The Road to Oregon City Page 4

  It’s a lynx! A giant gray lion-like cat is staring straight at you, watching your every move. Its gray eyes are piercing, and its long hair almost forms a beard. Frozen, you stare back at the big cat. You’ve heard about these beautiful but dangerous creatures, but you have never seen one before in real life.

  “Hush, Archie,” you whisper softly as your heart races. The cat’s ears are twitching, and you wonder if it is feeling threatened by Archie. All its muscles seem tensed, like it might be ready to leap at any second. Is it going to attack you? You know that lynxes move very quickly and are powerful, and you don’t want to get in the way of this one’s sharp claws.

  You try to stay calm and think about what you should do, even as you feel your heartbeat pounding in your throat. Your gut reaction is to run back to camp as quickly as you can, but you don’t know if it will chase you. Another option is to try to scare the lynx away by yelling, throwing rocks at it, and waving your arms around. But what if that just makes it angry and encourages it to attack?

  What do you do?

  If you run back to camp, turn to page 68

  If you try to scare the lynx, turn to page 158

  Return to page 122

  Your eyes scan the ground for a branch that is long and strong enough to support Eliza’s weight.

  “Hold on, Eliza!” you say in a panicked voice, while rifling through several branches. Finally, you find one that should work and run back to where she is still clinging to the rock. The branch extends just far enough for her to grab on to it. With all your might, you are able to pull your friend back up safely.

  “Thanks. I thought I was a goner.” Eliza gasps, trying to catch her breath. You sit for a few moments, thinking about what could have happened. Then you change the subject, talking about the cat, which has already run away.

  “We should get going,” you finally say, pulling Eliza to her feet. “Everyone must be waiting for us.”

  Over the next few days, your wagon train makes its way over to the hot springs. Even though everyone is excited about the change, they are also worried about how much food you have left. Late in your journey, supplies are running low. When you set out from Independence, Missouri, you never thought it would be possible to run out of bacon, but there isn’t even much of that left now.

  When you finally arrive at the hot springs, Caleb says you will make camp for a couple of days and rest. Ma is ready to wash your filthy clothes, and all the kids are tasked with helping. As you help Ma scrub while Hannah and Samuel fetch more water, Pa sits down next to both of you and discusses your food situation.

  “I’m afraid we’re not just running out of food, but we’re getting short on supplies, also,” Pa says.

  “What do you mean?” you ask.

  Pa pulls some rope out from his back pocket.

  “This is all the rope we have left, and I am not sure when we are going to get to another trading post for me to get more supplies before Oregon City.”

  You think about all the ways you use rope on this trip and how important it is.

  “I was just asking Ma if I should use what rope we have left to make traps to try to catch some small animals tonight,” Pa continues. “Or she could weave it into a fishing net.”

  The idea of some fresh game or fish makes your stomach grumble. You’ve gotten good at setting traps with Joseph since the very first time you caught jackrabbits at the beginning of the Trail. But sometimes fish are easier to catch, if it’s a good spot on the river. What do you recommend?

  If you suggest making traps, turn to page 33

  If you suggest making a net, turn to page 95

  Return to page 63

  Joseph, we need to get back,” you say. “It’s probably time to get rolling again, and we haven’t eaten yet.”

  Joseph looks a little bit annoyed.

  “Come on, Joseph,” Eliza adds. “The last thing we need is to get stung by bees. You know Pa would be upset if we got hurt.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Joseph agrees reluctantly. “I’ve never actually smoked bees out of a hive before, anyway.”

  That makes you laugh. Joseph is always filled with facts about everything and knows a lot about all sorts of things. And he also has a lot of good ideas. But sometimes he is a little overconfident, too. You’re fine with giving up the honey and heading back to the wagons. Besides, you know that you have Fort Boise to look forward to in the next week. Ma usually lets you get some kind of small treat at the trading posts.

  Over the next few days, everyone’s patience is tested as the anticipation of getting to Fort Boise grows. You haven’t passed a trading post for three weeks!

  “I can’t wait to get to the fort,” Hannah says, walking with you as she swings her worn rag doll by the arm. “I’m going to get a new dress for my doll.”

  You look at Hannah’s own dress and dirty apron and think about the last time you were able to wash your clothes and have a proper bath. You know how raggedy you must look too, just like everyone else in the wagon train.

  As you walk, you kick a pebble and notice your dilapidated shoes, which have been repaired several times already since Ma bought them for you back in Independence. From walking so many miles a day, they are growing paper-thin again and need new soles.

  When you finally arrive at Fort Boise, everyone perks up at the welcoming scene. Several other wagon trains are parked in corrals—circles to protect their animals and keep out thieves and predators. There’s the bustle of people trading and making repairs to their wagons. People from the Paiute, Nimi’ipuu, and Shoshone Nations offer goods for sale, while kids run around and play.

  After you make camp and have supper, Ma gives you permission to explore a little on your own.

  “You know this is the last trading post before we get to Oregon City,” she says. “This is our last chance to buy anything we need for the rest of the journey. Go look carefully.”

  You take Samuel and Hannah by the hands and walk around. A group of Nimi’ipuu people have spread out their wares, which include woven blankets, beads, and skins. But as Hannah stops to admire a carved wooden horse, you notice some tall moccasin boots lined with fur.

  “These are good for snow,” a Nimi’ipuu man says to you.

  You politely admire how neatly the leather is stitched and move on.

  Another merchant has some rock candy on sticks. The colorful crystals of sugar in jagged shapes form long lollipops. He also has honey candy and molasses for sale that make your mouth water.

  When you get back, Ma is discussing what items to get with Pa. She explains that you have enough of the essential foods you need to get to Oregon City. Pa tells her he has completed all the wagon repairs for the rough, rocky, and snowy mountains ahead. And he’s purchased any available spare parts.

  “We have a little extra money to let the kids get something,” she says.

  “Can I get the wooden horse toy?” Hannah asks with a pleading look, forgetting about her rag doll’s new dress.

  “Let’s see how much it costs,” Pa says with a smile. Each of you left behind all your toys in Kentucky, and you rarely ask for anything.

  “Is there anything you need?” Ma asks you. “If not, I might get us a jar of molasses and extra sugar.”

  Your mouth starts to water as you think of the molasses. It’s been so long since you’ve had Ma’s famous delicious molasses pudding. But you can feel the pebbles underfoot and wonder if you should mention how worn out your shoes are, especially with the hardest part of the mountains ahead of you.

  What do you say?

  If you say she should get the molasses and sugar, turn to page 148

  If you say your shoes need repair, turn to page 112

  Return to page 138

  You can go, but be safe, and we will see you on the other side,” Ma says while giving you a hug. Pa places his hand on your shoulder.

  “Listen to everything Caleb tells you,” he says. You wave goodbye to Samuel, Hannah, and Archie and run bac
k to Caleb with Joseph and Eliza.

  “Okay, team, this will be challenging. But if we work together, we should have no problems,” Caleb says with a smile. You smile back, then line up next to the animals and help guide them as you start walking.

  Your trip around the mountain is difficult. The animals keep trying to veer off the path, and you constantly have to stop and wait for them to line up again. After several hours, you are able to cover some ground.

  “I wonder if they are already across and waiting for us,” you say to Caleb.

  “They should be by now, but they will definitely be there by the time we reach the other side,” he replies.

  Finally, you are around the mountain and on the other side of the rapids. You’re so excited to tell Pa that you helped save one of the oxen from falling off the side of a cliff. But when you walk around to the mouth of the rapids, no one is there.

  “Where are they?” you ask with a sinking feeling.

  Caleb looks just as worried as you.

  “Let’s give them some more time. I’m sure they will be here soon,” he replies in a hopeful voice.

  You sit staring at the rapids for hours, but there is no sign of your family or anyone else. In the distance, Caleb sees pieces of the raft floating and banging up against the rocks. As night falls, you know that your family is not coming and you are now on your own. Caleb, Joseph, and Eliza try comforting you, but you just want to be alone. You are numb and can’t speak. A couple of days later, you have no choice but to continue on with Caleb and his family.

   THE END

  Return to page 128

  You grab the kettle of warm water and pour it into a bucket. Then you stick your feet inside.

  “What are you doing?” Ma asks as she returns with the dishes.

  “Look at my feet,” you say.

  Ma looks at your feet and runs to get the vet, who is the closest thing to a doctor you have in your wagon train.

  “It looks like you have a bit of frostbite on your feet,” the vet says after taking a look.

  “What is going to happen to me?” you ask, feeling scared.

  “We’ll see,” he says. “But you did the right thing to soak your feet in warm water. Do that for a while longer and then wrap them up warmly.”

  You follow his instructions and in the morning unwrap the blanket covering your feet. Your toes have mostly returned to their normal color, except for the big and pinky toes on both feet. They are an unslightly shade of black.

  When the vet sees them, he shakes his head.

  “I’m afraid these toes have gangrene. We’ll have to remove them so it doesn’t spread to the rest of your feet.”

  You’re devastated, but you try to be brave about losing your toes. Ma can’t stop crying and seems even more upset than you. Over the next week, she and Pa decide to head south to California. They think it might be an easier trail for you to travel than Oregon. All because of your shoddy shoes, your family’s dreams of Oregon are given the boot.

   THE END

  Return to page 148

  I think we should keep going,” you say, and Ma nods in agreement. “We can still hunt for food, but maybe we will find a trading post.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Pa agrees. “But it isn’t going to be easy.” He gives everyone in the family a load to carry. It’s mostly your bedrolls, waterskins, and a few other essential items, but it’s still heavy. Pa takes the biggest load for himself, carrying his rifle, ammunition, and camping supplies.

  It’s hard to keep moving with the bag strapped to your back. You don’t want to complain, but your shoulders hurt, and your feet feel like bricks. Plus, you’re so hungry that your stomach stops growling and you just feel a hollow pit inside.

  Over the next few days, you get weaker and weaker. Finally, you are unable to keep moving. Your family is forced to camp and forage for food in the woods, but you won’t find enough to sustain you for much longer.

   THE END

  Return to page 71

  I guess you and Ma agree about the fishing net,” Pa says.

  You smile and nod.

  “I’ll finish up the washing if you’ll weave me the net,” Pa offers Ma. Soon Ma has put together an impressive net.

  “This should catch plenty of fish,” Pa says, thanking her.

  Pa heads toward the river, and you run up behind him. He places his hand around your shoulder, and you walk together to the banks of the river. You grab one side of the net from Pa and fling it into the water.

  SPLASH! Your hand accidentally gets stuck in the net, and you fall into the water. You manage to get out of tangle and swim back to the banks with the net, where Pa gives you a hand and pulls you out.

  “Let’s try that again,” Pa says, and you both have a good laugh about what happened.

  You throw the net back into the water, and within a couple of hours, you are able to catch several fish for dinner. Ma whips up an amazing supper that leaves you satisfied. Even better, the fiddles come out for the first time in a long while, and everyone enjoys some music and dancing.

  A few hours after you eat, you start feeling nauseated and are bent over with pain in your stomach. The night passes and you don’t feel any better, spending most of it throwing up.

  “I think I know what’s wrong with you,” Pa says as he sits with you through the night.

  “What is it, Pa?” you ask, trying to sound brave.

  “You must have swallowed some of the water from the lake, and it’s making you sick,” he replies. “You’ll be fine.”

  But Pa is wrong. The next few days are very painful, and you don’t get any better. You die of dysentery.

   THE END

  Return to page 80

  You choose to ignore Archie’s consistent growls and barks. You roll over and gently push him away, hoping to get a little more sleep. But thundering hoofbeats and angry shouts jolt you out of your sleep only a few short minutes later. Scrambling out of the tent, you’re horrified to see a gang of bandits surrounding your wagon.

  “Hand over all your money and valuables!” the masked leader growls. “Or else!”

  Pa, Caleb, and the other families have no choice but to give them what they want. You are forced to give up the rest of your money and what few valuables you have left. The bandits disappear as quickly as they arrived, leaving you and your family with nothing but the bare essentials in your wagon.

  “They must’ve been watching us, waiting for us to go to sleep so they could strike,” Pa says grimly. “No one heard anything?”

  You realize with a sinking heart that Archie was trying to warn you about the bandits, but you decided to ignore his warning barks. Now you have no money left for when you get to Oregon. Starting a farm with nothing will be extremely challenging.

  “What if we go back to Barlow’s Gate and tell the toll operators?” you suggest. “Maybe they could help us catch the bandits.”

  Pa scratches his head. “That’ll cost us days going back. But I suppose we don’t have any other options, do we?”

  You decide to make the trek back to the tollgate to hopefully get some assistance with the bandits. It’s a tiring return journey, especially considering the steep incline of Laurel Hill you now have to climb back up, and the oxen grow slower and wearier by the hour. Your whole body aches as you finally make your way back to Barlow’s Gate.

  But when Pa tells your desperate situation to the toll operators, they are unsympathetic.

  “Sorry, folks,” one of the operators says, tipping his hat. “That’s why you have to be especially careful around these parts. Bandits will snatch the shoes right off your feet if you’re not keeping a sharp eye out. Not much we can do about it either.”

  You know you’re never going to get your family’s money back. Pa shakes his head, dejected.

  You decide to build a small cabin at the base of the valley. Ma will sell pies and blankets to passing travelers, and Pa will hunt and sell furs and dried meat to those in need of s
upplies and food. It’s a meager living, but it’s still better than turning back. You can try to save up enough money to make your way to Oregon City next year.

   THE END

  Return to page 131

  I think we should keep the wagon,” you say.

  “Me too,” says Hannah. “I love the wagon.”

  “And I love all our food,” Samuel adds.

  Ma laughs. “I agree with the kids,” she says. “We’ve come too far and carried our belongings for far too long to give them up now. And even though it’s been slow going, we are still making progress.”

  “I think you’re right,” Pa says. “It would make me nervous to leave the wagon behind too.”

  You see the same relief you are feeling on the faces of Hannah and Samuel. The wagon has become your traveling house away from home, and it feels wrong to give it up unless you absolutely have to.

  Everyone else in your wagon train makes the same decision as your family. They agree that if you all work together, you can manage to clear the Trail and keep the wagons rolling, even if it is difficult. Besides, with all this practice, the team is getting faster at clearing away fallen trees. If it reaches a point where it becomes impossible, then you can consider abandoning the wagons. But not yet.