James and Edward continued their work until the wagons passed out of their sight. A little way from the river, Shipman had directed Annie and Frank onto grassy ground where the tracks were less conspicuous than in the sand, though the weight of the wheels crushed the grass down. James told the boy, “Not much we can do here except hope that if any soldiers come along they ain’t lookin’ real close. The grass ought to straighten itself in a day or two. We better lope up.”

He thought Shipman was simply going to see them across the river, then turn back. But he found that Frank had talked the man into staying with them to the night camp and sharing a last good supper. Young Edward said, “I’m sure glad. He’s a lot of help, Mr. Shipman is.”

“He eats a lot,” James replied.

He admitted to himself, though he would not to anyone else, that Shipman helped steer them around a dense canebrake that might have cost them a lot of time had they wandered into it. They would have had to hack their way through or turn around and backtrack. They were traveling southwestward, the proper direction. But knowing the right direction was not enough. Shipman took them around the southern edge, reasoning that any soldiers who might come looking this way would probably approach from the north and would not care to invade the heavy growth of cane, even on horseback.

As they came upon a creek and prepared to make camp, Frank cheerily echoed his son’s comment. “Mighty lucky we are to have Sly with us.”

James frowned. “I’ll bet there’s some sheriffs that would like to have him, too.”

Frank grinned and led his mules down to the water.

Annie said nothing. James thought she tried hard not to look in Shipman’s direction.

James expected to see Shipman turn back as they broke camp the next morning and set the wagons on a southwesterly course. But Shipman beckoned him off to one side and said, “I’m hanged if I can figure out what I done to provoke your sister. I hate to go off and leave her feelin’ ill towards me.”

James knew Annie had bowed up over Shipman’s comment about not needing to get married when the benefits could be had without the tether. But he simply said, “She’s always been kind of touchy. Half the time you can’t tell what she’s thinkin’.”

Frank suggested to Shipman that they might need his guidance a little farther, for this one more day, at least. There were bound to be some more canebrakes ahead. Shipman’s experience in traversing this part of the country would be a great help and would earn the family’s everlasting gratitude.

“I’ll do it,” Shipman said, giving in much easier than James thought was necessary, “but I’ll want somethin’ in return.”

Now we’re coming to it at last, James thought. He had felt all along that Shipman’s help had not been given simply out of the kindness of a big heart.