Head West, Young Mouse: Transcontinental Railroad Traveler Book #3
Well it sure will feel good when we finally reach Silver Springs Robert said He gave Maximilian's ox friend a playful pat on the side Gabe talked to some prospectors two days ago They said the panning was picking back up and railroad jobs were available Well as long as we're together everything will be fine Martha said Her voice sounded almost like she was singing Maximilian liked them Robert gave Martha a loving kiss on the forehead Then he climbed back onto his seat in the wagon You always know the right thing to say my sweet Martha Robert said taking the oxen team's reins in his hands As Martha turned Maximilian noticed something or someone to be exact A small blonde animal sat at the base of the rear wheel Sitting motionless underneath the wagon no one saw her No one that is except Maximilian
Chapter 3 A BUMPY RIDE with a violent jolt the caravan was again moving forward Maximilian wondered how long it would be until the next break He thought he had plenty of time to explore the wagon a little more So he made his way toward the front Maximilian wandered through a maze of boxes He carefully read their written labels Bedding kitchen tools garden One box in particular caught the attention of his nose Maximilian paused to peer inside it He drew in a long deep sniff of dried basil and salted beef He thought for a moment of helping himself What would his mother say if she knew he was taking food from families he didn't know He had already done enough on his trip that his mother certainly would not have agreed with
Maximilian decided to keep moving He could hear muffled voices coming from the wagon's drivers He walked slowly so he wouldn't lose his balance Finally Maximilian was able to brace himself on a nearby shovel He listened closer to the two men Immediately it became clear that one of the men was suffering from some kind of sickness We need a little bit of luck with those clouds to make it to camp by nightfall the man managed to say between painful coughs The valley we were told about shouldn't be too far away Who knows what the weather will be on the other side the driver replied We've been pretty fortunate so far The wagon swayed beneath Maximilian's paws Suddenly he heard a loud crash behind him He looked back fearful that it had been the time machine But only a jar of pickled eggs was shattered over the stained wooden floorboards Maximilian couldn't see the two men who were talking But their silhouettes stretched
over the wagon's canvas from the late afternoon sun The one who had taken ill often sipped from a canteen hidden in his breast pocket The driver snapped the reins of the horses and quickened their pace As concerned as I am with that storm front I'm more worried about that cough he said Don't worry about me Garvey the man said If this fever would break I think this cough would improve A breeze swept through the wagon and cooled Maximilian's warm cheeks He closed his eyes and imagined himself standing in the grassy meadow outside Tanner's Glen He remembered the cool summer winds hitting his face and playing with his whiskers Whoa the wagon conductor said in a low voice The rusted axles ground to a halt Well it looks like our luck finally ran out We're not going to have to worry about making it to that valley Garvey said in frustration His friend coughed and struggled to catch his breath That Franklin wagon is going to
