Chapter 169 – Working Things Out

Dee came back in with a basket and pitcher of lemonade.

"I can come back." Dee said.

"No, sit." Wynn said. "I am hungry and we need to get over to Jack's soon."

Dee set the stuff down and started passing out the items.

"Bill." Wynn said. "Please pass along Jacobs' words to the Cadets. Then figure out a schedule and get us a copy of where people will be when. We will talk to you more this evening."

"Also there is a stage coming at about three." Jacobs said. "Please see it. It should have Patty Winters trunks on it. Please take them to the cafe. I will help her get them later."

"There might be information coming on the stage." Wynn said. "We might still be over with Jack."

"Okay." Bill said. "I will let you eat and then get over to him. I will figure something out. Let's go, McGinty."

"McGinty says a moment." Wynn said. "Bill, I will talk to you later."

Bill looked at the group, nodded and left.

"McGinty." Wynn said. "Pick two of the Mounties and show them rounds. Then I want you ready to leave for Buxton. I think I might hold off on going until morning, but be ready with a bag. I need you to do some research at the land office and it might take all day, so plan to stay in Buxton overnight."

"Yes, Sir." McGinty said.

"Talk to Bill about who you are showing rounds." Wynn said. "Then help him with a schedule. Also this afternoon, I need you to go get Will Walker after school. You can bring him here. He is to sit and do his homework. Bring some work to sit and do. He is not to have treats and he owes you an hour."

"We might be back, but just in case." Jacobs said.

"Got it." McGinty said.

"Dismissed." Wynn said.

McGinty saluted and left.

"What is going on with the Cadets?" Dee asked.

"Attitude." Jacobs said. "Apparently, my actions yesterday didn't deter them."

"From what I have been able to learn." Dee said. "The group from Union City had an attitude there as well. They thought that they should have been allowed to do 'real work' as they called it and not just 'scut work' as they called it."

"What were they doing in Union City?" Jacobs asked.

"Typing, filing." Dee said. "A little overnight guard duty, mopping and other office work. They would occasionally go out with a Constable on a call, if it wasn't dangerous."

"Which is why Anderson was so glad to send them to us." Wynn said.

"What about the group from Medicine Hat?" Jacobs asked.

"Much the same." Dee said. "Office work. However they got to go to the train station and watch several prisoner transfers and they had just started getting to ride on some rounds with Captain Cook."

"Let's give it a day." Wynn said. "I have an idea, but I don't want to do it immediately. Lets see if Bill passing Jacobs' words have any effect."

"Okay." Dee said.

The guys ate their lunch, then packed up the basket to take back.

"Dee." Wynn said. "Before we go to Jack's, please go to the mercantile and make sure to order a case of lemons and oranges. I can only deal with so much coffee. Also get the things to make more of your tea, Jacobs has a feeling that Jack is going to need some."

"I have a dozen doses with me." Dee said. "And Mom brought another jar, so we can take one to him if we need."

"Still order the stuff." Jacobs said. "I don't want to short you."

"Of course." Dee said.

The guys left the office. Wynn walked across to the cafe. He talked to the ladies while Dee went to the mercantile. Jacobs stayed outside and watched people. It wasn't long and the three of them were headed to Jack's house.

Elizabeth Rose and Patty had a much better afternoon with the children. They explained the science project and got them going on other work while they thought about what they wanted to do. It was agreed that they would all come back with ideas the next day to really start working on them. While Patty helped the youngest group of students, Elizabeth Rose was able to talk to each of the older students and get a bit more of their histories. She knew that the kids from Rock Creek were the furthest behind. They might have been able to speak English, but many of them couldn't write much more than their names.

She knew that it would take work, but she felt that they had a chance to catch up to their peers. It might take until the following school year, but she was sure that it would happen. She got them going on writing out the letters like the little ones were. She told them not to feel bad, everyone had to start somewhere and it wouldn't take them long to catch up if they worked at it. She also made a note for Elizabeth that she might have to test them verbally until they were able to write a little better. She paired Alec with Caleb and Adrik with Timmy Lawson. She explained to Caleb and Timmy that the boys understood English but had a hard time writing it and it was their job to make sure that they had the vocabulary word written as well as other assignments so they could work on them as they were able. She also encouraged them to move off to the side and quietly read together with their partner.

The afternoon passed without any problems and before they knew it, it was time to leave. Patty made sure everyone had their homework as well as their books. She walked the children to the back of the room and let them go, except Will Walker. She was going to keep him, until she saw McGinty standing there.

"Are you here for Will?" Patty asked.

"Yes." McGinty said. "I assume he has homework."

"Yes." Patty said. "Reading, math and vocabulary."

"Plenty to keep us busy for the next hour." McGinty said. "Anything else?"

"He also needs to come up with a science project and he has a history test next week." Patty said.

"I love science." McGinty said.

Will just scowled at the two adults. Patty smiled and sent Will off with McGinty. She then turned back to help Elizabeth Rose pick up the classroom.

Wynn, Dee and Jacobs made their way to Jack's house. As they did that, they noticed the number of wagons heading toward the row houses and back toward town. The wagons were loaded with boards.

"They must be making good progress on the new houses." Wynn said.

"Last I checked." Dee said. "They had almost half the foundations set and were working on framing out the first few houses. Lee remarked that they are going up a lot quicker than he expected. He is going to get as much as he can done with this group and it sounds like he will add the full sixteen that he contracted with Andy."

"What are they shooting for?" Jacobs asked.

"Four full houses." Dee said. "That is before this crew is done. If they can do that and then get other foundations set, they will have a total of twenty new houses. Four more than contracted."

"Sounds good." Jacobs said. "The men are here might as well use them."

"Exactly." Wynn said. "The housing will be needed. Which reminds me, Dee I have assigned a project to McGinty and I want you to check on it."

"What was that?" Dee asked.

"Identifying all the buildings in town." Wynn said. "Who owns them, what they used to be, are there apartments and if so why aren't they being used. I also asked him to see if he could figure out the empty lots."

"I will follow up with that." Dee said. "We can compare maps and if you send him to Buxton, he can double check there as well."

"I think sending him is a good idea." Jacobs said. "We need the information and I am sick of waiting for everything to come to us. If we can go find it, we should."

"I agree." Wynn said.

When they got to the house, they were surprised to find Constable John Lane outside. After exchanging salutes, Jacobs took the lead after a nod from Wynn.

"What are you doing here?" Jacobs asked. "I thought the Cadets had guard duty."

"I took a shift." Lane said. "I didn't feel as comfortable sitting in the saloon with some of the other men."

"Alright." Jacobs said. "Both of you stay put, even though we will be here at least half an hour."

"Yes, Sir." Lane said. "Mrs Thornton is home and Corporal Thornton was sleeping last I checked."

Jacobs nodded and they went up the steps. Dee knocked, then opened the door calling out to Elizabeth.

"Come in." Elizabeth called. "I was expecting you."

"I have Dad and Jacobs." Dee said.

"I figured." Elizabeth said. "I have water heating. Jack was still laying down. He was up for a bit after I got home. He had some peppermint tea, but didn't eat."

"That is fine." Jacobs said. "Liquids are more important."

"I am making him some soup for supper." Elizabeth said. "Which reminds me, Wynn and Dee, you are expected for supper at six thirty. Aunt Elizabeth and I already decided."

"We will be here." Wynn said.

Dee went and knocked on the bedroom door and got Jack up. Once he was seated at the table, Jacobs turned to him.

"How are you feeling this afternoon?" Jacobs asked.

"Still sore, but breathing is better." Jack said. "I did another steam treatment at about eleven."

"Good." Jacobs said. "I checked with someone and you can do those every two to three hours, as long as you are staying hydrated."

"Okay." Jack said.

"You definitely sound better." Wynn said.

Elizabeth had moved over to her writing desk, but could hear what was going on. She was glad that they felt that Jack was doing better. Jacobs got Jack going with the steam and Dee gathered both buckets.

"Beth, dear." Wynn said. "Are you going to stay down here?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I know it will be hard to watch, but it was worse hearing it and not knowing what you were doing."

"As long as you think you can handle it." Wynn said.

"I am sure." Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth stayed at her desk working on grading papers. The guys were talking to Jack about things going on in town, just so he didn't feel so disconnected. It also made the time pass quicker as Jack did the steam treatment. Once they were ready, Elizabeth watched her husband lean forward and Jacobs stand over him and start to pound on his back. It didn't take long for Jack to start coughing and gagging. A few minutes of that and he was sick. Dee quickly switched the buckets as Jacobs continued. After Jack was sick a couple more times, Jacobs stopped and Jack slumped back in the chair. Jacobs then grabbed the stethoscope and listened to Jack's lungs.

"Better." Jacobs said. "Still not great, but getting better. How is the bruising?"

"I honestly haven't checked." Jack rasped.

"May we?" Jacobs asked.

Jack nodded. Jacobs and Wynn helped Jack take his henley off. Wynn and Dee held Jack's arms as Jacobs unwrapped some of the bandages around Jack's chest. Elizabeth gasped as she saw the bruising on Jack's back.

"It is okay, Beth." Wynn said, trying to calm his niece. "We expected this."

Jack didn't want Elizabeth to be upset, but he also knew that she needed to know.

"Explain it to her." Jack rasped.

"Elizabeth." Jacobs said. "The new bruising is from the coughing and me pounding on his back. I totally expected this and warned Jack that it would be worse before it got better. I am more worried about how he sounds. The bruising will heal. I know that it is hard to look at, but it is nothing that we didn't expect."

"Okay." Elizabeth said.

Jack could hear the tears in her voice. The guys unwrapped Jack and covered him in a layer of Vicks before wrapping him back up. Once they were done with that, Jack was so exhausted that he could barely stand.

"Let's get you back to bed." Jacobs said. "I will be back after supper, but try to do a stream treatment before then."

Jack nodded as he was too exhausted to speak.