Chapter Two
That evening set apattern for their trip to Lake Bennett.They would eat around a campfire with the others, and after supper, Myrtle and Aaron would go for a walk, talking and simply getting to know one another.
“We should reach Lake Bennett tomorrow,” Aaron told the women.“Even with the extra food you brought, we only have enough to make it there, and we’ll have to buy more at Lake Bennett.”
Josie nodded.“We all planned for that.We’ll buy the food.”
Myrtle agreed.“We don’t want you to have to pay more because we decided to all travel together.”She thought longingly of food that wasn’t hardtack or jerky, but she would eat it with a smile.She felt like she had a lot to make up for.
Aaron nodded.“That would be good.When we get there, you four need to stay close to me.I don’t want any trouble.Lake Bennett is crowded with miners right now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I get more offers to buy some of you.”
Lula frowned.“We’ll all be quiet and try not to draw attention to ourselves.”
“That would be best,” Aaron said.“I have a friend there who kept my boat, and he should be able to trade me for one bigger.I only planned for two people, and the boat I have will not fit all of us.”
Ella nodded.“We understand.And we’re all willing to help with the journey in any way we can.”
“Good.We won’t be able to make it otherwise.”
The four friends exchanged looks.“We’d also be willing to cook along the way if it would help,” Myrtle said.
Aaron shook his head.“It won’t.We need to be able to move quickly, and there won’t be time for fishing or hunting.There will be more hardtack in our future.”
It was all Myrtle could do not to groan.“Whatever you feel is best,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and happy.
“Since we won’t be walking during the day, perhaps we could do some berry hunting in the evenings without slowing down much,” Lula suggested.
“That’s not a bad idea.And I’m sure we’d all love something different to eat,” Aaron said.“There tend to be a lot of berries along the Yukon River.”
Myrtle was thrilled to hear their days of only eating jerky and hardtack were going to end soon.She wasn’t certain she could bear even another day of it.
“Hopefully, Rusty will have something we can bring with us.I know how hard it is not to have any variety in our diets.”
“Rusty is your friend?”Myrtle asked.
Aaron nodded.“He is.He lives at Lake Bennett all the time, and helps where he can.He makes a decent profit that way as well.He’ll buy a boat from one man and sell it to another for more.He’s a smart businessman.”He stood and held down a hand to help Myrtle up.
Myrtle didn’t want to take another step that day, but she got to her feet with a smile.“If we see berries, I’ll give a shout,” she told the other women.
They all nodded tiredly.Walking so many miles up and down a mountain wasn’t easy for any of them.
“I think we’re all ready to have a break from so much walking,” Myrtle said to Aaron as they left camp.
He nodded.“Including me.The worst part of this journey is almost over.”
“I’m thankful for that!”
“Have you given more thought to what you want to do once we reach Yeti?”
She shrugged.“I’d like to bake pies.But if I need to do something different, then I’ll do it.I want us to do well financially, and it sounds like I’ll have a stove to pay for.”
He smiled.“Not really.I’ve already purchased it.But if you’re going to bake, you may want two stoves, and then you would need to purchase a second one.”
“I just might...”
Myrtle had started to look forward to her walks with Aaron in the evenings.They were difficult after walking all day, but she was learning a great deal about her new husband.
The others were already bedded down for the night when they returned to camp.It was their last night on this leg of the journey, and they were all exhausted and tired of walking the steep trail.
