Ted Marsh on an Important Mission Part 11

Mrs. Marsh had heard the wonderful news and Ted's sudden plan for them to go out to Big Gulch or Wayland. She was trying to show Ted how impossible it was for them to do it and he was only just beginning to acknowledge that perhaps Sat.u.r.day would be too soon.

"Well, I tell you, mother. Maybe Sat.u.r.day is too soon, but you will be ready in two weeks--that is plenty of time. I know that Helen will be able to do whatever she wants to do out there--and this money, after we have repaid the Deans, will help to tide over the time until we are settled. We shall hear what Helen says--and I shall speak to Mr. and Mrs. Dean when I get out there."

Helen was told the news almost before she pa.s.sed the doorstep. She was astonished and glad and cried all in the same minute.

"How wonderful!" she finally managed to say.

Then she was told of Ted's plan. The boy had thought that she might need convincing, but she agreed almost at once.

"I know I can obtain a position in my line of work out there. It is a land of opportunity and we should grasp the chance to get out there."

All that remained was for Ted to get the opinion of the Deans.

Ted went down to say good-bye to Strong and Walker the next day. Both men were very busy, but the three had lunch together and Ted promised to write to both of them.

"You may have to write both of us at the front--we shall go off to the war--that is, Walker will. It may be my bad luck to have to stay on duty here, although I have asked to be relieved."

"Well, Ted," said Walker, "I shall see you at the train."

"And I will try to do so," added Strong.

The boy told both his friends of the plan to bring his mother and sister out West. They agreed that it was a good plan.

His mother and sister, and Walker and Strong saw him depart. It was just a year before that Ted had left, what a big year it had been.

Ted's thoughts turned to the ranch. He was eager to see Red Mack, Smiles, Graham, Pop, and the Deans. He hoped it would be Red who would meet him--and that he would bring his horse down so that they could go back to the ranch on horseback. Of course, in all likelihood, it would be the Packard that would come down for him, for the distance was long and it would mean a lot of extra trouble for Red or anyone to lead his horse down all the way. The trip to Big Gulch seemed long because of the boy's eagerness to see his friends. He awakened very early on the second morning when the train was due. When the train finally reached the station, he eagerly looked out to see who was there. But he could see no one until he stepped from the train.

There stood Red and next to him Pop. There were three horses and one of them was his.

Glad greetings were exchanged.

"My, I'm glad you came for me on horseback. I hoped you would, but it seemed too much to expect."

"Well, we figured you would like it. Glad you do."

They started off. As best he could, Ted told his story and both of the men listened with different interest. When Ted came to that part where it had practically been settled that his mother and Helen were to come out, a queer look came into Pop's eyes which neither of them saw. The older man rode behind most of the way after that.

"You should see Wolf, you would not know him," said Red.

"I guess he would not know me, either," answered Ted.

"He may be your dog, but I'm kind of attached to him myself," remarked Red.

Some time in the afternoon they reached the ranch. Smiles was there and so were the other men and they gave Ted a great welcome.

So did Wolf, who had grown wonderfully, and who, while he did not look like any particular kind of dog, showed himself to have an individuality, all his own. He sprang at Ted and barked his delight.

It made Ted feel good to have the dog remember him. It was queer to see how the dog tried to pay attention to both Red and Ted, and it made the men laugh at his double devotion.

Ted hurried to the house where Mrs. Dean was waiting for him. She showed how glad she was to see him.

"Mr. Dean will be back a little later. He has been very busy."

Ted thought he would wait with his news until later and merely mentioned some of the things that had happened.

"Ted, dear," said Mrs. Dean, "I want to tell you that we are going to have a little stranger in this house, soon." Then Ted knew why he had hesitated about blurting out his news--there was an even bigger event to happen.

"I'm so glad," said he.

He stayed a little while only, as Mrs. Dean did not seem strong.

He saw Dean when he came home. To both of his friends he told his news, what had been done, he showed Sir Robert's letter and then spoke of his plan for his mother and sister.

"How wonderful," said Mrs. Dean, while John Dean looked tenderly at her.

"I'm proud of you, Ted. I counted on you, but you did much more. I heard from Strong, but I did not know what had been accomplished. As to your mother and sister--they must come out here--the wonderful thing is that Mrs. Dean will need your mother's help very soon and it all seems to fit one thing into another. Helen will get a rest here; she need not worry as to finding the right kind of opportunity. When do you expect to write home?"

"At once," answered Ted.

"The sooner they come the better, although I suppose it will be every bit of two weeks."

Ted started to leave his friends to rejoin Red and the rest. Dean caught up with him about one hundred yards from the house.

"You know, Ted," he started without any preamble, "I feel as if my country is calling me. I cannot think of going until the child is born and Mrs. Dean is well. But I shall have to, hard as it may be.

That is one reason why I shall be glad to have your sister and your mother here. They will be company for Mrs. Dean. She agrees with me that I should go. She is the bravest, best woman in the world." He stopped for a minute. "I shall see you later, as soon as Mrs. Dean takes her rest. I want to know all about Chicago and what happened."

He returned to the house while Ted joined the men.

They were in the midst of a discussion of the war. Ted listened.

Smiles and several of the other men were leaving in three days--off for the war. Red was not going--he was American. "I may go later, if they need me," he said. There was to be a great shortage of men at the ranch.

Dean had made Pop the new foreman to take Smiles' place. Pop was not in the conversation, he was sitting by himself and he showed every desire to be left alone. After a little while, he left the room.

It made the war very near and Ted felt very lonely to hear that these friends of his were going off, some of them never to return.

CHAPTER XII

THE MARSHES REUNITED

Pop entered the house. He wanted advice and he wanted it bad. He knew that ordinarily he would have gone to Mrs. Dean--a woman would help so much at a time like this. But Dean met him in the hall.

"h.e.l.lo, Pop--what's the trouble?" asked Dean.

"h.e.l.lo, Jack. I can't say whether it's trouble or not. What I want is advice. Maybe you can give it to me, although I figured Mrs. Dean would be better."

"Tell me, I may be able to help." Dean was surprised at the agitation of the older man.