The next morning, the small group left the woods and were traveling a narrow and dusty country road. On either side of it were wide-open fields full of growing grain. Way ahead of them was a small dot on the horizon. Matthew said that it was probably a farmhouse. “Maybe someone there has seen something. Let’s go!” he exclaimed and urged his horse into a trot, which wasn’t a hard thing for the beautiful creature to do. In a matter of no time at all everyone had arrived at the house. It was a bit rundown, small, and had a thatched roof. A gray haired man sat on the homemade log steps in front of it. He looked deeply depressed and didn’t bother to rise when Matthew approached him.
“Pardon me Sir, my name is Matthew, and I was wondering if by any chance you have seen a band of men traveling this way with a boy of thirteen with them.”
The farmer’s jumped up and his glum expression changed from bad to worse, except this time he looked angry.
“Why yes I did! Some fellows like you described came by here last night and stole all of my horses, every. . . last. . .one!” he exclaimed pounding his fist on his other hand and emphasizing every word with such fury that made Matthew take a step backwards.
Then the farmer seemed to return to his glum state of mind again. “I’ve been raising horses all of my life just like my father and his father before him. They are my life, my career. I have never known anything else and without them I cannot survive. I would have gone after them, but all I have left are some sheep and an old milk cow. I wouldn’t get very far on one of them now would I?”
Eileen wanted to laugh but she knew the seriousness of the situation.
“Besides,” the gray haired man continued. “I’m not as young as I use to be and I can’t take on an army single handed. So I’m bound to stay here all-alone. Oh, and by-the-way the name is Hamilton.”
“Well Hamilton, if they mean that much to you, then you’re more than welcome to join us on our journey and try to retrieve your horses. I’m sure we can make room for you on one of the pack horses if you like.”
“Thank ye sir, I would appreciate it very much.” With that Hamilton held out his hand in friendship, which Matthew readily grasped.
“We are in a bit of a rush, so I’ll make room on a horse for you while you fetch your things.” Hamilton nodded and dashed to do as he was bidden.
By the look of the sun, Eileen estimated that it was about noon. For a spring afternoon it was rather humid and warm. She wished that she had put her hair in a bun instead of wearing it down, for sweat was starting to trickle down her neck and bead upon her upper lip. Her garments were winter clothing and made of wool, which didn’t help matters any. She wasn’t the only one that was suffering. Everyone, including the horses, seemed to be tormented under the heat of the hot sun.
After what seemed hours of endless riding, Matthew pulled his horse to a halt, in front of a fork in the road. The path on the right was entirely surrounded by the woods, while the one on the left was open to the field.
Matthew sighed. “Alright, Taggert you will take half of us that way,” he said pointing to the right. “And I will take half of us this way.” He pointed to the left.
Taggert started to leave when Matthew called him back.
“Taggert, if you see any sign of them come back and tell me. If we see anything we’ll do likewise.”
“Yes sir,” was his obedient reply. Matthew watched for a second as Taggert and his group headed into the leafless foliage. Eileen, Andrew, Jenny, Martha, John, and Victor followed Matthew down the left path.
