Joe got down from the wagon seat and turned to help Emma. Leaping gracefully from the rear, Barbara turned to catch the younger children in her arms. Carlyle looked with intense interest at a red apple that had fallen from one of the trees and lay gleaming in the grass. Little Emma smoothed her dress and Joe looked soberly about. Alfred turned a disappointed glance on his parents. "Is this Oregon?" he wanted to know. Emma said, "It's a long ways to Oregon, Ally." The youngster wandered down to the rill, and stooped swiftly to catch a green frog in his hands. He cupped it there, and the rest gathered around to marvel at this prize. Tad said impatiently, "Let's make camp, Pa." Joe warmed to his freckle-faced son, so unpredictable and wild one hour and so dependable the next. He reflected with a sense of gratification that Tad had been no trouble whatever on this trip. Maybe the trek was already beginning to take some of his wildness. Joe looked around at the camp site. Since they were going to be here for some time, and not just overnight, they could have more comfort than overnight camps afforded. There were stones lying around and a good fireplace might be fashioned from them. He said, "How about gathering stones for a fireplace, Tad?" "Sure." The youngster went willingly to work, and after she had tied the cow securely, Barbara helped him. Joe unhitched the mules and staked them. His eyes lighted on two chunks of wood that had been cut from a felled apple tree. He pointed them out to Emma. "Suppose I borrow some boards from Jake Favors and lay them across those chunks? We'd have a passable table. Plenty of wood around. Might make us some benches, too." Her heart leaped at the thought of a real table again, but she subdued it quickly. "You don't want to take time for that, Joe. A table's the last thing in the world we need to bother about." He looked at her sidewise and winked solemnly, and she was caught between laughter and tears. His look told her more plainly than words that he knew what the small domestic comforts meant to her, and that he didn't intend to be prevented from wasting an hour for her comfort. Barbara and Tad had collected a good heap of stones, and Joe started building a fireplace. Emma knelt beside him. "Let me do this." "Aren't you tired?" "I've done nothing except ride for three days," Emma said scornfully. "You can leave the camp to us." "Well, if you're sure you can make it--" Emma's eyes twinkled, "We're sure." Joe left and walked to Jake Favors' dingy office. The stock dealer rose to meet him. "Wonder if I can borrow boards to make a table and benches?" Joe asked. "Sure," Jake Favors agreed. "If chairs would do as well as benches, I have some." "They'll be fine." "Don't you be wasting your time with them, though. I want you to work on mules." He bellowed, "Sam!"