Snowball tightly. “Joe, do you remember she said there were only bootleggers and beggars living in the mountain? I hope we don’t run into any of them.”
“I know,” Joe said with a sigh. “I should have brought my rifle, but I didn’t even think about it. We forgot to ask Miss Metts if there was a man with my father, you know, the man who came to your house to get him.”
“She didn’t mention anyone else, so I would think she didn’t see him,” Mandie answered as they hurried on. “So maybe the stranger didn’t go all the way to where the sick man was. Maybe he just told your father how to get there, and Dr. Woodard went on alone.”
“Could be,” Joe agreed. “But if the injured man was the stranger’s friend, you’d think he would be going back to see what the doctor had to say about him.”
“This whole thing sounds all mixed up to me,” Mandie said. “I’m pretty sure the man who came to our house was the same man Sallie and I saw in the store.”
“You mentioned that before,” Joe said, looking down at her. “Just when did you see this man? When were you in the store where you saw him?”
Mandie looked back up at him and decided it was time to explainabout the store. She would have to give away her secret, but it might help in locating Dr. Woodard. She took a long breath and said, “Joe Woodard, I never can keep a secret from you.” She grinned.
Joe gave her a puzzled smile and said, “That’s right, so you might as well tell all.”
“Well, it’s like this,” Mandie began. “Sallie and I went to the store yesterday afternoon while you and Jonathan were over at Polly’s house.” She paused.
“And?” Joe asked.
“And we went to the store to do some shopping.” Mandie tried evading the real reason. “We thought it might be fun to give you a going-away present or something.”
“Oh, Mandie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have insisted. Now I’ve ruined your surprise,” Joe apologized.
“Not all of it. And you can just pretend to be surprised when we give you the presents,” Mandie told him. “Anyhow, this man in the store bumped into me, and I apologized, but he didn’t say a word. He just kept walking right on through the store. I thought he acted awfully strange. Sallie did, too.”
“And you believe that’s the same man who came to your house after my father?” Joe questioned. “You know what I’m thinking? That man may be an outlaw of some kind. I hope my father is safe.”
“Joe, I’m sorry,” Mandie said, suddenly stopping in the middle of the road. “Joe, we need to say our verse.” She reached for his hand as he, too, paused there.
Holding hands, the two recited Mandie’s favorite verse, “ ‘What time I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee.’ ”
Mandie looked up at Joe and smiled. “Now I feel better. Your father is going to be all right.”
“Yes, I think so,” Joe agreed and gave her a quick squeeze around the shoulders and then started on down the road.
Mandie hurried along at his side, wondering what they would find ahead, but not as worried as she had been. Everything would work out just fine, she was sure.
CHAPTER NINE
DANGER!
As Mandie and Joe walked along the road, they began to meet a few people, most of whom, judging from the clothes they were wearing, were headed into town to church services. And there were several people going in their direction. The two young people tried flagging down the vehicles traveling toward Franklin, but most of the occupants either thought they were just waving at them or didn’t seem to notice them.
Finally an old wagon, with half its top cover missing, carrying an old man, a young woman, and six children, slowed down as it met up with Mandie and Joe.
“Hello!” Mandie began yelling and waving for them to stop.
Joe started making signs, too, as he stepped toward the middle of the road when the wagon rolled to a stop. He looked up at the man and asked, “Sir, have you seen Dr. Woodard
“I know,” Joe said with a sigh. “I should have brought my rifle, but I didn’t even think about it. We forgot to ask Miss Metts if there was a man with my father, you know, the man who came to your house to get him.”
“She didn’t mention anyone else, so I would think she didn’t see him,” Mandie answered as they hurried on. “So maybe the stranger didn’t go all the way to where the sick man was. Maybe he just told your father how to get there, and Dr. Woodard went on alone.”
“Could be,” Joe agreed. “But if the injured man was the stranger’s friend, you’d think he would be going back to see what the doctor had to say about him.”
“This whole thing sounds all mixed up to me,” Mandie said. “I’m pretty sure the man who came to our house was the same man Sallie and I saw in the store.”
“You mentioned that before,” Joe said, looking down at her. “Just when did you see this man? When were you in the store where you saw him?”
Mandie looked back up at him and decided it was time to explainabout the store. She would have to give away her secret, but it might help in locating Dr. Woodard. She took a long breath and said, “Joe Woodard, I never can keep a secret from you.” She grinned.
Joe gave her a puzzled smile and said, “That’s right, so you might as well tell all.”
“Well, it’s like this,” Mandie began. “Sallie and I went to the store yesterday afternoon while you and Jonathan were over at Polly’s house.” She paused.
“And?” Joe asked.
“And we went to the store to do some shopping.” Mandie tried evading the real reason. “We thought it might be fun to give you a going-away present or something.”
“Oh, Mandie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have insisted. Now I’ve ruined your surprise,” Joe apologized.
“Not all of it. And you can just pretend to be surprised when we give you the presents,” Mandie told him. “Anyhow, this man in the store bumped into me, and I apologized, but he didn’t say a word. He just kept walking right on through the store. I thought he acted awfully strange. Sallie did, too.”
“And you believe that’s the same man who came to your house after my father?” Joe questioned. “You know what I’m thinking? That man may be an outlaw of some kind. I hope my father is safe.”
“Joe, I’m sorry,” Mandie said, suddenly stopping in the middle of the road. “Joe, we need to say our verse.” She reached for his hand as he, too, paused there.
Holding hands, the two recited Mandie’s favorite verse, “ ‘What time I am afraid I will put my trust in Thee.’ ”
Mandie looked up at Joe and smiled. “Now I feel better. Your father is going to be all right.”
“Yes, I think so,” Joe agreed and gave her a quick squeeze around the shoulders and then started on down the road.
Mandie hurried along at his side, wondering what they would find ahead, but not as worried as she had been. Everything would work out just fine, she was sure.
CHAPTER NINE
DANGER!
As Mandie and Joe walked along the road, they began to meet a few people, most of whom, judging from the clothes they were wearing, were headed into town to church services. And there were several people going in their direction. The two young people tried flagging down the vehicles traveling toward Franklin, but most of the occupants either thought they were just waving at them or didn’t seem to notice them.
Finally an old wagon, with half its top cover missing, carrying an old man, a young woman, and six children, slowed down as it met up with Mandie and Joe.
“Hello!” Mandie began yelling and waving for them to stop.
Joe started making signs, too, as he stepped toward the middle of the road when the wagon rolled to a stop. He looked up at the man and asked, “Sir, have you seen Dr. Woodard
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