Chapter Sixteen

GRANDFATHER’S BOW • NEWS FROM THE OUTPOST • SUPPLIES

THAT NIGHT the children feasted on fresh venison from the large buck that Grandpa said Beatrice’s missed shot had scared right toward him. The children did not hear their grandfather because he did not use a rifle to bring down the animal. Instead, he used a traditional bow and arrow that he had made based on what Napi the old Man had taught the Blackfeet a long time ago.

“It might just be my opinion,” their grandfather said as he turned the roasting meat, “but taking that buck’s life with a bow is more honorable than with a rifle. It shows a mutual respect ’cuz it’s more difficult. Gives them deers a fighting chance.”

He cut a piece and handed it to Lionel with a wink. “I’ll leave the rest of this with you, Beatrice. Least I could do, seeing you sent the deer my way.”

They ate the roasted venison and finished the last of the preserved stewed tomatoes that he had sent with Lionel and Beatrice when they had left his cabin on the river what now seemed like a lifetime ago. while they ate, their grandfather told them of his trip to the Boss Ribs’ and then to the outpost.

Grandpa had left his cabin shortly after they had and wandered with Corn Poe in a roundabout way back to the Boss Ribs’ place. He said that Corn Poe got a beating from his father for leaving, but Grandpa thought it was more for the work that didn’t get done around the place as opposed to the family truly missing the boy.

Lionel felt bad for Corn Poe, but Grandpa said that he was fine and a good boy, aside from talking a bit too much. From the Boss Ribs’, Grandpa rode his mule to the outpost to get news from the boarding school about the children’s and Ulysses’s disappearance.

The soldiers had questioned him when he arrived, and Grandpa told them that he had not known that the children were missing and was only at the school to visit them. The soldiers thought that this was a strange coincidence, but he acted as though he was mad at the priest, Brother Finn, and the captain for losing his only living kin. Grandpa told Lionel and Beatrice that he did not like to lie and prided himself that he hadn’t done so since he was a kid, but that under the circumstances he did not see that there was another option, and that there was something about it that he had rather enjoyed.

The government sent out several parties to try to recover the horse, Lionel, and Beatrice, but due to the rough weather, and against the persistent argument of Sergeant Jenkins, they had turned back. There was a disagreement among the military men as to whether the children, let alone the horse, had even survived the initial storms. They also doubted if a boy, let alone a little girl, could make it through the late-winter snow and up into the mountains. Unfortunately, they planned to resume the search after the thaw.

Grandpa also heard that after a visit out to the Boss Ribs’ place, and thanks to Corn Poe’s big mouth, the soldiers were under the impression that the children had taken the horse to Canada. Lionel thought that Grandpa had begun to like Corn Poe’s more mischievous side. He also thought that something about his grandfather seemed different. He seemed to be happier, and he now wore a second hawk’s feather in his hair.

The three cleaned up from their supper and stoked the fire for the still-freezing night. Lionel washed the dishes with water carried up from the creek, while Beatrice and Grandpa unloaded the rest of the supplies from the travois behind the old mule. There were more canned preserves and vegetables, small burlap sacks of seeds for a garden, sacks of grain for Ulysses, more ammunition for the rifle, and a variety of other essentials such as flour, corn meal, matches, bar soap, and long tallow candles.

After washing the dishes, Lionel turned his attention toward Grandpa’s bow and small quiver of handmade arrows. He marveled at the simple beauty of them, and before he knew it, found himself taking an arrow and placing it on the strung bow. Lionel heard Beatrice and Grandpa laughing as they came toward the door and thought that he might get in trouble for going through his grandfather’s things. He spun around to replace the items, but as he did, he felt the arrow slip from the taut sinew string.

The arrow shot across the room just as Beatrice and Grandpa entered, then ricocheted off the stone fireplace.

“What in the hell?” Grandpa fell backward, knocking Beatrice to the floor and watching the arrow sail out the open door into the moonlight.

Lionel didn’t know what to do, so he dropped the bow.

“I see you found the bow.” Grandpa laughed as he slowly got back to his feet. “It’s not bright to monkey with something that you know nothing about. That’s how people get hurt.”

Beatrice just stared at Lionel. Lionel felt like he was about two feet tall.

“Let’s unpack the supplies and I’ll tell ya all about it. Tomorrow I’ll show you how to make your own bow and maybe, if you promise to hold your fire, teach you how to shoot.”

They unpacked the supplies as Grandpa continued to tease Lionel about his archery skills. Lionel didn’t mind, as it sure seemed to make Beatrice laugh. when Beatrice did laugh, which was not often, it was infectious. It started low, as a giggle, and slowly grew. She laughed herself into a coughing fit several times over the course of that evening.

Once the supplies were unpacked and their chores were done, the children settled in before the fire and their grandfather, sitting with his pipe in one of the old creaking chairs. They sat in silence for a while as Grandpa asked them to think about the day and to be happy for what they had. Lionel fell asleep lying next to his sister, appreciating the warmth of the buffalo robe. He did not remember having any dreams when he woke up the next morning.