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run to the woods near the creek, and hide in the blackberry thicket. They’ll never find us in the thick brush.”
    Charlie stared at his sister. Chickens in flour sacks? What a crazy idea!
    But Momma nodded. “Why not? Don’t take them all, though. The men will suspect something if they see an empty coop.”
    Ida Jane ran for the sacks. “Come on, Sadie, you can help. We’re going to save your favorite chickens.”
    â€œWhat about Annie?” asked Charlie. “How can we hide Annie and her calf?”
    Momma froze. Annie was her prized possession.Momma had been determined to get a cow so that they could have fresh milk and butter.
    â€œMaybe I can take the cows and try to hide them down by the creek, too,” Charlie offered.
    Charlie ran to the stable. He managed to get a rope on Annie and her calf.
    â€œI’ll hide the milk pails. And I’ll cover the ground with hay to hide any trace of them,” said Lizzie, who had run in behind him to help. “You can say your pa is in town with the oxen. They might not guess you have cows, too.”
    Charlie nodded. “Good idea.”
    They were just coming out of the stable leading the cows when Lion leaped to his feet and began to bark. In the distance Charlie spotted a cloud of dust. “They’re coming.”
    â€œIda Jane. Run, now!” yelled Momma
    Squawk! Cheep! Cheep!
    Squawk! Cheep! Cheep!
    Ida Jane and Sadie disappeared into the high prairie grass, dragging two wriggling sacks of squawking chickens behind them.
    Charlie felt his heart pounding hard. He looked from Momma to Lizzie. “What should we do? There’s notenough time to get the cows to the creek.”
    â€œThe most important thing is to hide Lizzie,” cried
    Momma “I’m afraid we can’t save the cows.”
    â€œWait, ma’am,” said Lizzie. “Why not put the cows where no one will expect them to be?”
    And then she told them her plan.

CHAPTER SEVEN
 
    Charlie held his tiny brother while Momma dragged her wooden rocking chair outside. She grabbed a quilt and the pan of leftover biscuits. She settled herself into the chair and reached up for the baby.
    â€œIt’s lucky he’s such a lazy baby,” said Charlie. “He can sleep through anything.”
    Then Charlie and Lizzie went to work. They pulled Annie and her calf into the cabin. The cows looked so funny inside. Charlie had brought some hay for them, and they chewed peacefully.
    â€œThey think it’s just a nice, new barn,” Charlie said.
    Charlie lifted the mattress of prairie hay from Momma’s wooden bed and Lizzie got under it. Then he piled every quilt and blanket they had on top.
    â€œCan you breathe, Lizzie?” he whispered.
    â€œA little.” Lizzie’s voice sounded far away.
    Charlie pulled Lion into a corner of the cabin, behindhis bed. He kept his hand on Lion’s muzzle.
    â€œShh … you have to be perfectly still now,” he whispered.
    If I put my ear to the wail right here, I might be able to hear Momma talk to the men,
Charlie thought.
    Charlie closed his eyes and made his breath thin. He could feel little drops of sweat roll down his back.
    A moment later he felt the ground rumble. He heard the pounding of hooves. A horse neighed. The silence was pierced by a man’s wild yell.
    The border ruffians were here.
    Charlie could just barely make out Momma’s voice.
    â€œGood morning, gentlemen. Lovely day, isn’t—”
    A deep voice cut her off. “This is the Keller claim, ain’t it? Where’s your husband?”
    â€œI wish I knew, sir. He went to Lawrence and hasn’t come back.” Momma paused, and Charlie could imagine her smiling brightly. “Now, gentlemen, I baked extra biscuits this morning. But since my husband’s not here, you’re welcome to them. And if I do say so myself, I make excellent biscuits!”
    Charlie kept his hand on