Garrett couldn't have asked for a better mix of trail hands. Each one brought something different to the Company. He didn't know Frank very well yet, but he could always count on Boney for good food and a hearty laugh.

"Captain!" Mrs. Davonna Kamden waved both arms.

Garrett popped the last bite of sweetness into his mouth. Licking the sugar from his fingers, he took long strides toward the Conestoga. Ian had a three-legged stool in each hand and was stuffing them through the canvas opening.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" Garrett asked Mrs. Kamden.

Ian startled, catching a chair leg on the canvas. "Captain?"

"Your mother waved me over."

Ian shrugged, then freed the chair and continued with his task.

Davonna lifted her chin. "That's what I want to know, Captain. Is there a problem?"

"Ma'am?"

"Rhoda and Miss Caroline aren't crossing the river with us."

"No ma'am." He bit his bottom lip, asking God for the right words for his explanation. Before meeting Davonna Kamden and Caroline Milburn, he'd never prayed so much. Not since the war, anyway.

"My son said you were sure to have a good reason for separating me from my grandchildren." She knotted her hands at her thick waist. "I'd like to hear it."

"Yes ma'am, I do."

Empty handed, Ian sank onto the wagon seat, giving Garrett his full attention.

Garrett glanced at the Wainwrights' wagon where Rutherford unlashed a chair from a sideboard. "The Conestoga weighs a lot. And you have a very large family."

Davonna quirked an eyebrow.

He smiled when a more palatable explanation came to mind. "Ma'am, I thought with Mrs. Wainwright having a child to care for and being with child, and her own dear mother being all the way in Denmark ... Well, I thought it would be good for her to have a woman accompany her, and you seemed the perfect choice."

"Oh."

"But if you would rather-"

"No. No." She shook her hands, as if to dismiss her concerns. "I could see where I would be a help to them."

"Very well." He may have to apologize to Rutherford and Maren later as the older woman could be a bit fussy, but hopefully she wouldn't be too smothering.

Mrs. Kamden patted his cheek. "You are a smart man, Captain."

Ian nodded, grinning, an uncharacteristic feature for his face.

Garrett brushed the brim of his hat then walked toward Caleb and Frank, who stood at the river's edge in front of the Kamdens' farm wagon. Rhoda Kamden stood off to one side visiting with Owen's wife, Sally Rengler. Oliver Rengler had little Maisie Kamden up on his shoulders. Her sweet giggles mingled with Caroline's soft laugh.

He was smart placing Oliver and Caroline on the ferry together. Oliver would look after her and the children, which was good. So why the pesky niggle in his gut?

Well, it wasn't jealousy. He wasn't that childish. Besides, Oliver was more like a kid brother to Caroline than anything else. His discomfort likely had more to do with the fact that he didn't want to leave Caroline's side. Sunday she'd rested her hand on his arm and shed tears for him. He wanted to be the one leading the wagon with her. Riding the ferry with her. Waking up next to her. The thought sent heat rushing up his neck.

Thankfully, her attention was drawn to the river. When the paddle wheeler made it to the far shore, the pilot waved the white flag and started chugging back toward them. "It looks as if it'll be our turn before too long." Caroline turned to him, stretching a red curl at her neck.

"Uh, yes." Our turn. Garrett glanced at the gaggle of children at her side then looked into the green eyes that could easily hold him spellbound. "Be safe."

"I intend to. The children and I are going to look for fish." She was still fiddling with that curl.

He looked at Duff and his ever-ready rope. "No trying to lasso the fish, buddy."

"No sir. Mither told me I have to throw my rope into the wagon before we get on."

"Smart woman. I'll see you all on the other side, then." Garrett doffed his hat. "Caroline."

Absorbing her warm smile, he walked back up the line of wagons. Time to check in with Rutherford and Maren Wainwright, and little Gabi.

Within a couple of hours, several pairs of wagons had safely made it across the river, including the two belonging to the Kamdens. A row of camps had sprouted up on the opposite bank. Boney was right-river crossings weren't nearly as intimidating as they had been even six years ago.

The Gobens and the Le Beaus were on the ferry now, and the Pembertons and Zanzucchis were up next. All three Zanzucchi boys chased one another with sticks, the youngest wearing a splint on his right arm. Garrett shook his head, his teacher's voice ringing in his ears. "Boys will be boys, but not in my school they won't." At least on the road, the boys had more room to be boys.

And a doctor along to treat broken arms.

Alfonzo Jr., the eldest, dashed toward him. "We will go soon, Captain, no?"

"Lord willing. Yes. Yours is the next wagon on the ferry." Garrett glanced up the line at their wagon and watched as a chair landed at Ermalinda Zanzucchi's feet in her attempt to lash it to the wagon. Minutes ago, he'd seen the senior Alfonzo headed for the bushes.

He could send the boys to help their mother, but allowing them to expend some of their boundless energy before confining them to the boat seemed the wiser thought. With a few quick strides, Garrett approached Mrs. Zanzucchi. The petite woman spoke to the chair as if it understood Italian, her hands active in the conversation.

"Ma'am?"

He had yet to see her without a soiled apron. "Ah, Capitano." She looked at the chairs, rose onto her tiptoes, and glanced at her worn shoes. "I too wee." She spread her fingers and lowered her hand in increments.

"Too short. Yes." She smelled of tomato and oregano. "Please. Let me help." He rescued the chair from the ground and from the scolding. When he'd finished lashing the last chair onto the side of the Zanzucchis' wagon, Garrett turned back toward the river.

"Anna!"

Distant screams and whinnies followed Caleb's piercing cry.

"Captain!" Frank ran to the water's edge.

Garrett followed close behind, nearly tripping over Caleb's saddle, left on the shore. "What in the blazes is happening?"

"Don't know, Boss," Frank said.

The Pemberton and Zanzucchi families flanked them at the river's edge.

Caleb's Tennessee Pacer kicked through the river toward the ferry with him on its back, already twenty yards out from shore.

"I heard a commotion on the ferry." Charles Pemberton's hand rested on his sister's shoulder. "Then the screams started."

"Me and Caleb heard it too." Frank raised his arms. "He yanked the saddle off his horse and took off before I knew what he was doing. Rode the shore, then went in downstream from the ferry."

Garrett shielded his eyes from the sun, straining for a better look. One of the wagons hung off the edge of the flat deck. Garrett looked at Frank. "Eight and the pilot on board."

"And several horses and oxen."

"Can you see? Are they all accounted for?"

"I can't tell from here."

His heart pounding, Garrett ran into the river up to his knees with Frank close behind him.

"I don't see Miss Anna." Frank's voice faded. "Or her mother."

Garrett didn't see them either. "Lord, have mercy!"

Please, God, no.

Caleb spit and sputtered, fighting to lean forward. His Pacer's legs churned the chilled water below them. The spray gurgled up and over Caleb's shoulders, threatening to steal his breath. Stinging his eyes. He never should've read Garrett's Oregon Road guidebooks. The drowning statistics taunting him, he tightened his grip on the horse's neck.

The ride would get him to the women faster than he could swim. For as long as possible, he'd force his cramping arms and shoulders to hold on for dear life. For Anna's and her mother's lives. He'd been watching the paddle wheeler when Le Beau's quarter horses reared. The wagon shifted and Wilma Goben tumbled from the ferry's edge. He was already pulling the saddle off his horse when Anna dove into the river. He'd ridden along the shore and gone in downriver, hoping to intercept the women. They probably wouldn't be able to swim against the river's flow.

Pressing his thighs to the withers, Caleb jerked his head up, trying to catch a dry breath, desperate to get a look at the water ahead of him. He could at least see the ferry. Hopefully, the pilot would signal, direct him to Anna and her mother. First, he had to get close enough. Right now, he couldn't be but a third of the way.

The Pacer huffed and snorted, slanted against the current battling his legs. Not sure which hurt worse, his throbbing head or his aching limbs, Caleb rounded his shoulders again for a better grip on the horse's slick neck.

A swell of water caught his legs, lifting him from the horse's back and twisting him. The horse went under. So did he. They'd hit the channel, and he didn't want to bet the Pacer could manage it. Time to let the horse return to the shore.

Caleb let go and rolled free. Gasping and coughing, he rose to the surface, not far from the wide-eyed horse, which was already turning toward the shore. Caleb captured a deep breath then dug his arms into the water and swam.

Lord, help me. Help us all.

His shoulders aching, Caleb paddled furiously and kicked his legs. Pausing, he surfaced to catch his breath and check directions, blinking to clear his eyes. The ferry came into view, turned to the current, holding its position. Now to find Anna and her mother. A red bandana tied to a stick caught his eye. The pilot stood at the bow. "Over there!" He pointed the stick to Caleb's left.

Caleb tread water, looked around, and willed his aching lungs to draw a deep breath. Suddenly, he spotted movement about ten yards upriver of him.

Anna? Or her mother? She disappeared. If he didn't hurry, she'd pass him headed downstream.

His chest felt like it could burst, but he plowed through the water, anyway. They had to be all right.

Please, Lord, spare them.

"Here!" The voice sounded a world away, but it was Anna's.

Thank God!

Her head barely above the surface, Anna bobbed in the current, one arm wrapped around her flailing mother's chest.

"She can't swim!"

"I'll take her." Before she could pull her daughter down for good, Caleb wrapped his arm around the older woman, pinning her swinging arm. But she kept wiggling and kicking, fighting his grip. "Wilma!" he shouted through the water bubbling in his face. "It's Caleb. Be still."

She still fought.

"We'll all die if you don't let me save you! Save Anna!"

The woman relaxed, her legs dangling. Paddling with his one free arm and kicking both legs, Caleb was barely able to keep their heads above water.

He had to save Anna too. But how?

Shivering and coughing, Anna looked so helpless. "Can you swim?" he shouted to her.

She nodded and slipped under the surface for one terrifying second. "Yes, but not much longer. Go. Take Mutter."

Not with Anna too tired to swim. "I can't leave you."

"Caleb!" Otto's voice.

Caleb jerked toward the ferry that had been piloted closer. Dr. Le Beau and Otto stood at the rail, holding a pole out to him. Now, all he had to do was get Wilma to the pole and talk her into grabbing it instead of his neck.

He kicked harder against the depths and lifted her up enough to keep her face out of the water. The boat and rescue pole may have been close, but they felt miles away in this test of his endurance. But Anna still needed him.

"Mrs. Goben, there's a pole. I need you to grab onto the pole."

She went limp in his arms. "I can't." The alcohol on her breath was unmistakable.

"You have to." Caleb started peeling her arms from his neck. "Anna is still in the water."

"Caleb!" Anna cried. The current was carrying her away.

"Anna!"

Otto shouted something in German. The only word Caleb understood was Wilma. But she let go of him and latched onto the pole.

As soon as the doctor and Otto had a hold of Wilma, Caleb kicked off toward Anna.

The current had carried her several more yards downstream. He forced as much out of his arms and legs as he could, yet it didn't seem enough. He still had a few yards to go when he saw Boney reach Anna from the other side.

Thank God. Caleb relaxed and waved. He'd never been so happy to see his wiry friend. He even looked forward to his teasing when this was all said and done. When Anna and her mother were both safe.

Caleb held out his hand as Boney and Anna approached and helped carry her to the boat.

29.