When Love's Gone Country

Chapter Twenty-Four



When it came time to divvy up the chores, Red pointed to Bobby and Jeremy. “You’re with me. We’re headin’ to the chicken coop for feedin’ time.”

“I love the chickens!” Jeremy said with excitement. “I thought they might peck at me that first day. ‘Cuz I’m puttin’ my hand on their behind and all, but they didn’t seem to mind.”

Red chuckled. “Yeah, I guess they’re pretty used to it by now.”

“Want me to fill the water trough?” Bobby asked.

“Three-fourths of the way would be good.”

Bobby headed far enough way that Jeremy and Red could talk without being overhead, but stayed close enough that if something went wrong, he could come to Jeremy’s aid quickly.

“Small handfuls spread evenly,” Red instructed.

“I like pickin’ eggs better’n feedin’ chickens.”

“How come?”

“I like seein’ the different sizes and colors of the eggs.”

“That’s one thing about a ranch, there’s always somethin’ interestin’ to see and do.”

“Some things make your muscles hurt, though. Like that first day we was here. Everybody was hurtin’ by nightfall.”

“The first few days at the Double Y are hard on city folk. There’s a lot of muscles they ain’t never used before. It’s good for ya, though.”

“The hot water helps. Everybody felt better after they sat in the hot water for a while.”

“You mean the bathtub?”

“No. The hot water. There was some name they called it.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I forget. But they sure felt better when they came back from the river.”

“There’s no hot water at the river. I think you’re confused.”

Jeremy shook his head. “The hot water ain’t in the river, but you got to go in the river to find the hot water.”

“That don’t make sense.”

“There’s a cave or somethin’, but it’s under the water. You know where the river makes the double y?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s where they said the cave was. You swim down to it and then go into it and you come out on the other side in this hot water. I don’t really understand it, but they said it was awesome. They’re gonna take me in a couple days. I’ll tell you all about it then.”

“I’ll look forward to hearin’ about it.”

“Do you think all rivers have secret caves?”

“I’ve never heard of even one river having one.”

“How come roosters crow when the sun rises?”

Red was lost in thought and didn’t hear the question.

“Red?”

“What’s that?”

“I asked how come roosters crow when the sun rises?”

“I’m gonna be right back, Jeremy. I need to tend to somethin’ right quick.”

“Okay.” Jeremy tossed more feed toward the waiting chickens.

Bobby joined him. “How’d it go?”

“I should get an Oscar.”

Bobby chuckled and tousled Jeremy’s hair. “Maybe you’ve found your calling.”

“You can lie for a living?”

“Sure. Politicians do it all the time.”

“He said he had to tend to something.”

Bobby looked around to find Red and Bart with their heads together. “I think he’s filling Bart in on what you told him. We should know soon if they took the bait.”

“What if they don’t?”

Bobby shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to wait and see.”