Roseanna took a breath from telling the tale. She looked down at her youngest grandson and smiled.

“Caleb, would ye fetch yore poor old granny a glass of water, storytelling is hard work and I’ve built up a mighty powerful thirst.”

“Yes’m, “said the boy.

As soon as the boy went to the well, Roseanna fixed her eyes on Nate.

“Fetch yore pa’s jug for yore poor old ma,” she commanded.

“Yes’m,” Nate said.


He returned before Caleb. Roseanna took out the cork and smelled the whiskey.

She then took a modest pull from the jug and set it beside her chair.

When Caleb returned with a cool glass of well water, Roseanna took a sip, and smacked her lips.

“Golly that’s good, now where was I?”

“Janie was saving Doo,” little Alice said.

“Oh yes, well you see……”
 
Once Janie hit the water she started stroking toward the shore. She heard a loud splashing and sputtering coming from the direction of the boat. She turned around and headed back towards the sound.
 
When she got to where the splashing was coming from, she had to stifle a laugh. Doo was trying to swim but kept coming up with a mouthful of water. 

He wasn’t exactly panicking as much as he was getting frustrated with his effort and getting nowhere. She reached out and touched him.
 
“Doo, what are you doing? The Indians will hear you,” 

“I’d rather they made a porcupine out of me with arrers than drown,” Doo said.
 
Janie was dumbstruck.
 
“You don’t know how to swim?
“Nope”
“Quit thrashing around you big oaf and I’ll help you,”
 
Janie grasped Doo by the collar of his buckskin shirt and started towing him to shore. Fortunately she was a strong swimmer or she wouldn’t have been able to pull Doo’s bulk to safety.

What kind of man doesn’t know how to swim.

 Doo relaxed and allowed her to pull him. Once they got near the bank, Janie put her legs down and touched the bottom.

“We’re here,” she whispered. 

“Thunderation! That was close, thankee again Janie for saving my life “Doo said.

“Let's go back to the boat, maybe my pa needs help,” Janie said.

“Yore pa’s beyond needing help gal,” Doo said.

Hot tears streamed down Janie’s cheeks once she realized Doo was telling her Pa’s dead. Her ma had died in child birth, so pa was all she had in the world as far as kinfolk went.

She vowed she wouldn’t break down in front of Doo. Janie was grateful it was dark so he couldn’t see the tears.

As the pair hugged the bank, Doo was plotting their next move. Jed had said they would be in Pittsburgh in the morning. He figured both he and Janie could pole the boat downriver since Jed was just manning the tiller.
Doo was just about to suggest they head back to the boat when he caught a whiff of smoke.

“They’re burning the boat!” Janie exclaimed.
 
                                                           *****
Swooping Eagle and Lonesome Owl scavenged the boat. The only thing worth taking was the flintlock rifle Janie had used to kill Stalking Panther. Since Swooping Eagle spurned white men’s weapons, Wise Owl would get this one.

“What now?”
“We burn the boat, maybe we’ll see them in its light,” was Swooping Eagle’s answer.
“What if we don’t?”

“We can wait until sunrise and then find them,” said Swooping Eagle.
“We have lost three warriors, we’re a day’s walk from the white village, we need to go back to our village,” Wise Owl said.
 
Swooping Eagle’s eyes flashed anger.
 
“You would have me let the man who killed my brother escape,” spat `Swooping Eagle.
“For now, he’ll come back to our lands,” Wise Owl said. “Besides he has strong medicine right now, stronger than ours.”
Swooping Eagle grunted.
 
“The young one listens to Our Grandmother, she is special,” Swooping Eagle said.
“Maybe Our Grandmother is siding with her against us,” Wise Owl said.
 
Swooping Eagle hadn’t thought of that. That would explain the bad medicine tonight, or on the whole trip for that matter. Wise Owl could be right, they should return to their village, and get Our Grandmother back on their side and give them stronger medicine.
 
“Let’s burn the boat and leave, we’ll go through his campsite and pick up the horse,” Swooping Eagle said.
 
Wise Owl grunted his approval.
                                                                *****

Janie watched as the boat started to really catch fire. She thought about her poor pa lying dead on the deck.
“We need to move back into the shadders Janie,” Doo whispered.

The pair moved about 50 feet upstream hugging the bank to take advantage of the shelter it provided as well as concealing them in the shadows.

Doo was surprised how calmly Janie was taking this predicament. He was pretty proud of her, though he had no standing to be proud, she wasn’t kin but he was proud nonetheless. She had killed a Shawnee warrior, saved him from drowning, and kept her head through the whole experience.

This young women was special, she acted in a crisis, did not freeze, did not let emotions rule her, and was worthy to have at your back.  Doo silently made a vow that he would look after Janie and ensure that she got what she needed in order to make it to Pittsburgh and start a new life.  He did not know if he would be a part of it but he would be in it for now.

“What are we going to do Doo?”

“I guess we’re going to walk gal,” Doo said.

“How far is it?”

“Yore pa said we should be there by noon on the boat, I reckon that would be a two day walk from here,” Doo said.

“We don’t have a gun, you made me drop it,” Janie said accusingly.

“Hell, I ain’t had a gun for three days and I had four Shawnees chasin’ me.”

“What will we do for food or water?”

“We’ll foller the river, and there’s fish in it, we’ll eat and drink.”

“Do you have flint and steel?”

“Nope, don’t need it I can start a fire without it,” Doo said. “Now that’s enough questions, we need to get out of the water and start moving.”

Doo found some roots that would hold his weight while he climbed out of the river. He turned and offered his hand to Janie to haul her up beside him.
Once out of the water Doo noticed the chill in the air.

“Doo I’m cold,” Janie said through chattering teeth.

“We’ll warm up once we start moving,” Doo said.

“Which way do we go?”

“Jest foller the river south, nuthin to it,” Doo said.

“Doo are we really going to make it?”

“I reckon so, we’re close to Pittsburgh the Shawnee won’t foller us from here, if they ain’t got us by now they won’t try anymore,” Doo said.

“There’s something I wish I’d done before we left the boat,” Janie said.

“ Whut’s thet?”

“ I wish I’d put my shoes on before we jumped off,” Janie said.

“It could get a little rough walking in bare feet, but it ain’t impossible,” Doo said.

“I didn’t mean it would be impossible, it’s just my pa paid two dollars for them shoes, now I won’t be able to replace them I ain’t got no money,” Janie said.

“Let me worry about thet,” Doo said.

“ Why?”

“We’re in this together now, I’ll make sure you get outfitted and took care of in Pittsburgh,” Doo said.


Janie did not think it would be that easy.  She wondered how Doo had made it through the wilderness with four braves after him.  I’m thinking that Doo needs some looking after, an angel must have worked really hard to keep him alive.

  I guess it is up to me now to make sure he gets to Pittsburgh.  Can’t swim, jumps off a cliff,  jumps off a boat and still can’t swim, makes me leave my gun…. this man’s angel definitely needs my help.  I guess I’ll have to work hard to get us to Pittsburgh but Heavenly Father I vow we are going to make it and your help would be greatly appreciated …send more angels please!
 
Their clothes dried as the pair trudged on through the night. Doo thanked his lucky stars for that, there’s nuthin worse than walking in wet buckskin he thought.
They’d probably made about six miles as the sky was turning pink in the pre-dawn light. He figured Janie might need a break so he found a grove of trees and told her to have a set.
 
“I’m gonna check our back trail and make sure the Shawnees ain’t follerin us, you jest set tight here and I’ll be back in a jiffy,” Doo said.

Janie was almost asleep as soon as her butt hit the ground. Doo figured she’d be okay for a little while as he checked for any pursuit.

Doo was careful to use the brush as cover as he went back the way they’d come. A blind man could have followed them. The trail they’d left was clear, any pursuit would have no problem tracking them. He’d gone about a half mile when he thought he’d heard Janie.

“You savage! You killed my pa!”

Doo turned on his heel and started running back to the grove of trees where he’d left the girl. When he reached the grove he found an Indian warily circling Janie shaking his head, who was swinging a log as thick as her leg.

Doo bent over put his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

Janie glanced over at Doo. She could not believe her eyes, Doo looked like he was choking.

“What are you doing, are you laughing, where is the sense God gave you?!?! help me!” Janie said.
Doo cracked a grin at the Indian's discomfort as he tried to stay out of range of the branch Janie was swinging.
 
“ Whut do you think Mighty Beaver, should I rescue her?”

“She is doing fine on her own Doolittle,” was the response the Indian spoke as he rubbed a lump on the side of his head as big as an apple.
Janie was taken aback when the Indian had spoken English to Doo. She quit swinging the branch and stood there glaring at Doo.
 
“You knew he wasn’t hostile,” she accused.

“Yup that there is Mighty Beaver, he’s a Delaware. We’ve hunted some together,” Doo said.
 
Janie swung her glance to Mighty Beaver, threatening him with the branch.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were friendly?”

Mighty Beaver took a step back, a burst of booming laughter from deep in Mighty Beavers belly.

“You wouldn’t have listened Little One. You swing first, listen second,” Mighty Beaver said while wiping away tears.
 
Mighty Beaver looked over at Doo.
 
“There must be a good story to explain this Doolittle,” Mighty Beaver said.

“You bet there is Mighty Beaver! Are you out here by yourself?”

“No, I am part of a hunting party from Pittsburgh with a friend of yours,” said Mighty Beaver.
 
“Who might that be?” Doolittle inquired cautiously knowing that Mighty Beaver had a strange sense of humor.

“It will be a surprise when we get to my camp.”

“Lead on Mighty Beaver,” Doo said.
 
Janie hesitated, Doo noticed her hanging back.

“Whut’re you doin’ gal, let’s get goin’,” Doo said.

“I ain’t goin with him, I don’t trust him,” Janie said.

“Do you trust me?”

“Y-y-yes, of course,” she stammered.

“Well, I’ll swear to you that Mighty Beaver is a mighty good friend to me, and he will be to you too,” Doo said. “He already respects you.”

“How do you know that?”
“I could tell he was impressed the way you fought back instead of just screaming, Injuns respect courage, and he called you Little One,” Doo said.

“What does that mean?”

“Ask him.”

If Mighty Beaver heard the exchange he gave no sign. Janie trotted to catch up with him.
 
“Why did you call me Little One?”

“It is short for your name I have given you,” Mighty Beaver said.

“Short for what?”

“Little One Who Swings Big Stick,” Mighty Beaver said.

Doo let out a guffaw at that.
Janie shot Doo a dirty glance.

“Mighty Beaver I think you and me is going to be good friends” Janie replied haughtily. She whispered, “Doolittle needs friends, I have no idea how he is still alive!”
Mighty Beaver nodded in agreement.  Janie knew that there were some stories there that she wanted to know.

“How fur is your camp?” Doo asked.
“Not much further,” Mighty Beaver said.

They rounded a curve in the trail, when a voice rang out.

“Stop whur you are, or I’ll put a ball through you.”
“I’d know that voice anywhur, CLANCY is that you?

A figure in buckskin pants and a tan linsey woolesy shirt stepped from behind a pin oak
 
“Doo??”

“You’d better believe it old son.”

“We thought you wuz dead Hoss, when you didn’t come back in the spring,”

"Not hardly,” said Doo.

“First things first, Janie Wolfe this here scraggly old skunk be Clancy Sinclair.” Doo said, then finishing the introductions, “Clancy, this is Janie, she’s a little green but she’ll do to ride the river with.”

With a grand gesture Clancy half bowed  to Janie then took her hand and kissed it.

“Howdy ma’am,” Clancy said.
 
Color crept up Janie’s face as warmth spread down to her belly and kept going. Clancy Sinclair was possibly the most handsome man she’d ever seen. He stood four inches over six feet tall, and may have weighed 190 pounds. His chiseled facial features were clean shaven with shocks of red hair sticking out from under his broad brimmed black hat.

 Janie’s hand tingled from the kiss, her heart felt too big for her chest, and for the first time in her life she was struck silent.
 
“How’d you come to be out here afoot with no weapon and this young lady here Doo?” Clancy asked.

“For a venison steak I’ll tell you Clancy,” Doo said.

“I think that can be arranged,” Clancy said. “ And I might be able to scrounge up a jug of Who- Hit- John.”

“Now you’re talkin’.”

As Mighty Beaver skinned out the deer Clancy had killed, Clancy got a fire going while Doo and Janie gathered up firewood. Soon steaks were broiling on sticks stuck through them. Clancy whipped up some pan bread.

After they had eaten, Clancy pulled an ember from the fire to light his pipe. Once he got it going he looked across the fire at Doo.

“You owe me a story Doolittle."

“Wallll it went like this…”