Father goes to Ohio

A day in late February was set for Father's departure for the Ohio Country. The weather was clear and cold. The roads were well packed with snow, and the sleighing had never been better.

Father and Joel Oakes, who was going with him, decided that they would ride as much of the distance as possible in the old pung, a heavy, boxlike sled. Benjamin helped them drag the pung out of the barn cellar. He dusted the cobwebs and straw from it.

The men had to brace and strengthen the runners for the hard journey. Then they spent all one frosty day loading the sled with their sacks of provisions and the tools which would be needed for the task of clearing the forest and build a cabin in the new country.

Space had to be found for saddles and saddlebags, too. When the roads became too rough for sleighing or the snow became too thin, they would sell the pung and proceed on horseback. Together they would buy a pack horse to carry their equipment.

While the men sorted and packed their stores, Mother and Matilda were busy preparing food for the journey. They packed bags of dried corn and smoked meats, and they baked big squares of yellow journey cake, or "johnnycake" as it was sometimes called. This was a kind of bread made of cornmeal. It would taste good even after it had become old and dry.

Next morning, by the time the horses were hitched to the pung, friends and relatives had gathered in the dooryard to bid the men good-by. Christopher Burlingame and Captain Miles were there, with others of the group who had gathered at the Stone farm to discuss the letter from General Putnam. "We'll be seeing you soon in that land of plenty!" they said.

Mrs. Rufus Putnam and the two eldest Putnam boys were on hand with letters and messages for the General. Mrs. Putnam had even brought a small package for her husband.

"It's a new linen shirt," she explained to Mrs. Stone in a whisper. "He's been so long in the wilderness that I fear he will forget what a ruffle looks like."

At the last minute the Reverend Mr. Buckminster rode up on horseback, with his long cloak flapping like a great sail at his back.

When he arrived, a hush fell over the crowd assembled in the dooryard. Women bowed their heads, and the men took off their hats. Benjamin hurriedly unwound his striped tippet so that he, too, stood bareheaded and reverent while a prayer was offered for the safety and welfare of the travelers.

It seemed to Benjamin that it took his father a long time to say the cheerful last-minute words to Mother. Then he bade good-by to his ten children with a teasing word for each of them.

"Don't eat too many checkerberries!" was his good-natured warning to Benjamin.

At last everything was ready. Joel Oakes, who had been shaking hands with everyone, stepped into the pung and Father followed him. Israel whistled to Flora, and the big dog jumped into the sled beside her master.

Suddenly a big lump rose in Benjamin's throat. He had often seen Father set off for Boston or for Worcester with a load of farm produce for the market, but never had he said good-by to Flora.

Joel shook the reins over the backs of the horses. A warm chorus of "Good-by! Godspeed!" followed the men as the sled moved down the lane and swung into the highway. The sleigh bells jingle-jangled and then settled to a steady tinkle-tinkle, as the horses steadied to the long, hard journey which lay before them.

"Good-by! Good-by!" Benjamin dug his heels into the slippery, well-packed snow and waved his cap until the pung passed out of sight, over the brow of the hill. Then he stood there, bareheaded, a little longer, until the last faint tinkle had died away, and his ears were cold, and he had no excuse for remaining idle any longer.

He tried to be glad that Flora had gone with Father and Joel. They would surely need a good watchdog on that long journey. They would need a good watch dog after they reached the westward country, too, for there were bears and wildcats and Indians in the forests there, if the stories he had heard were true.

How the ridge on Flora's back would bristle when she scented an Indian or a wildcat! It made Benjamin shiver just to think about it. Then he laughed aloud. Surely it would not be long before Father would have their new home ready and would send for them to join him. How glad Flora would be to welcome them! How her heavy black tail with its white tip would wag!

"Come on, old man!" Jasper startled him with a clap-on the back. "If you stand there daydreaming all day, old Bessie won't have any hay and then she will give us no milk!"

Bessie was Mother's cow. She, too, would be starting one day for the Ohio Country, but today she just stood and waited patiently while Benjamin climbed the ladder to the haymow and pushed the sweet smelling hay down into her manger.

Chapter 5.. Tales of the Sea