which Anna could not identify. Others held basic staples.
She heard a yelp outside and realized that James must be following Karl's suit. They both came in, shiny-faced and combed, making her realize she would surely be expected to wash as well. But there was no privacy, and she had no inclination to let the icy water touch her skin.
Their supper was simple. Karl laid it all on the table, showing Anna where things were kept. They had cold meat, which he brought from a crock in the springhouse; bread, which he said he baked himself, although Anna couldn't for the life of her figure out where; cheese he'd made from his own goat's milk. Anna had never eaten goat's cheese before, and found it sweet and full-flavored.
Naturally, James again brought up what Anna would have avoided. "You don't expect Anna to know how to make cheese, do you, Karl?"
"No," he answered, avoiding her eyes. "But I will have to teach her. It is not too hard. There is a corner of the chimney that keeps the milk just warm enough to curdle good and slow. In the morning I will walk to get my goat from my friend, Two Horns. Then we will have fresh milk for breakfast. Have you ever milked a goat, boy?"
"Never," James answered. "Are you gonna teach me?"
"First thing in the morning. Maybe Anna would like to learn, too."
Then again, maybe Anna would not, thought the one in question, while her brother went on with his questions. "Why do you keep a goat? Why not a cow like everybody else?"
"Cows are truly expensive here, and they like to stray away into the woods like the pigs. Then you must find them each day when it is time to milk them. Goats are like pets. They do not stray as far, and they are good company."
"I never thought about a goat being like a pet before."
"Goats make maybe the best pets of all. They are loyal and quiet and do not eat much. During the winter blizzards, there were many times when I was grateful for the company of my Nanna to listen to me talk and never complain when I tell her how impatient I am to have neighbors, and how I miss my family back in Sweden and how I think spring will never come. Nanna, she just chews her cud and puts up with me." His eyes strayed to Anna as he spoke, then back to the boy.
"Is that your goat's name--Nanna?"
"Ya. You will love her when you meet her."
"I can't wait! Tell me about the rest. Tell me what else we're gonna do tomorrow besides milk the goat."
Karl laughed softly at the boy's eagerness, so like his own since he had come here. "Tomorrow we begin felling trees for the log house, but by the end of the day
I do not think you will be as pleased as you are right now."
"Will Anna help, too?"
"That is up to Anna," Karl said.
She looked up quickly, anxious to be included in anything that would get her out of this dingy cabin and into the sun. "Could I, Karl?" she asked, fearing he meant to leave her to watch goat's milk turn into cheese on the chimney corner. But Karl read only happiness into her question.
"Anna will help, too," Karl said. "Even for three the work will be hard."
"So we were right, and you'll be glad I'm here," James boasted a little.
"Ya, I think so. Tomorrow I will be glad you are here."
But tonight was a different matter. Even though Karl enjoyed talking with the boy, he was ever aware of bedtime drawing near. The fire was spitting and settling. Karl stretched his legs out toward it, forcing himself to relax back into his chair. From his pocket he fished a pipe and leather pouch.
Anna watched his movements, learning something new--he smoked a pipe.
He filled it slowly, while he and James talked about the cabin and all it would take to build it. The smell of the tobacco smoke drifted lazily, and James leaned his chin more and more heavily upon his hand. Now and then Karl's gaze moved toward Anna, but she would look quickly away toward the fire. There, on the hob, hung the black cauldron Karl had filled with water after supper.
James revived when Anna arose to clear
She heard a yelp outside and realized that James must be following Karl's suit. They both came in, shiny-faced and combed, making her realize she would surely be expected to wash as well. But there was no privacy, and she had no inclination to let the icy water touch her skin.
Their supper was simple. Karl laid it all on the table, showing Anna where things were kept. They had cold meat, which he brought from a crock in the springhouse; bread, which he said he baked himself, although Anna couldn't for the life of her figure out where; cheese he'd made from his own goat's milk. Anna had never eaten goat's cheese before, and found it sweet and full-flavored.
Naturally, James again brought up what Anna would have avoided. "You don't expect Anna to know how to make cheese, do you, Karl?"
"No," he answered, avoiding her eyes. "But I will have to teach her. It is not too hard. There is a corner of the chimney that keeps the milk just warm enough to curdle good and slow. In the morning I will walk to get my goat from my friend, Two Horns. Then we will have fresh milk for breakfast. Have you ever milked a goat, boy?"
"Never," James answered. "Are you gonna teach me?"
"First thing in the morning. Maybe Anna would like to learn, too."
Then again, maybe Anna would not, thought the one in question, while her brother went on with his questions. "Why do you keep a goat? Why not a cow like everybody else?"
"Cows are truly expensive here, and they like to stray away into the woods like the pigs. Then you must find them each day when it is time to milk them. Goats are like pets. They do not stray as far, and they are good company."
"I never thought about a goat being like a pet before."
"Goats make maybe the best pets of all. They are loyal and quiet and do not eat much. During the winter blizzards, there were many times when I was grateful for the company of my Nanna to listen to me talk and never complain when I tell her how impatient I am to have neighbors, and how I miss my family back in Sweden and how I think spring will never come. Nanna, she just chews her cud and puts up with me." His eyes strayed to Anna as he spoke, then back to the boy.
"Is that your goat's name--Nanna?"
"Ya. You will love her when you meet her."
"I can't wait! Tell me about the rest. Tell me what else we're gonna do tomorrow besides milk the goat."
Karl laughed softly at the boy's eagerness, so like his own since he had come here. "Tomorrow we begin felling trees for the log house, but by the end of the day
I do not think you will be as pleased as you are right now."
"Will Anna help, too?"
"That is up to Anna," Karl said.
She looked up quickly, anxious to be included in anything that would get her out of this dingy cabin and into the sun. "Could I, Karl?" she asked, fearing he meant to leave her to watch goat's milk turn into cheese on the chimney corner. But Karl read only happiness into her question.
"Anna will help, too," Karl said. "Even for three the work will be hard."
"So we were right, and you'll be glad I'm here," James boasted a little.
"Ya, I think so. Tomorrow I will be glad you are here."
But tonight was a different matter. Even though Karl enjoyed talking with the boy, he was ever aware of bedtime drawing near. The fire was spitting and settling. Karl stretched his legs out toward it, forcing himself to relax back into his chair. From his pocket he fished a pipe and leather pouch.
Anna watched his movements, learning something new--he smoked a pipe.
He filled it slowly, while he and James talked about the cabin and all it would take to build it. The smell of the tobacco smoke drifted lazily, and James leaned his chin more and more heavily upon his hand. Now and then Karl's gaze moved toward Anna, but she would look quickly away toward the fire. There, on the hob, hung the black cauldron Karl had filled with water after supper.
James revived when Anna arose to clear
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