Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing series which runs each Thursday morning titled the Richland Chronicles Volume 2, by author Paul Lintern. It is set in the summer of 1831 and tells the story of Richland County through the eyes of young people. This is the second in a three-book trilogy. Volume 1 was Amelia Changes Her Tune.

“Don’t bother to reach for anything, and don’t be too observant. We may spare your life. Go get the boxes, kid.”

Bo walked up to grab the first box.

“You won’t get very far, Jack. You either Tom, or Bo,” Samuel said.

“Your kid’s been talking, Zeiters,” Jack said.

“We know everything, you don’t want to go any further with this,” Samuel said.

“Or maybe we want to go all the way. Everybody, kneel down. Bo get their guns. Tom tie them up,” Jack said.

The four knelt down. Jack’s gun was trained on them, while Tom and Bo brought some rope.

“Two of them brought guns. We’ll use them first, so they can’t rush us,” Jack said. “I think it’s time you all make peace with your Creator.”

“That’s already done,” John said, “Now all that’s left is praying for you.”

“Make it a good one; it will be your last.”

How can they do this? It’s only money, and not even theirs. This makes no sense. It’s not fair.

Isaac struggled as Bo tied him up. When he finished, Tom and Bo backed up.

“Whenever you are ready boys. One, two…”

A shot rang out.

“Ow, my hands,” Jack screamed as he dropped his musket.

“The other guns are trained on your heads,” came a voice from behind the trees. You’re surrounded, now drop ’em.”

Mr. Osbun’s voice had never sounded better.

“Step back slowly, all three of you.”

Mr. Charles then emerged from a bush and yelled up the hill,“Everyone keep ’em trained on all three. I’ll untie the prisoners.”

John started chuckling, and Jacob joined in. Even Samuel, who was not in good humor, began to smile.

What I am missing here? Isaac thought.

Mr. Charles cut them loose and they immediately turned around and Jacob and Isaac grabbed the muskets while Samuel and John tied up Jack and Tom and Bo.

“All right, you can all come out,” Mr. Charles yelled.

And Mr. Osbun emerged from the brush. The ride to the county jail was a quiet one, with Jacob and Samuel in front with the boxes, and Mr. Charles and Mr. Osbun in back guarding the well-secured prisoners, while John and Isaac rode behind.

“We almost got away with it, but for that dumb kid there,” Jack said, referring to Isaac.

“You mean that dumb kid who escaped from your guard and took back his canoe and gun?” John said. “The one who caught you burying the stash, then brought us here and is riding free while you are heading to jail? That dumb kid?

“I wonder what that makes you?

“I know, dumb fool criminals,” John said, answering his own questions.

The sheriff was surprised to see the entourage, and glad to take the statements of each person there. It was well past dark by the time the men got Samuel and his life savings home, then made it back to the Inn.

They all decided to downplay what actually happened until a time when the womenfolk would not be so worried.

“That will be about 1871,” Jacob said, laughing.

While everyone was glad to hear that Samuel Lewis’ money was found, they also seemed ready for things to calm down.

“That’s enough bears and snakes and thieves for one summer,” Elizabeth said.

Mostly, calm ruled the rest of the summer. Amelia got better, went back to playing her fiddle, then returned to Boston, but not before Wolf Paw christened her “Snake Dance.”

Wolf Paw came back a few times with his grandmother and wolfed down many meals with the Zeiters family. On one trip, he brought Isaac a bearskin hat.

“Anthony’s not her choice,” Wolf Paw said.

Isaac smiled.

“And Margaret is not mine.”

Emily, who overheard, also smiled, but to herself. Mr. Lewis gave the boys a reward, $50 each, which John thought they shouldn’t accept, but Katherine said it would pay for a term at college. But first they would be happy for him to finish the eighth grade.

Earlier in the summer, Isaac would have asked to buy a new musket with his share. But now, he was thinking of his old one as a trusted friend. And John Zeiters was now his father, Isaac decided.

There is something about almost losing your life with someone that makes you see certain things as more important than you did before. Having the father he had was one of those important things.

“You ready for another adventure?” Isaac said to Wolf Paw, one crisp afternoon late in the summer.

“Where to now?”

“I don’t know – Boston, Kansas, Michigan – you name it.”

“Why that close? Why not Mexico or Prussia or Persia?” Wolf Paw said.

“Well, Olivesburgh would be fine with me,” Isaac said.

“Well that is different.”

“Things change,” Isaac said.

“Whatever we do, it ends up an adventure. You and me, a team of adventurers,” Wolf Paw said.

Isaac nodded, then stopped abruptly.

“What? What do you see?” Wolf Paw asked.

Isaac took three steps off the path and looked down.

“I don’t believe it,” Isaac said.

“What, Isaac, what is it?”

“Ginseng.”