Race for Freedom (21 page)

The afternoon sun warmed Libby now, and she changed her heavy sweater for a lighter shawl. Though they followed a valley with an easy slope, her legs and feet ached with every step.

“Keep going,” Caleb encouraged her.
”
According to your pa, we’ll soon come to Wacouta.”

When they reached the edge of town, Libby saw two hotels built on the heights above Lake Pepin. Instead of walking straight into the settlement, Caleb stayed within a line of trees.

“Bullard’s Trading Post is at the head of a creek,” he told them. “The creek empties into mud flats next to the river.”

Beyond the hotels, Caleb led them to a place overlooking the mud flats. On the low ground was a trading post that had to be Bullard’s.

“Wait here while I check things out,” Caleb said. “If we need a danger signal, call like a crow.”

Starting down hill, Caleb ran from tree to tree using branches for protection. As Libby looked beyond Caleb to the trading post, a tall blond fellow stepped around a corner.

“That’s the bully who chased you!” Libby told Jordan.

Moments later a brown-haired fellow followed the first. “He chased you too!” Libby exclaimed. “They’re both from the
Christina
.”

“And they both be slave catchers now,” Jordan answered. “But Caleb can’t see what we’re seein’. He is headin’ into a trap.”

Crouching down to hide himself, Jordan called out.
“Caw, caw, caw!”
The sound was so real that Libby could hardly believe it wasn’t a crow.

Again Jordan called.
“Caw, caw, caw!”

From farther away in the woods, a crow answered.
Caw, caw, caw!

Jordan grinned and called back. This time an owl responded.

Libby stared into the trees, trying to spot the owl. Not far beyond them, it perched high in a tree. As though staking out its territory, it warned away invaders.

When Caleb returned, he had been running. As soon as he caught his breath, they started walking again.

Caleb led them toward a bluff. “Your pa said it’s too hard to cross on the wet flats. We’ll have to try the bluff.”

Climbing higher, they searched for a way across. Before long, they came to a ravine—a deep, narrow valley between steep hills. Cut into limestone or sandstone, the ravine was made of jagged, step-like rocks. Where normally there would be no water, melting snow filled the ravine to overflowing. Swirling through narrow openings, water swept over the ledges.

A tree had fallen across the rushing stream, and Caleb and Jordan used the trunk as a bridge. When Libby followed, she looked down and felt afraid. Though Pa had taught her to swim, she could only think about the rocks below and the coldness of the water.

By the time Caleb stopped next to another runoff ravine, Libby was panting with her effort to keep up. Sinking down beside Caleb, she drew deep breaths. Jordan became the lookout, searching the area below them.

For Libby the trip was starting to feel endless. “Are we ever going to reach Doctor Sweney?” she asked. “Elsa needs help
now.”

“We’re doing pretty well,” Caleb encouraged her. “Once we get past this stretch, we’ll make better time.”

Libby sighed. Taking off her shoes, she rubbed her sore feet. Nearby, ice edged the limestone banks of the stream. In the shadow of the great bluff above them, more ice held back great pools of water.

Caleb pointed to a wedge of ice that lay across the ravine. “Let’s hope we’re not under one of those if it lets go.”

Libby gazed up at the ice dam, then pulled her shoes back on. When they started out again, they used another fallen tree to cross the stream. As Libby followed the boys, the trunk trembled. Again she stared down at the rocks and rushing water. Afraid to go on, she dropped to her hands and knees.

“Hurry up!” Caleb called as she started to crawl.

Instead, Libby inched forward. Finally she jumped onto solid ground.

Minutes later they came to the biggest ravine yet. With this stream there seemed no easy way to cross. At the same time, the ravine was less filled with water than most.

Caleb scouted around, trying to find a way. “The stream empties into a creek,” he said when he came back. “It’s probably the creek that goes past Bullard’s. We don’t have any choice but to cross here.”

“Maybe there are stepping-stones across the stream.” Libby felt relieved that she didn’t have to use another fallen tree.

Just then Caleb noticed a ledge in the bluff above them.“I’m going up to see how we’re doing,” he told Libby and Jordan.

Careful not to set off a shower of rolling stones, Caleb started up the hill. Along the stream, Libby and Jordan kept searching for a place to cross. As they climbed higher, close to the steep wall of the bluff, the ravine grew steeper and the stream narrower.

When they reached a place with jagged flatter rocks, Libby climbed out on one of them. Between the rocks, the water swirled with a greater current than Libby had ever seen.

“We can jump from here to there,” she said, pointing to a rock a short distance away. Beyond that lay another stone like a step, and yet another. “The water isn’t deep.”

“But it’s fast.” Jordan sounded doubtful. “If you take a tumble, you shoots right down the whole ravine.”

Looking around, he searched for a better way. Along the sides of the stream lay sticks and leaves washed downhill when the stream was higher. Here and there, scattered tree branches lay whitening in the sun. None of them looked large enough to set in place for a bridge.

As Libby studied the rocks again, she heard the call of a crow.
“Caw, caw, caw!”
At first she didn’t pay any attention. Then Libby remembered.
The danger signal!

“Caw, caw, caw!”

Libby looked up. Above them, Caleb had reached the ledge and crawled out. Lying on his stomach, he raised an arm, pointing in the direction from which they came.

Palms up, Jordan held out his hands as if asking, “What should we do?”

Caleb pointed to him and Libby, then across the stream. His hand moved quickly, as if telling them to hurry.

“We gots to go,” Jordan said. Again he eyed the jagged stones, as if not trusting them. “You first,” he said when Libby hesitated. “I stays between you and the catchers.”

From the rock on which she stood, Libby made her first jump. From there she leaped to the next flat rock. Beyond was still another step-like stone. When she landed safely, Libby glanced back, looking for Jordan. Instead, she saw three people walk out of the woods.

Libby stared at them. The first two were the bullies who had chased Jordan. But the third—

Even from this distance, Libby saw that he was better dressed than the others. Wearing a brown suit and a beaver hat, he had glasses perched halfway down his nose.

A sound escaped Libby’s lips. “It’s Doctor Hutton!”

As Jordan leaped to the rock beside her, Libby moaned. “I trusted him! He even offered to keep me safe!”

But Jordan gave her no time to talk. “Keep goin’, Libby,” he warned. “You gots to keep goin’.”

Libby’s next jump was wobbly.
Hutton! Of all people, it had to be him
? Deep down, Libby felt betrayed.

Trying to push aside her anger, she jumped again. Two more leaps, and she would make it. But suddenly she froze. The next rocks were too far apart.

As she tried to think what to do, Jordan caught up. “Hurry! They’s breathing down your back.” Using nearby rocks, he leaped past her and landed on the far side of the stream.

With growing terror, she stared at the way Jordan had taken. With her shorter legs the leap was too great.

“Go there!” Jordan pointed downstream to other stones.

Instead, Libby whirled around. Hutton and the two slave catchers hurried toward the ravine.

“I see you!” Hutton shouted. “Stop!”

Libby’s heart raged.
He fooled me! He’ll take Jordan back into slavery! He’ll have proof that Pa hid a runaway slave!

From the far bank, Jordan again pointed to the stones Libby should take. Instead, panic washed over her. Choosing the nearer path, she leaped.

As Libby fell short, the shock of cold water ripped through her body. When she tried to touch bottom, the current rushed against her, pushing up her feet.

I can swim
, Libby thought as the water tore away her shawl. With all her strength, she fought for a handhold. Instead, the current tossed her against a rock.

Suddenly she heard the sharp crack of a large piece of ice giving way. A roaring sound filled her ears.

“Libby!” Jordan shouted. “The ice dam broke!”

CHAPTER 18

L
ibby heard the terror in Jordan’s voice. Then a mighty wall of water washed over her. Like a rag doll, she was tossed one way, then another. When she tried to breathe, her mouth filled with water.

With every instinct Libby fought for the surface. As she gasped for air, her shoulder struck a jagged rock. Moments later the water swept her against another stone. This time her leg caught the blow.

Libby’s panic grew.
My head. The rocks!

Reaching out, she tried to shield herself. To catch something. To hang on. But her hands slipped away.

The rocks
, she thought again.
They’ll knock me out. What can I do?

With her last bit of strength, Libby managed to lift her arms, clasp her head, stretch out her legs. In the next swirl of water, something changed. As the torrent carried her, Libby shot feet first down the ravine. As if sliding down a stairway, she rode the current.

The rounded tops of stones hit her back. Jagged rocks along the side tore her arms and shoulders. Her feet struck other rocks, and she almost flipped around.

For one brief instant, Libby saw Jordan running along the stream. In the next moment, he stumbled and was gone. Then the current brought Libby to the end of the ravine. As she felt herself dropping, she screamed. “Help!”

Carried by water, she splashed down into the creek. Pushed under, she fought to the surface. Again the current swept her downstream.

Instinctively Libby raised her arms, tried to swim. But she was numb now. Numb with fear and cold. Too tired to swim.

Her head felt light, her breath gone. Her body started to go limp.

“Libby!”

From far away she heard the cry. Once more Libby fought, stroking down with her hands. Just then she bumped against something.

Struggling to breathe, Libby grabbed hold. Pulled herself up. Gasped for air.

The branches of a fallen cottonwood held her. Relief poured through Libby.
I’m safe!

Then the branches wavered. The current pushed at Libby, as if trying to sweep her and the tree downstream.

How long
? she wondered desperately.
How long can I hang on?

“Libby!”

Turning her head, she saw Jordan standing in the creek. With water around his waist, he held out a strong branch.

“Grab hold!” he called.

Clinging to the tree with one hand, Libby reached out with the other. Jordan’s branch was too far away.

Walking deeper into the water, he called again. “Grab it!”

Again Libby reached out. Still the branch was too far.