The Winds of Autumn Read Online Free

the first time, I began to hope that I really might get to go.

C HAPTER 3

A Little Help
    A LL THE WAY OUT to the farm the next morning, Saturday, I felt my insides squirming a bit. I don’t know why I was so nervous. I guess I wanted that camping trip far more than I supposed I would. I mean, I had never even thought of going camping until the day before when Avery suggested it, and now I was all het up about it. At the time I didn’t even stop to wonder about Avery. He had never been one to care much for the out-of-doors that I was aware of. He didn’t even like to fish, and yet here he throws out this surprise dream of his. But, as I said, I didn’t think about that side of it till later.
    I was busy thinking about me. More than anything in the world I wanted that camping trip. I don’t know when I had ever wanted anything so much in my life except maybe when I had wanted a dog. Or when I had wanted to keep Aunt Lou instead of marrying her off to some local fella who wouldn’t even fully appreciate what he was getting.
    Well, I had my dog. Gramps had seen to that. I held Pixie closer to my chest and stroked the soft hair under her chin while she wiggled and strained against me. Even she, who loved to be cuddled, didn’t like being held that close.
    And as for Aunt Lou’s marrying, when it came right down to it, I highly approved of the fella she had chosen. I felt pretty close to Uncle Nat myself. In fact, I dared to hope he might put in a word for me if it came down to arguing my case with the three menfolk at the farm.
    We turned the horse and buggy down the lane, and my stomach did another turn as well. It wouldn’t be long now until I would know one way or the other.
    Grandpa met us at the front gate that opened up to the old farm home. He smiled his welcome from ear to ear and reached out to hug Aunt Lou. She had her arms full of baking like she always did when she visited the farm, but she accepted the hug anyway, giving Grandpa a kiss on his weathered cheek. Then Grandpa shook Nat’s hand firmly and turned to me.
    “So yer without a teacher, eh, Boy?” he said.
    He still called me “boy” even though I felt I had outgrown that name. Still, I didn’t resent it none the way Grandpa said it.
    I just nodded my head.
    “We heard the news,” Grandpa said to Uncle Nat. “Was plannin’ to come on in an’ pick Josh up this mornin’. Hope it didn’t mean a special trip for ya.”
    Uncle Nat just smiled. “Lou was anxious to come out and check on you anyway. I had some time this morning, and we plan to stop in at the Curtises on the way back to town and see that new baby.”
    We were met on the porch by Gramps, who patted my shoulder and hugged Aunt Lou. I could hear Uncle Charlie clattering dishes in the kitchen and guessed it was his turn for kitchen duties. He stepped to the door, dish towel in one hand and a pot in the other.
    After our hellos Lou moved to set down her baking and put on the coffeepot. It didn’t matter how long it was between visits, she still took over the kitchen whenever she stepped in the door.
    We all settled into comfortable spots around the room.
    “So what’s this we hear about your school being closed, Joshua?” asked Gramps. Him being from the city and all, he was real interested in my education. The conversation turned to the school and the need for a teacher since Miss Williams up and left to marry her longtime sweetheart.
    “Any idea how long it might be before classes resume?” asked Gramps.
    He was asking Uncle Nat, not me, and I was willing to let him answer.
    “The School Board is already working on it,” Uncle Nat assured him. “They hope they’ll have another teacher in the classroom within a week.”
    Gramps cleared his throat.
    “It’s not the time factor that bothers me,” he stated. “It’s the quality of the replacement.”
    All eyes turned to Gramps.
    “Meanin’?” asked Grandpa.
    “Well, I don’t want to be borrowing trouble—but any