you’re the second tallest,” the man joked back and slapped Daniel on the back. “You remember my boys, Aaron and Michael?”
“I sure do,” Daniel replied as the two young men climbed out of the wagon to stand next to their pa. Daniel greeted them and glanced in the back of the wagon. A plow, harrow, and other farm equipment lay in the bed. “What’s all this?”
“Well, my youngest, Jeremiah, he’s been working with them colts of Professor Harris’s, training them and all, and he comes home yesterday and tells me the professor says you’re trying to work all this land by yourself.” The man’s normally good-humored face frowned at Daniel. “Now why didn’t you come and see me if you were having trouble?”
“Simon, you have your own fields to get done.”
“Now, Daniel Aaron Kirby,” Simon Peter’s firm voice interrupted him. “I done know ya since you was younger than this one here.” Simon Peter pointed at Jacob, who was staring up at him with saucerlike eyes. “We got a good start on our planting, and Joe and Jeremiah say they can make do. Aaron, Michael, and I are set on helpin’ ya plant your crops.”
His sons smiled and nodded in agreement.
“And he’d be a fool to refuse your help,” Mary said as she shuffled up to them. “Simon Peter, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” She was lost for a moment as she and Simon embraced. “How’s Celia?”
“Miss Mary, it’s right good to see you, too. Celia’s just fine. Her sister came up a few months back, and she’s staying with us.” He looked past both of them and smiled and nodded. “Hello there, ma’am.”
Daniel turned to see a hesitant Katherine slowly approaching. She was clutching the egg basket so tightly he could see the whiteness of her knuckles. He quickly realized how intimidating Simon Peter must seem to someone so small and walked over to her. “It’s all right,” he said quietly. “This is Simon Peter Johnson. Ma and Pa hid him when Jonah was a baby. He lives just outside of Delaware with his wife, Celia.”
“Will I bother him?” she asked tentatively.
Daniel smiled at her tenderhearted nature and shook his head. “Simon Peter has been a freeman for years now, Katherine. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet you. He’s a large man but a gentle one.” He coaxed her closer.
Mary grabbed her arm and pulled her over to stand in front of Simon Peter. “Simon, this is a dear friend of the family,” Mary said, “Miss Katherine Wallace. Katherine was my neighbor down in South Carolina.”
“Oh yes. The professor said you had someone staying with you.” He bent down and took her tiny hand in his huge one.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson,” Katherine said softly. Daniel took note of her attempt to blunt her accent.
“Ma’am, folk just call me Simon Peter,” he said. “I reckon I won’t answer ta nothin’ else.”
“I do hope I won’t make you … uncomfortable.”
A bright white smile spread across the man’s face. “Oh no, ma’am, not a bit. Celia’s from down there in the Carolinas. You sound a mite like her.” He looked over at Daniel. “We’re ready to start when you are.”
Daniel looked at the men and, regretting his earlier attitude, silently thanked God for sending him help just when he really needed it. “Aunt Mary’s right. I’d be a fool to refuse help now. But I intend to pay you and your sons what’s fair.”
Simon Peter gave him a hesitant look. “You sure?”
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Well, all right.” They smiled and shook hands.
“Wow!”
Katherine jumped at the awestruck voice at her elbow. She looked down to see Jacob still standing next to her. His eyes were glued to Simon Peter, who was striding out toward the fields with his sons and Daniel. Katherine couldn’t help but giggle. “I know. He’s right large, isn’t he?”
“He’s a giant,” the boy squeaked.
“Well, he’s a gentle giant,” Mary declared, patting
“I sure do,” Daniel replied as the two young men climbed out of the wagon to stand next to their pa. Daniel greeted them and glanced in the back of the wagon. A plow, harrow, and other farm equipment lay in the bed. “What’s all this?”
“Well, my youngest, Jeremiah, he’s been working with them colts of Professor Harris’s, training them and all, and he comes home yesterday and tells me the professor says you’re trying to work all this land by yourself.” The man’s normally good-humored face frowned at Daniel. “Now why didn’t you come and see me if you were having trouble?”
“Simon, you have your own fields to get done.”
“Now, Daniel Aaron Kirby,” Simon Peter’s firm voice interrupted him. “I done know ya since you was younger than this one here.” Simon Peter pointed at Jacob, who was staring up at him with saucerlike eyes. “We got a good start on our planting, and Joe and Jeremiah say they can make do. Aaron, Michael, and I are set on helpin’ ya plant your crops.”
His sons smiled and nodded in agreement.
“And he’d be a fool to refuse your help,” Mary said as she shuffled up to them. “Simon Peter, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” She was lost for a moment as she and Simon embraced. “How’s Celia?”
“Miss Mary, it’s right good to see you, too. Celia’s just fine. Her sister came up a few months back, and she’s staying with us.” He looked past both of them and smiled and nodded. “Hello there, ma’am.”
Daniel turned to see a hesitant Katherine slowly approaching. She was clutching the egg basket so tightly he could see the whiteness of her knuckles. He quickly realized how intimidating Simon Peter must seem to someone so small and walked over to her. “It’s all right,” he said quietly. “This is Simon Peter Johnson. Ma and Pa hid him when Jonah was a baby. He lives just outside of Delaware with his wife, Celia.”
“Will I bother him?” she asked tentatively.
Daniel smiled at her tenderhearted nature and shook his head. “Simon Peter has been a freeman for years now, Katherine. I’m sure he’ll be happy to meet you. He’s a large man but a gentle one.” He coaxed her closer.
Mary grabbed her arm and pulled her over to stand in front of Simon Peter. “Simon, this is a dear friend of the family,” Mary said, “Miss Katherine Wallace. Katherine was my neighbor down in South Carolina.”
“Oh yes. The professor said you had someone staying with you.” He bent down and took her tiny hand in his huge one.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Mr. Johnson,” Katherine said softly. Daniel took note of her attempt to blunt her accent.
“Ma’am, folk just call me Simon Peter,” he said. “I reckon I won’t answer ta nothin’ else.”
“I do hope I won’t make you … uncomfortable.”
A bright white smile spread across the man’s face. “Oh no, ma’am, not a bit. Celia’s from down there in the Carolinas. You sound a mite like her.” He looked over at Daniel. “We’re ready to start when you are.”
Daniel looked at the men and, regretting his earlier attitude, silently thanked God for sending him help just when he really needed it. “Aunt Mary’s right. I’d be a fool to refuse help now. But I intend to pay you and your sons what’s fair.”
Simon Peter gave him a hesitant look. “You sure?”
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
“Well, all right.” They smiled and shook hands.
“Wow!”
Katherine jumped at the awestruck voice at her elbow. She looked down to see Jacob still standing next to her. His eyes were glued to Simon Peter, who was striding out toward the fields with his sons and Daniel. Katherine couldn’t help but giggle. “I know. He’s right large, isn’t he?”
“He’s a giant,” the boy squeaked.
“Well, he’s a gentle giant,” Mary declared, patting
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