Chapter 1
When I found out from Diablo that he was my father, I nearly fainted. I would have too, if not for the people who came into my room next. I saw my false mother from London, James, Charlie, David, David's mother Mary, Jonathan, Jack, Peter, Obediah, and Timothy! Grizzly Sam was still nowhere to be found. I had not seen him since Diablo's massacre on the Native American village where my true love had been slaughtered.
"Where did you all come from? How did you find me?"
"Diablo's men came and got us. We still don't know why though." James said first.
"Diablo is my father."
"Pardon?"
"He just barely told me that he is Samuel McGully, my father."
"You look nothing of the sort like the Samuel McGully that I remember." James said, not wishing the very person who had caused me so much grief by killing some of my loved ones on my long journey to be my true father and his friend.
"Uncle Samuel? I thought you were dead!" David spoke up next. "That had been why Father was called Samuel when he was born."
"Yes, David, I am he." Father said in answer to David's remark and question.
"You lost me when you said that Diablo was your father." Peter, Obediah, Timothy and Jack all said in unison nearly making me laugh.
"Before I answer any of your questions, Peter, Obediah, Timothy and Jack, I must know, what were your reactions when I was rescued from my hanging by Simon? The day that I died for a few minutes."
"You did die that day?" one of them asked.
"Yes. Could you just answer the question please?"
"We were in on it." Timothy spoke up first. "We knew that Simon would come in and rescue you just so that you could be brought to the doctor and poisoned later on. But, we did arrange for you to be rescued nearly getting us killed. We were about to be hung as well when Diablo's men killed Robert, the leader and took us with them, blindfolded until we got here anyway." he said all in one short breath.
"Wait a minute? Did you say that the leader's name was Robert?" Jack spoke up.
"Yes I did. Why, Jack? I thought that you knew what his name was."
"No, I did not know what his name was. What was his last name?"
"His last name was Campbell."
"That cannot be." Jack and I both said together. "That is Robert, Alan's grandson, from several years past."
"It must be. I know not why he went down that road of life though." Jack said sadly.
"Father, how did your men know what Jack, Peter, Obediah, Timothy, James, Charlie, Mary, David, my false mother from London and Jonathan look like without seeing them for such a long time or not even meeting them once without me telling you?"
"I followed you ever since you arrived in the Colonies. It just happened that you were there."
"How did you possibly know that it was me?"
"James had sent me a portrait of you when you were the age of twelve and told me that you would be arriving in seven weeks. It just happened that Thomas Gage was the gang leader to kidnap you. He is my brother."
"What? But he-but I-"
"I know that it is confusing for you right now, but I am sure that you will understand more with time."
"I hope that I will understand more with time. What did become of him anyway?"
"I know not. All that I know is that he was not with you after you got captured."
"Why is it that he has a different last name?" I said, suddenly realizing that they had different last names, though they were brothers.
"That is because he has a false name altogether." James spoke up.
"How do you know this?" Father and I said in unison.
"I did grow up with you both." said he addressing Father now. "When you left, Samuel, he and I got together. He said that he knew of somebody who could take care of William. When I told him that it had been taken care of already, he flew into a rage. The next thing that I heard of him was when he took William. I addressed him by his real name, David McGully, and all he said was that he knew no one by that name, and his name was Thomas Gage. We never saw eachother again after that encounter."
"Oh. That explains alot. One thing I want to know."
"What is that, William?"
"How do you not notice him when he is standing right behind you at the door, listening to every word spoken?"
"Huh?" the others all said in unison turning around. Sure enough, there he was, listening to our every word.
"Well done, William. You have such keen eyes, like your mother." Thomas said, clapping mockingly while stepping in the room.
"How did you get in here, Thomas? Surely, you could not have-"
"Gotten through your sleeping body gaurds? They are dead body gaurds now."
"What do you want?"
"William is all I need. The rest of you can die for all I care!"
"What do you want from me?"
"Simple. I want something that you have."
"What is that?"
"The thing that I want from you is- well, you will find out about it soon enough. Don't anyone of you move or I will shoot!" he said reaching for me. When he reached my bedside, however, he fell on top of me, for Obediah was on top of him. "I am serious, I will shoot!"
"Why, you don't even have a gun!" Obediah said as he dragged Thomas out of the room. When he came back, Thomas was hog tied. "Now, then, Mr. Thomas. You can tell us why you wanted William, or you cannot, it is your own choice." Obediah said setting him down on the floor.
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
"Okay, you asked for it!" Obediah said lifting his fist, ready to punch him square in the jaw.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you! The reason why I wanted him is because he is the only one who can tell me where his false father's gangs kept all their money after selling the children to those tribes! I want that money!"
"I don't know what you are talking about. He never said anything to me about that! Even if he did, I would not tell a single soul, living or dead except for the army as evidence!"
"Then I will just have to go to him myself and get it out of him!"
"No! You can't!"
"And why not?"
"Because he is dead!"
"Oh no he's not!" a voice said.
"Oh, yes he- Hey! Who said that?" I said confused for the voice threw me off. I just could not place it.
"I did! Back here!" Everyone turned to where the sound of the voice came from, which was the window, and, there before our very eyes was Grizzly Sam.
"Grizzly Sam? But, you aren't my false father!"
"I know. I am your father."
"But, Diablo said that he was my father!"
"He stole you from me back in London! Your false mother as you like to call her, is your real mother!"
"But, how is that possible? She was married to my false father."
"She wasn't really married to him. She planned to pretend to be married to him so that she could be near you all the time. We were going to send for you, but things did not turn out the way that I had planned. I sent for her, then we were to send for you but she was kidnapped before we met.in the Colonies and then you were as well."
"What? You lied to me?" I said now addressing Diablo, my now false false father.
"I can explain..."
"There is no need to!" I said getting up and walking ever so slowly toward him, causing him to back up all the way to the farthest wall of the room. "Wait, Grizzly Sam, how did you know it was me, or, for that matter, where to find us?"
"Simple, I tricked Thomas into believing that I was someone else and I joined up with him. He told me who he was and where he was going. It was then that I realized who he was, and I overtook his gang members."
"Yes, I knew that you looked familiar when I first laid eyes on you." James said.
"Yes, James. But I still have something that I must get off my chest with you."
"What is that?"
"Why did you give William up?"
"Well, as I said, I knew not a thing about babies."
"But did Susanna?"
"Yes."
"So, then, why give me up?"
"Well, after the loss of Charlie, I guess that I just could not handle to allow Susanna to take care of another baby, and have to give him up as well later on in his life to someone she did not know."
"She did know me. She is my sister." Grizzly Sam spoke softly.
"She's your what?" James asked, either unable to hear him, or just shocked at the news.
"My sister. She hadn't wanted you to know that she was my older sister, because she figured that you would not want to marry some one who was not only older than you, but the sister of your best friend."
"She had a crush on me at that age?"
"Yes. Every day she would go on about what she wanted your wedding day to be like, how many children you'd have, what their names would be, where you would live, and what animals you'd have."
"Wait a minute, James, if you and false father came here, then what became of Susanna?" I asked James suddenly realizing that I had not found out yet what happened.
"Oh dear! I did not think of that! I didn't even tell her where I was going or how long I would be gone! She must be mad!" James said; the wave of realization washing over him as well. "We must find out what became of her!"
"You're not going anywhere!" a voice sounded from a door that I had thought was a door to a closet. All eyes turned to look at the voice, and there was an army of a gang led by none other than Michael. At first, I thought that he was captured, but then I noticed that he was holding a gun aimed for my head. Then, I thought that he was joking, and began to laugh.
"Stop laughing, boy! There is nothing funny about this!" Michael screamed at me. I stopped immediately.
"What do you want from us, Michael? What happened to you?"
"I don't even know who anyone of you are, nor do I know this Michael fellow you're talking about."
"But, Michael, It's me, William Northrop. Don't you remember rescuing me from False Father all those years ago? Surely, if you are not him whom I speak of, then who are you in my home?"
"Who I am is of concern to nobody but myself, not even those in my gang."
"What do they call you then?" said I interrupting him for a few moments.
"That you need not know either. As for what I want from you, I only wish for hospitality for a week or two until the heat of my escape dies down or they go elsewhere to find me." I realized that we were indeed in a peck of trouble. He was much too secretive.
"And how do we know that we will be alive after this?"
"It depends. Will you obey my every command, or will you not?"
"What type of question would that be?" another spoke up shortly after, though I know not who, for my eyes were transfixed on the gun.
"The type of question that states that do what I want, or die."
"Wait a minute? Did you say that the leader's name was Robert?" Jack spoke up.
"Yes I did. Why, Jack? I thought that you knew what his name was."
"No, I did not know what his name was. What was his last name?"
"His last name was Campbell."
"That cannot be." Jack and I both said together. "That is Robert, Alan's grandson, from several years past."
"It must be. I know not why he went down that road of life though." Jack said sadly.
"Father, how did your men know what Jack, Peter, Obediah, Timothy, James, Charlie, Mary, David, my false mother from London and Jonathan look like without seeing them for such a long time or not even meeting them once without me telling you?"
"I followed you ever since you arrived in the Colonies. It just happened that you were there."
"How did you possibly know that it was me?"
"James had sent me a portrait of you when you were the age of twelve and told me that you would be arriving in seven weeks. It just happened that Thomas Gage was the gang leader to kidnap you. He is my brother."
"What? But he-but I-"
"I know that it is confusing for you right now, but I am sure that you will understand more with time."
"I hope that I will understand more with time. What did become of him anyway?"
"I know not. All that I know is that he was not with you after you got captured."
"Why is it that he has a different last name?" I said, suddenly realizing that they had different last names, though they were brothers.
"That is because he has a false name altogether." James spoke up.
"How do you know this?" Father and I said in unison.
"I did grow up with you both." said he addressing Father now. "When you left, Samuel, he and I got together. He said that he knew of somebody who could take care of William. When I told him that it had been taken care of already, he flew into a rage. The next thing that I heard of him was when he took William. I addressed him by his real name, David McGully, and all he said was that he knew no one by that name, and his name was Thomas Gage. We never saw eachother again after that encounter."
"Oh. That explains alot. One thing I want to know."
"What is that, William?"
"How do you not notice him when he is standing right behind you at the door, listening to every word spoken?"
"Huh?" the others all said in unison turning around. Sure enough, there he was, listening to our every word.
"Well done, William. You have such keen eyes, like your mother." Thomas said, clapping mockingly while stepping in the room.
"How did you get in here, Thomas? Surely, you could not have-"
"Gotten through your sleeping body gaurds? They are dead body gaurds now."
"What do you want?"
"William is all I need. The rest of you can die for all I care!"
"What do you want from me?"
"Simple. I want something that you have."
"What is that?"
"The thing that I want from you is- well, you will find out about it soon enough. Don't anyone of you move or I will shoot!" he said reaching for me. When he reached my bedside, however, he fell on top of me, for Obediah was on top of him. "I am serious, I will shoot!"
"Why, you don't even have a gun!" Obediah said as he dragged Thomas out of the room. When he came back, Thomas was hog tied. "Now, then, Mr. Thomas. You can tell us why you wanted William, or you cannot, it is your own choice." Obediah said setting him down on the floor.
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
"Okay, you asked for it!" Obediah said lifting his fist, ready to punch him square in the jaw.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you! The reason why I wanted him is because he is the only one who can tell me where his false father's gangs kept all their money after selling the children to those tribes! I want that money!"
"I don't know what you are talking about. He never said anything to me about that! Even if he did, I would not tell a single soul, living or dead except for the army as evidence!"
"Then I will just have to go to him myself and get it out of him!"
"No! You can't!"
"And why not?"
"Because he is dead!"
"Oh no he's not!" a voice said.
"Oh, yes he- Hey! Who said that?" I said confused for the voice threw me off. I just could not place it.
"I did! Back here!" Everyone turned to where the sound of the voice came from, which was the window, and, there before our very eyes was Grizzly Sam.
"Grizzly Sam? But, you aren't my false father!"
"I know. I am your father."
"But, Diablo said that he was my father!"
"He stole you from me back in London! Your false mother as you like to call her, is your real mother!"
"But, how is that possible? She was married to my false father."
"She wasn't really married to him. She planned to pretend to be married to him so that she could be near you all the time. We were going to send for you, but things did not turn out the way that I had planned. I sent for her, then we were to send for you but she was kidnapped before we met.in the Colonies and then you were as well."
"What? You lied to me?" I said now addressing Diablo, my now false false father.
"I can explain..."
"There is no need to!" I said getting up and walking ever so slowly toward him, causing him to back up all the way to the farthest wall of the room. "Wait, Grizzly Sam, how did you know it was me, or, for that matter, where to find us?"
"Simple, I tricked Thomas into believing that I was someone else and I joined up with him. He told me who he was and where he was going. It was then that I realized who he was, and I overtook his gang members."
"Yes, I knew that you looked familiar when I first laid eyes on you." James said.
"Yes, James. But I still have something that I must get off my chest with you."
"What is that?"
"Why did you give William up?"
"Well, as I said, I knew not a thing about babies."
"But did Susanna?"
"Yes."
"So, then, why give me up?"
"Well, after the loss of Charlie, I guess that I just could not handle to allow Susanna to take care of another baby, and have to give him up as well later on in his life to someone she did not know."
"She did know me. She is my sister." Grizzly Sam spoke softly.
"She's your what?" James asked, either unable to hear him, or just shocked at the news.
"My sister. She hadn't wanted you to know that she was my older sister, because she figured that you would not want to marry some one who was not only older than you, but the sister of your best friend."
"She had a crush on me at that age?"
"Yes. Every day she would go on about what she wanted your wedding day to be like, how many children you'd have, what their names would be, where you would live, and what animals you'd have."
"Wait a minute, James, if you and false father came here, then what became of Susanna?" I asked James suddenly realizing that I had not found out yet what happened.
"Oh dear! I did not think of that! I didn't even tell her where I was going or how long I would be gone! She must be mad!" James said; the wave of realization washing over him as well. "We must find out what became of her!"
"You're not going anywhere!" a voice sounded from a door that I had thought was a door to a closet. All eyes turned to look at the voice, and there was an army of a gang led by none other than Michael. At first, I thought that he was captured, but then I noticed that he was holding a gun aimed for my head. Then, I thought that he was joking, and began to laugh.
"Stop laughing, boy! There is nothing funny about this!" Michael screamed at me. I stopped immediately.
"What do you want from us, Michael? What happened to you?"
"I don't even know who anyone of you are, nor do I know this Michael fellow you're talking about."
"But, Michael, It's me, William Northrop. Don't you remember rescuing me from False Father all those years ago? Surely, if you are not him whom I speak of, then who are you in my home?"
"Who I am is of concern to nobody but myself, not even those in my gang."
"What do they call you then?" said I interrupting him for a few moments.
"That you need not know either. As for what I want from you, I only wish for hospitality for a week or two until the heat of my escape dies down or they go elsewhere to find me." I realized that we were indeed in a peck of trouble. He was much too secretive.
"And how do we know that we will be alive after this?"
"It depends. Will you obey my every command, or will you not?"
"What type of question would that be?" another spoke up shortly after, though I know not who, for my eyes were transfixed on the gun.
"The type of question that states that do what I want, or die."
Chapter 2
We did whatever Gang Leader asked of us. We gave him the name of Gang Leader, as he would not tell us his rightful God-given name, or anything else to call him for that matter. He had us doing hard labor like slaves. When we did not do as he wished or if we were too slow at doing what he wished, we got whipped. This went on for quite some time until a man by the name of Luke Dunnbee came to the rescue.
We were at hard labor in the house when he came along. I was sweeping the floor, the others were elsewhere around the cabin. One of them, I think David, was getting beaten for being sloppy at fetching water. I was in the front room, bending down to get a large piece of dust that the broom refused to pick up and there was a knock at the door.
"Well, don't just stand there gawking, Boy! Answer the door. Now!" Gang Leader said to me. He commenced to kicking me in the side hard enough to break my ribs when I did not do as I was told. Once my beating was done with, I got up, slowly now, and answered the door.
"Yes?" I said with a raspy voice after having no water for almost two days as punishment for attempting to run away for help.
"I am looking for a man. A deserter and a wanted criminal. Have you heard of him?" the soldier who was standing at the door said.
"No. I cannot help you."
"What happened to you?" he asked me when I began to close the door.
"I fell." I lied since Gang Leader was holding his gun to my face.
"You look like you just reciently went through a beating.
"Well, I did not. If there is nothing more, I ask you to go on your way. If you please."
"I have orders to search every house that I come to in search of any signs of beatings or the man."
"As you wish." I said stepping aside forgetting about the gun. It clicked, but there was no bullet and I realized that it was empty. Rather than loading the gun which would take several minutes, he hit me with the butt of it in the head. I dropped to the floor, grateful for rest.
I heard a scuffling of men as I was coming around. I must have been out for only a few minutes, for I was in the same room, same position as I had been when I fell. I looked up and saw the two men fighting on the dusty ground. I got up slowly and grabbed the gun. I saw that the gun had only jammed when Gang Leader had tried to shoot me, for there was a bullet still in the gun. I aimed the gun for Gang Leader and pulled the trigger. The soldier who had come to our rescue looked up at me bewildered. I dropped back down towards the floor, but he caught me before I hit the floor again. I was out cold once more.
When I came to, I felt a liquid of some sort trickling down my throat slowly. I tried to swallow, and nearly choked. The person with me was able to get it completly down, and my eyes opened slowly. I saw that I was in a tent of some sort, a doctor standing over me cleaning my wounds.
"Where am I?" I asked softly, for moving the slightest muscle hurt me far too much.
"Just settle down. Don't try to talk. You are going to be alright. Just get some sleep now." I did as I was told and fell into a deep sleep. I did not wake until several hours later. I was in a different tent on a cot. There were bandages all over me, and I saw that there was no one else in the tent with me. Or so I thought.
I began to get up, but two hands settled me back down. Looking up, I saw that it was the soldier who had come to our rescue.
"Settle down. I should say thank you." he said. "For saving my life." he added after I gave him a puzzled look.
"Where am I?"
"You are safe. My name is Luke Dunnbee."
"Where are the others?"
"Others?"
"The other captives and Gang Leader's men. Did you not search for them?"
"Yes I did, but there were no others. Just get some rest now. Nurse Flemming will be here with you when you wake." he said getting up to leave.
"Could I not give you descriptions of the others? Please?" I said stopping him in his tracks.
"Sure." he said, sitting back down with a parchment and pen. I discribed everyone, including the bandits and he left me. I soon was rested and very hungry. Nurse Flemming came in when I beckoned for her and fed me a meal of chicken broth and medicine for the wounds. She changed my bandages and I was left alone once more.
Chapter 3
Days went on like this for a few more weeks where I would ask if he had found them yet, telling him my story and such. Soon, I was well enough to walk around the outside, to build up my muscles. One day, Nurse Flemming and I walked to the corral and one horse caught my eye. He was older now, had a little bit more gray than I remembered, but it was definetly Midnight, my horse. Forgetting about the pain and bandages and warnings from Nurse Flemming of tripping and falling, I ran just as fast as I possibly could to my horse. I wrapped my arms gently around his neck, and fought off the urge to jump on him and run away. I could just barely hear Nurse Flemming shouting at me to step away from "that dangerous creature." When she saw that he was calm only around me, she ran and got Luke. At first he could not believe his eyes when he saw me standing there, hugging my best friend. He slowly came up to me and clasped my shoulder, causing me to wince in pain.
"Sorry, William. I did not mean to hurt you. Is this the horse that you told me of in your adventure?"
"Yes, and it is alright."
"I'm afraid he doesn't have that long to live."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that he has arthritus and other diseases that cannot be cured for horses. I am truly sorry."
"Could I walk him? Every day? To cure him? Please?"
"Well, it could not hurt to try, and you would get excersise as well."
"Thank you, Luke."
Sure enough within a few weeks, my Midnight was cured. I was very pleased, and so was Luke.
"Luke, now that I and Midnight are feeling better, and I am almost twenty-one years of age, when do you think that I would be allowed to leave, to find my friends and family on my own?"
"Whenever you please. Nothing is keeping you here, William."
"Thank you, Luke. I will leave in the morning, bright and early."
"Alright. I will see to it that you are given provisions and clothes and a saddle--"
"No saddle. Midnight and I prefer to go bareback."
"At least a blanket, for the night time when it is cold."
"Again, thank you. And you're welcome."
"For what?"
"Saving your life."
I did leave in the morning, as I said I would, before Dawn's rays kissed Earth in all her beauty. I was given provisions, and I embarked yet again to find the fates of my friends. Of my provisions, I was given a map leading me back to the cabin, food, water, a blanket and a shovel. It was only a day away and I on Midnight made it there in half a day. There was no one there and so I decided to look for any signs of people. Seeing none, I decided that it would be best for Midnight and I to stay for the night and we would search more in the morning.
Sure enough, in the light of the sun after breakfast, I saw human foot prints leading away from the cabin. They were headed north. I realized that that had been from the direction I came from, so I searched more, but found no more. I figured that they could have followed us for a while, then turned off somewhere along the way, so I, naturally followed my instinct and followed at a slow pace. Sure enough, they did turn west about halfway there. For around a day and a half, I followed the footprints with not a sign of anybody but the footprints. I had left most of my food and water back at the cabin thinking that I would find them in a few moments of my search.
An hour later, I was still going along the tracks with no sign when I gave up. I was turning around when I saw a lump just a mile away. Turning Midnight around again, we made it there in a fast run in about twenty minutes. I stopped Midnight, jumped down and kneeled next to the lump. I could not recognize what or who it was until I turned it on its back. Shocked, I fell back, for there, staring back at me, was none other than that of Jack. He was dead. I picked up the shovel from my pack and buried my friend after a short and sweet funeral. I covered it with rocks so that no wild animals could eat him, and embarked yet again on my treck. It was another day and a night before I came to the next body. This one was my mother also dead. I buried her in the same fashion as I had with Jack and went on. It took me a week before I found all the bodies of my friends and family except for one. "Let me see. I found Jack, Ma, Mary, Peter, False false father, Thomas, Peter, Obediah, Grizzly Sam ( this time I knew he was dead) and Timothy. There is still David. Sorry, boy. We must go on with little food unless we find something on the way." I said to Midnight. He winnied a reply, and I went to sleep.
In the morning, I set out yet again and came upon two sets of footprints, one was David's, the other was his captor. I followed the footprints day and night, night and day. Some days David looked strong and fearless. During the night, it seemed as though he was dragged or carried. The last day it seemed as though he was getting weaker and weaker, for he kept on falling to the ground until the captor carried him. The footprints soon became farther and farther apart as though in a run from something. Suddenly, Midnight came to a stop. I looked up and saw a small town only around twenty minutes away from where we were standing. Since the tracks led me that way, and we were out of food since the night before, I took it as a good opportunity to rest up, get more provisions and figure out where to go from there; if there were any tracks leading away from there, then we would follow, if not, we would search the entire town.
When we got there, we weren't welcomed as I had expected. In fact, there was nobody there. I searched the entire town and found that it seemed as the townspeople had desserted, though not too long ago, for there was still food that was good enough to eat there and the woodstove in the only diner was still a little warm. I could tell they had left town in a hurry because in the diner, there were still dishes from their menu on the tables. Why, there was money left on a table as though the person paid, left the diner, and the waiter left too quickly to pick it up. When I searched through one of the few houses, there were clothes all over the floors and beds. In one building, there was a dog there. Seeing that the dog looked hungry, I found him some food and left him be while I tried to search for anymore sign of human contact. Finding none whatever, I turned around and nearly tripped over the dog. I tried shooing him away, but to no avail. No matter where I went, he would follow. I decided to keep him with me since he would be good for hunting.
"You're going to need a name though, aren't you? Let's see here. Midnight, what do you think of the name of Ghosty?" Midnight winnied in agreement and the name stuck. It was a fitting name for the dog since he was found in a ghost town and the matted fur was white.
Sure enough, in the light of the sun after breakfast, I saw human foot prints leading away from the cabin. They were headed north. I realized that that had been from the direction I came from, so I searched more, but found no more. I figured that they could have followed us for a while, then turned off somewhere along the way, so I, naturally followed my instinct and followed at a slow pace. Sure enough, they did turn west about halfway there. For around a day and a half, I followed the footprints with not a sign of anybody but the footprints. I had left most of my food and water back at the cabin thinking that I would find them in a few moments of my search.
An hour later, I was still going along the tracks with no sign when I gave up. I was turning around when I saw a lump just a mile away. Turning Midnight around again, we made it there in a fast run in about twenty minutes. I stopped Midnight, jumped down and kneeled next to the lump. I could not recognize what or who it was until I turned it on its back. Shocked, I fell back, for there, staring back at me, was none other than that of Jack. He was dead. I picked up the shovel from my pack and buried my friend after a short and sweet funeral. I covered it with rocks so that no wild animals could eat him, and embarked yet again on my treck. It was another day and a night before I came to the next body. This one was my mother also dead. I buried her in the same fashion as I had with Jack and went on. It took me a week before I found all the bodies of my friends and family except for one. "Let me see. I found Jack, Ma, Mary, Peter, False false father, Thomas, Peter, Obediah, Grizzly Sam ( this time I knew he was dead) and Timothy. There is still David. Sorry, boy. We must go on with little food unless we find something on the way." I said to Midnight. He winnied a reply, and I went to sleep.
In the morning, I set out yet again and came upon two sets of footprints, one was David's, the other was his captor. I followed the footprints day and night, night and day. Some days David looked strong and fearless. During the night, it seemed as though he was dragged or carried. The last day it seemed as though he was getting weaker and weaker, for he kept on falling to the ground until the captor carried him. The footprints soon became farther and farther apart as though in a run from something. Suddenly, Midnight came to a stop. I looked up and saw a small town only around twenty minutes away from where we were standing. Since the tracks led me that way, and we were out of food since the night before, I took it as a good opportunity to rest up, get more provisions and figure out where to go from there; if there were any tracks leading away from there, then we would follow, if not, we would search the entire town.
When we got there, we weren't welcomed as I had expected. In fact, there was nobody there. I searched the entire town and found that it seemed as the townspeople had desserted, though not too long ago, for there was still food that was good enough to eat there and the woodstove in the only diner was still a little warm. I could tell they had left town in a hurry because in the diner, there were still dishes from their menu on the tables. Why, there was money left on a table as though the person paid, left the diner, and the waiter left too quickly to pick it up. When I searched through one of the few houses, there were clothes all over the floors and beds. In one building, there was a dog there. Seeing that the dog looked hungry, I found him some food and left him be while I tried to search for anymore sign of human contact. Finding none whatever, I turned around and nearly tripped over the dog. I tried shooing him away, but to no avail. No matter where I went, he would follow. I decided to keep him with me since he would be good for hunting.
"You're going to need a name though, aren't you? Let's see here. Midnight, what do you think of the name of Ghosty?" Midnight winnied in agreement and the name stuck. It was a fitting name for the dog since he was found in a ghost town and the matted fur was white.
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