Howdy Do, Kinfolk: Chapter 3
by Tami B.
Disclaimer: The following work has been written solely for the enjoyment of fans and not for monetary profit. The rights to the characters initially created for the Daniel Boone series belong to 20th Century Fox and Fess Parker. All other characters are of the author's own creation. No copyright violation is intended.
After Virginia rescued Mingo from the clutches of her daughters, he informed her that Yadkin was at the tavern. She also learned that the group that had gone to the river had encountered the Cherokee on the trail, and he had escorted them home, much to the delight of the two younger girls. Then the whole Garner kit- and- caboodle, along with the two youngest Boones, had climbed into the wagon and made their way to the settlement. As they did, Mingo went in search of Daniel who was on the hunt, while Rebecca remained behind to begin the preparations for the meal.
Mingo found Daniel not far from the cabin. He was standing under a tree and looking up into it. His curiosity aroused, the Cherokee trotted towards the tall frontiersman.
Daniel turned his head and saw him approaching. "Howdy, Mingo," he greeted him.
"Daniel," the Cherokee said as came to stand beside the woodsman and peered up into the tree. He saw there was a dog lodged in the branches very high up. "Isn't that the Miller dog?" He pointed to the canine.
Daniel nodded. "The dog's howlin' and whinin' drew me here. Since I've come, he's been as quiet as a church mouse."
"It is reasonable to assume that one of the Miller boys placed the dog in the tree," Mingo surmised, " They are known for being exceedingly ornery ."
"That was just what I was thinkin'," Daniel stated. "Well, no sense in standin' here twiddling our thumbs. I best get that dog down." He handed Mingo his rifle, shot bag, and powder horn. Then he jumped, and his hands caught a branch. He easily swung his long legs over a higher branch, and then began to climb.
The dog barked a couple of times in happy anticipation of its rescue. Daniel smiled as he looked up to find the canine wagging its tail and pawing at a branch. "Easy, boy," he said. "I'm comin'."
"Puppy Dog! Puppy Dog!" a boy shouted in the distance. "Where are you, boy? Puppy Dog!"
"Daniel, that is Jack Miller calling for his dog," Mingo informed him.
A branch suddenly snapped under Daniel's weight. As his leg dropped to a lower branch, he gripped the one over his head tighter in case the other one supporting his weight gave way. It didn't seem as stout as he would have liked. "I should've waited a spell longer and Jack could've gotten his own dog down." He smiled as he pulled himself up until his legs landed on a solid branch. As he went higher, there wasn't as much room for his tall frame. Daniel became more vigilant about making sure he didn't become stuck himself. "It's a mite tight up here. Yep, I should've let Jack do this since he's smaller than me and as thin as stick."
"Jack! Over here!" Mingo called to the boy and then turned his attention back to Daniel. "Certainly, Daniel. Climb back down and allow 'wee' Jack Miller to get the dog." Then he mumble to himself. "However, you will not do it."
"I'm up here now. I'll fetch the dog."
Mingo crossed his arms and nodded his head. Daniel had just proven his point.
"But, If I can't get him down, Jack may have to rescue the both of us," Daniel said with a chuckle. Then he began his ascent once more, breaking small branches on his way up.
"Or you can use your ax to whack your way free. You should take care to be mindful of your leg, however." Mingo smiled.
"Good golly," Jack exclaimed as he looked up into the tree.
Mingo turned to the boy. He hadn't realized Jack had joined him until that very moment. "That is your dog, is it not, Jack?"
"Sure 'nough is. Those fool brothers of mine put him up there. Ma had a fit when she found out about it. She stretched leather across their backsides and then sent me to fetch him back," Jack explained. Then he turned his attention to Daniel. "Need any help, Mr. Boone?"
Daniel had reached the dog and was gathering the thirty pounds of fur into his arms when he heard Jack call. "No, son," he answered as the canine stuck out his large pink tongue and swiped his face with it. "Thanks, boy," he said to the animal, "but I prefer to get my lovin' from my wife." He wiped his face with his sleeve. "She's a mite less sloppy than you are, and a sight prettier." He then began to make his way down.
"Those stinkin' brothers of mine," Jack declared as he watched Daniel descend with his dog. "They climbed up this here tree and left Puppy Dog up there. You know why?"
Mingo didn't answer at first, thinking Jack had meant the question to be rhetorical. When the boy didn't proceed, Mingo decided to prompt him. "No, I do not know why. Do you?"
"Yep," Jack replied. "You know that song that Mr. Boone sings sometimes? The one about feeding the dog on yonder tree?"
"Ah, yes, " Mingo said, bringing a hand to his chin. He then tapped his finger beside his nose in thoughtful reverie. "I do recall the song."
"My brothers decided to feed Puppy Dog up that tree. Don't know why this particular tree, but that's what they did. They took Puppy Dog up there, fed him, and then left him. I reckon Mr. Boone ought to include a verse that says that once the dog is fed on yonder tree, that a person ought to bring the dog down from the tree."
"Jack, I believe the dog in the song is to be fed at the base of a tree, not in it," Mingo clarified.
"Really?" the boy asked. "Me and my brothers didn't understand it that way." Gazing into the tree, Jack watched as Daniel slowly continued to make his way down, holding his dog securely in one arm.
When Daniel decided he was close enough, he leaned down. "Take your dog, Jack," he ordered. He dropped the canine carefully into Jack's out-stretched arms.
"Are you all right, boy?" Jack asked the dog as he held him close.
"He's fine," Daniel told the boy as he jumped out of the tree.
The canine wagged its tail rapidly and then licked Jack's face.
"I reckon he's fit as a fiddle. Thank you, Mr. Boone, for fetchin' my dog," Jack said as he petted the dog on his head and then his back.
"You're welcome, Jack," Daniel said. "I know you think of yourself as one who can trap anything. This is the first I've heard of trapping a dog in a tree. Did you teach your brothers that? What did you use for bait?" He then displayed a lopsided grin.
Jack grinned knowingly. "I may have put the idea in my brothers' heads, but they were the ones that put Puppy Dog up there, even though I told them not to. Mr. Boone, just so's you'll know," the boy leaned towards Daniel, looked crossways at Mingo, and whispered, "I can trap anything. The last time I went trappin', I once caught a buffalo in a rabbit snare. Maybe next time it'll be Mingo." He laughed as he set the dog on the ground. "Gotta get home now. Ma'll be wonderin' where I got off to. Bye, Mr. Boone. Mingo." After uttering his farewells, Jack ran towards his home with his dog trotting beside him.
Daniel retrieved his rifle and other items from his friend. "That Jack is full of tall tales. I doubt he can catch a rabbit in rabbit snare." He chortled. "Mingo, I was aimin' to do some hunting. Want to come along?"
Mingo nodded his head. "Before we go though, I am to tell you that you do not have to sleep in the lean-to. Rebecca convinced Virginia to allow the youngest children to stay with you. The married couple will go with Yad."
"I knew Becky would get through to her," Daniel said. "How did we come by the three young 'uns?"
"Rebecca volunteered to take them. I believe she took pity on Yad." Mingo chuckled. "It would appear, Daniel, that you will soon have more children than you will know what to do with."
"I reckon you're right," Daniel chuckled as he turned and began to walk away from Mingo. "But it's only for a spell."
"Is it?" Mingo asked. 'It seems to me that Virginia has been attempting to disassociate herself from her children at almost every opportunity."
After stopping in his tracks, Daniel slowly turned back towards his friend. He thought a moment and then smiled. "She doesn't mean it. Hers is all talk."
"Is it?" Mingo asked again.
"If it isn't, I reckon I'll just say - 'howdy do, kinfolk." Daniel smiled again and headed deeper into the woods with a grinning Mingo tagging along behind him.
Virginia entered the tavern to find her brother by the counter with his ankles crossed and planted against the support column. He sat in a chair that was tilted back on two of its four wooden legs. His hands were clasped behind his head and his tricorn hat lay over his face. The rise and fall of his chest indicated he was soundly asleep.
"Would you look at that?" Virginia said to Cincinnatus as she planted one elbow on the counter. "Here I am frettin' that he's mad at me, and he's just sleepin'."
"That's what too many ales does to him," Cincinnatus said.
"I'll wake him directly, but first, I wish to invite you to a hoe-down at the Boones' cabin this evening. We have need of you and your fine fiddle playing. There will be plenty of good food and good company. What do you say to comin', Cincinnatus?" Virginia asked.
"We'll be there," he said with a grin. "Me and my fiddle"
"Becky said you'd come. Now, lean over towards me," she ordered. When he had done so, she pushed her lips past his bushy beard and kissed his cheek. "You are a dear man. I don't care what Carolina says about you."
Narrowing his eyes, Cincinnatus asked. "And just what does Carolina say about me?"
Before she could answer, Gillam marched in the tavern carrying the oval- shaped metal bar that hung outside the tavern and was used in the event of an emergency. In his other hand, he held a short metal rod. "Look what I found, Ma," he announced proudly.
"Gilly, what in heaven's name are you doin' with that?" Virginia asked.
The little boy walked over to Yadkin and peered at him intently. He seemed unaware that his mother had asked him a question. "Uncle Carolina is asleep, ain't he, Ma?"
"Yes. I was just about to wake him," she replied.
"I can do it," Gillam said cheerfully. He held up the alarm and struck it several times with the metal rod, making such a clamorous noise it would have raised the tavern roof if it had been any louder.
The sound reverberated through the room and startled Yadkin so that he fell out of his chair. After crashing to the floor, he rolled to his knees and laid his hands over his ears.
"Gillam! Gillam, stop that!" Virginia shouted, but she could hardly be heard over the noise her son was making. She rushed towards him and snatched the alarm from his hands. "That's enough. Give me that." She pointed to the metal rod.
The boy reluctantly gave her what she demanded. He lifted his foot to stomp it, but thought better of it when he caught her look of warning not to attempt it.
"I told you Gilly to leave that alone," Lydia said from the tavern door, where everyone else, including the fort's residents, had congregrated after hearing Gillam sound the alarm.
"It's all right, folks," Cincinnatus said to the people of the settlement. "Just Virginia's boy makin' a ruckus. No cause to worry."
As the fort residents filtered out, grumbling, Virginia introduced each member of her family to Cincinnatus. He greeted them all pleasantly and then gave them all rock candy, which they eagerly accepted.
Yadkin worked his way up from the floor while rubbing his ear. Then he leaned on the counter and contemplated the various punishments he could reek on Gillam.
"Gilly, you stay out of trouble," Virginia warned her son as she laid the alarm and rod on the counter, "or you'll be lookin' for a switch that I'll use on your backside."
With his head lowered, Gillam said, "Yes, ma'am." Then he joined Israel where he was sitting on the floor by the fireplace, preparing to play marbles. Virginia watched them for a moment. She saw Israel's face light up when he showed Gillam the marbles Yadkin had given him a few weeks before. Then her attention was drawn away by the sound of Darla's voice.
"Mr. Cincinnatus," Darla asked, "were you named after Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, the Roman dictator who ruled for only sixteen days?"
"No, I don't think so. I had an uncle named Cincinnatus and since my pa was partial to him, he named me after him," Cincinnatus explained.
"Perhaps, your uncle was named after the Roman dictator," Darla suggested.
"Could be," Cincinnatus agreed.
"Did you know that Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus left his farm to become dictator of Rome in order to defend it against invaders. After defeating them-"
"Ah, Darla, Mr. Cincinnatus is much too busy to hear about 'Luscious'." Virginia tried to pull her daughter away from the counter.
"Mother, his name is not 'Luscious'. It's Lucius Quinctius-"
"Whatever his name, dear, Cincinnatus don't need to be bothered with the story," Virginia insisted. "He's a very busy man."
"I was just going to add that after the invaders were defeated, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus returned to his farm after ruling for only sixteen days," Darla explained to Cincinnatus, "even though there were pleas for him to remain dictator. The year was 458 B.C. You were named well." She nodded her head and then joined the others near the fireplace.
"I'm sorry about that, Cincinnatus," Virginia apologized. "We have a wealthy neighbor, who has many books. He has taught her very much, and she loves to share that learnin' a bit too much."
"I don't mind, Virginia. She seems to be a wonderful little girl," Cincinnatus said.
"And I'm a wonderful princess. Did you know that I'm a princess?" Dineen said to Cincinnatus as she came to stand beside her mother.
"Don't you start," Virginia warned. "Like I told Darla, Mr. Cincinnatus is not to be bothered."
"I wear purple because it's the color of royalty. Princess Dino is my real name," Dineen continued.
"All right, that's it!" Virginia shouted. "Every one of you, out! Go outside!"
"But, Ma, we ain't doin' nothin'," Gillam protested, rising to his feet.
"C'mon, Gilly," Alvin said, taking the boy by the arm and pulling him towards the door. "You know better than to argue with your ma when she's riled."
Israel quickly gathered his marbles and put them in the leather bag.
As he made his way to the door, Gillam spotted furs laying on a shelf. He picked one up and wrapped it around his waist. "Look, Ma. I'm Adam; Adam from the Bible. I'm wearin' animal skins." Then another idea came to his head. "Oh, I should shuck out of my shirt and breeches, and then I'd be more like the real Adam." He threw the fur aside and began to unbutton his shirt.
"Gilly, no! Keep your clothes on. We all get the idea. Put that fur back where it belongs and go outside. Now!" Virginia shouted, holding back a smile. Gillam could be quite imaginative. She turned her head to find her brother rolling his eyes at her . This time she smiled.
While the two of them were otherwise occupied, Gillam raced for the door with the fur clutched in his hands. Israel followed him and attempted to pass him as they ran out of the tavern.
After the rest of the group had dutifully filed out and shut the door behind them, Virginia joined Cincinnatus and her brother at the counter. "Oh, that boy. Just like Carolina when he was that age. Always lookin' for trouble to get into."
"I wasn't lookin' for trouble," Yadkin corrected her as he continued to rub his ear.
"You managed to find it anyway, didn't you?" Virginia countered.
Yadkin ignored the comment. Then he said in a surly tone, "What in blazes was your boy doin' makin' enough noise to muster all of the militias of all the thirteen colonies ? He woke me from a good nap too, and gave me an earache and a headache."
"The headache you got from drinking too much ale. But never mind that," Virginia said. "Carolina, after a talk with Becky, I have decided to do as you ask. Some of my family will stay with us, and the rest with the Boones."
Yadkin smiled. "You see, 'Natus, I told you women can be reasoned with at times."
"Yeah, you told me," Cincinnatus said grumpily, knowing Yadkin had never said anything like it.
"Gilly, Darla, and Dineen will be with us while Lydia and Alvin will stay with the Boones," Virginia announced.
Yadkin's jaw nearly dropped to his feet and his smile was quickly erased. "But, Virginia," he protested as he turned his head towards her, "I didn't mean to divide them up that way. I figured we'd take one or two young 'uns; not all three."
Virginia's eyes began to tear. "Carolina, I'm tryin' to do as you ask. I split the family and now you're tellin' me it's not good enough. You don't want my three littlest babes; them that need their ma the most." She turned away from him, buried her face into her hands, sniffled, and tried very hard not to smile. She had decided to play it up to the hilt.
"Now, look what you done, 'Natus, you made my sister cry," Yadkin accused.
"I…I did?" Cincinnatus stammered. "Tarnation! I did no such a thing. This is your doin'. I'm goin' outside while you two work this out." He marched towards the door.
"You sure you want to do that? Gillam is outside," Yadkin warned.
In an instant, Cincinnatus pivoted on one foot and pointed himself towards the fireplace. "I'll go upstairs. Holler if I get any payin' customers." He trotted up the stairs and entered the room located off the landing.
Yadkin approached his sister and laid his hands on top of her shoulders. She sniffled a little harder after he had done so. "Virginia," he said gently, "couldn't you see your way clear to just lettin' one of the young 'uns stay with the Boones. Say, for instance, Gillam?"
"Gilly's my baby. I'm not sure I can give him up," she said. Then she wiped her face with her bare hands.
"Give him up? For pity's sake, Virginia, the Boones ain't adoptin' him. They're just lettin' him stay with them until you decide to go home," Yadkin said. "You act like you ain't never goin' to see them young 'uns again."
"Carolina, if you had young 'uns, you'd understand how I feel," she stated as she held her hands in front of her and kept her back to her brother.
"Well, I don't got any young 'uns and I don't want none, so I reckon I'll never understand how you feel," he pointed out to her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And I don't want to talk about yours or any other womens' feelin's. If you women would just think with your head instead of your feelin's all the time, then the world would be a lot better off."
Virginia quickly turned to face him and placed her hands on her hips. It was a gesture that she had learned from Rebecca a long time ago, and she knew how effective it could be. "Would it now?" she challenged him; her eyes narrowed.
Smoothing out his mustache, Yadkin contemplated whether to confront his sister or valiantly withdraw. He decided he was in a scrappy mood, so he went ahead. "Yes, Virginia, it would be."
"And I suppose you men only use your head?" She watched as he nodded. "Then was it only your head tellin' you to bring Israel a marble almost every time we visited after he was hurt?"
Nodding, Yadkin replied, "A gift always make a sick or hurt person happy."
"So, you gave him the marbles simply because your head said it would make Israel happy, and not because you cared about him?"
He was cornered and he knew it. Certainly, he cared for Israel and that was the true reason he had given the boy the marbles, but he wasn't going to let Virginia know that. "Virginia, you are misunderstandin' me. All I meant to say was that you women ought at times use your head rather than your feelin's. Now, let's get back to the livin' arrangements."
"Not so quickly, dear brother," Virginia said as she shook an index finger at him. "I want to hear you say that you gave Israel a gift just because your head said so."
"Virginia, I ain't goin' to say it 'cause you know'd it'd be a lie," Yadkin confessed. "But it was mostly the reason."
She smiled mischievously. "You're a liar, and not even a clever one." She giggled. "Maybe, I should ask Cincinnatus to take you to the shed and punish you so's you won't never lie again."
"That shed ain't big enough for me," Yadkin declared. "I won't never see it. But, let's show it to Gillam. It might remind him to behave."
Virginia slapped Yadkin's arm forcefully in mock anger. "When Gilly needs a whoopin', I'll give him one, and I don't need no shed to get it done."
"Now, that that's settled, let's decide about the young 'uns," Yadkin suggested.
"It's already been decided," Virginia said.
"No, Virginia, it hasn't," Yadkin said, his voice rising. "We ain't keepin' all three."
"Gilly, Darla, and Dineen will stay with the Boones, and Lydia and Alvin will be with us."
"Virginia, no!" Yadkin hollered. "Not all three, I said. Weren't you listenin'? Put Gilly with the Boones and the girls-" He suddenly stopped his protest when he realized what Virginia had said. "Did you just change your mind or what?" he asked in confusion.
"I was puttin' you on, dear brother," Virginia said with a laugh. "I had already decided that the three young 'uns would stay with the Boones - with Becky's permission, of course."
"The Boones agreed to keep all three young 'uns?" he asked warily.
"Yep, all three. I tried talkin' Becky out of it, but she thought'd be easier on you, and they'd have better company with Jemima and Israel," Virginia explained.
"She thought right."
"Be sure to thank her, Carolina," she advised. "You owe her a great debt of gratitude." .
"I will. You can count on it," Yadkin agreed.
"You can do that at the hoe-down at the Boones' cabin tonight. The Boones, all my family, Cinncinatus, and Mingo will be there."
"Maybe I should stay here and mind the tavern while 'Natus is away," Yadkin said hopefully.
"You will not," Cincinnatus said from the stairs' landing. "I thought I better check on you two in case you both had done yourselves in." He then moved quickly down the stairs and planted himself behind the counter. "I'll close the tavern tonight for the party," he told Yadkin. "You'll have no excuse not to come."
"All right," Yadkin agreed begrudgingly. Then he brightened as a new thought came to him. "'Natus, haul out that ale and let Virginia taste it. We'll let my sister settle the matter."
"What matter?" Virginia asked. "And you know, Carolina, that I don't drink ale."
"You can try it this once," Yadkin urged. "'Natus and I have different opinions as to the quality of the ale he's sellin'. Come on, 'Natus, out with the ale."
Cincinnatus made no effort to retrieve the desired drink.
"No, ale for me," Virginia declared adamantly. "I'm sure you drank enough for the both of us," she told her brother.
The tavern door suddenly flew open. Darla stood on the threshold, panting. "Mother, you had better come quickly and see what Gillam has done to Israel."
The three adults in the tavern looked at each other; their faces masks of concern. "Virginia, if Gilly's hurt Israel," Yadkin stated, "you may be makin' a trip to the shed yourself, and Becky will be a'waitin' there for you."
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