to death, or sometimes they chew off their own foot."
Charlie stared at him in horror. "They do?"
Monte nodded, and said, "Come on. I gotta trip some more."
"What's that mean? Trip?" she asked.
"This," Monte said, and stuck the stick into the trap, effectively causing it to snap shut. "That's tripping."
"Can I do it?" Charlie asked, and Monte obligingly walked to the next trap, and then handed the stick off to Charlie.
Uncertain at first, Charlie put the end of the stick in the spot that Monte told her to, and the trap snapped, taking off the end of the
stick as well.
Charlie had felt the force of that snap up her arm and she followed Monte for the next while, helping him set off the traps. Eight in total.
"Is that all of them?" she asked.
"Right around here, that's all. There's lots more, if you go up that way," Monte said, pointing to the west.
"I have to start home," Charlie said, and Monte nodded, and they walked back to Gurth. She mounted, and Monte handed her fish up to
her, that he'd been carrying.
"I'm gonna go do some more," he told Charlie. He pointed. "Just head straight out that way, and you'll come back to the road. I'll see ya tomorrow
at school."
Charlie said goodbye, and rode Gurth out the way that Monte had told her. She rode to the ranch, coming up to the barn to find
Murdoch standing beside the buggy, talking to Teresa and Jelly.
Charlie wasn't sure what time it was, exactly, but Murdoch looked stern as she rode up.
"There you are," he said.
"Supper's almost ready," Teresa said.
Not certain whether Murdoch was cross with her or just looking stern, Charlie gestured to her string of fish.
"It was good fishing today," she said.
"They're nice lookin', alright," Jelly said, admiring the fish.
"Wash up, both of you, and I'll have supper on the table," Teresa said, and turned to go to the house.
Charlie dismounted, as Teresa called back to her. "Wash up now, and then you'll have to take a bath after you eat."
Charlie said okay, and held Gurth's reins in one hand, looking at Murdoch.
"I'll clean the fish for ya," Jelly offered, and Charlie handed the string to him. "Thanks, Jelly," she said.
Jelly ambled off, muttering to himself as he always did, and Charlie was left there with Murdoch.
"Did you have a good afternoon?" Murdoch asked, and Charlie answered him, relieved that he didn't seem put out.
"Yes, sir. The kids all liked the churros that Maria sent. Most everybody caught at least one fish," Charlie shared with him.
"That's good," he said. "Put your horse away."
"Okay," Charlie said, and it was while she was brushing Gurth down, and feeding him his oats that Murdoch came back to the
edge of the corral.
"Teresa has supper nearly on the table," he said.
"Okay," Charlie said, and gave Gurth a hug around his neck, and went to put the brush away.
Supper was different, with just the three of them at the table, since Johnny was with Scott, wherever they had gone.
Teresa suggested they eat in the kitchen, instead of at the large dining room table, and Charlie found she enjoyed the coziness of
that, tucked into the kitchen. She ate with relish, and drank two glasses of milk.
"I'll do up the dishes and then we can have some pie," Teresa said. "Maybe Scott and Johnny will be home by then."
"That sounds like a good plan," Murdoch said. "I'll help you do the dishes." He stood and looked at Charlie, who was finishing up her milk.
"You, miss, go upstairs and get ready for your bath."
"Yes. It's awfully fishy smelling in here," Teresa said, with a smile to let Charlie know she was just joking.
Murdoch toted the hot water from the kettle on the stove up the stairs to the washroom, and soon Charlie's bath was ready. She took off her
muddy, fishy smelling clothes, and sat down in the warm water. Immersed up to her neck, she scrubbed her fingernails and her soaped her
hair. Teresa came in as usual to offer to help her rinse her hair.
"Have you ever seen a baby fox?" Charlie asked, after Teresa had rinsed and Charlie was wiping water from her eyes.
"No. I don't think I ever have."
"I saw some. Monte showed me," Charlie told her.
Teresa continued with a second rinse. "How did you manage that?"
"The mother fox wasn't there."
"You need to be careful. That sounds dangerous," Teresa said.
This was one of those moments when Teresa acted like a big sister.
"It wasn't dangerous. Monte knows what to watch for."
"Still," Teresa said. She got to her feet, drying her wet hands on a towel. "Finish up your bath, and come down and have your pie."
"What kind of pie is it?" Charlie asked.
"What does that matter?" Teresa said, giving Charlie's head a tap. "You like any kind."
At the door Teresa said, "It's cherry," and went out closing the door behind her.
Thinking of that piece of pie, warmed in the oven, had Charlie scurrying to finish, climbing out of the tub, and donning her
nightgown and robe. She could hear other male voices, mixed with Murdoch's, downstairs, and that made her hurry even more. Scott was home!
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