The Whippoorwill Trilogy - Sharon Sala Page 0,177

a skinned squirrel on a stick.

“Lookee here! It’s squirrel stew tonight.”

“Good, I’m starving,” Letty said. “I’ve got the water already on boil.”

Eulis squatted down beside the pot. Without wasted motion, he hacked the squirrel into chunks, tossed a little salt into the pot and then pulled a handful of wild onions from his pocket and added them to the water.

“Wild onions,” he said, pointing to the small greens. “It’ll give it a little extra flavor, I reckon.”

Letty gave the stew a quick stir and then laid the spoon on a nearby rock as she stood. When she did, she noticed the mule was back at the wagon.

“Dang it, Eulis. You fed that mule some oats the other day and it’s turned into one big pest.” Then she waved her hands at the mule. “Shoo! Shoo! Get on with you!” she yelled.

Before she knew what was happening, the mule let out a squeal and began stomping in the dirt. Letty let out a squeal of her own and ran backward just as Eulis grabbed the mule’s ear.

“Here, now,” he said, trying to gentle it, then happened to look down. “Whoa!” he yelled, grabbed the mule and moved them both back. “Letty! Look at that! No wonder Rosy was doin’ all that stompin’. You nearly stepped on a rattler.”

Letty gasped. Eulis was right. There between the front and back wheels of the wagon was what was left of a fat brown diamond-back. She could see at least ten or twelve rattles on it and knew if the mule hadn’t reacted as she had, the rattler would have struck her dead.

“Oh lord, oh lord,” Letty said, and without thinking, walked backward then stumbled. She felt the heat, even as she was falling, and knew she was falling in the fire. In a panic, she twisted, hitting the ground hard and numbing her elbow on a rock. For a moment, she couldn’t move, and by the time she did, her skirt was on fire.

“Have mercy! Save me! I’m on fire!” Letty screamed and started scrambling, trying to get up.

Eulis raised up from beneath the wagon where he’d been removing the snake, and for a moment, was too startled to move. Then he saw the flames running up the hem of her skirt and bolted.

It was a gut reaction that made him grab for the stew pot hanging over the fire. It was full of hot water, skinned squirrel, and wild onions, and he tossed it at her backside. It dampened the flames, but the fabric was still smoldering. At that point, Eulis began kicking dirt on Letty, most of which landed in her face instead of on her skirt.

“Eulis! No… don’t… wait… let me… am I still—”

“Smokin’? Not much. Just hold still though while I make sure your bloomers ain’t burnin’.”

Letty gasped, and then choked as more dust went up her nose. Eulis bent down, swiped another handful of dirt onto what was left of her skirt, then began beating at it with the palm of his hand.

Nervousness added more power to his swat than he meant and his third thump brought tears to Letty’s eyes.

“Oow,” she yelped. “That hurt.”

“Sorry,” Eulis said. “I think the fire is out, but you still got yourself a problem.”

Letty stood up and started unbuttoning her skirt.

“No need to do that,” Eulis said.

“Why not?” Letty asked.

“Cause there ain’t nothin’ left of your skirt but what’s in front.”

Letty grabbed at her backside, felt nothing but bloomers and groaned.

“Oh no! Oh lord! It’s gone! My last dress! Skunked up the first one. Burned up the last.”

She stared at Eulis, as if waiting for him to say it was a mistake, but he was already abdicating the job of savior and vacating the premises.

“Eulis! Damn it! Where do you think you’re going?”

“Huntin’,” he muttered.

“Hunting? I nearly died and you’re going hunting?”

“Yes. For some more supper. I throwed that first squirrel on your butt.” He pointed at the graying lumps of meat that lay scattered in the dirt and ashes. “Reckon I’ll go shoot us another one before it gets too dark to see.”

“But, Eulis, I—”

“Look, Letty! You didn’t even know there was a rattlesnake at your feet till the durn thing was dead. Yes, you set yourself on fire, but it’s out. You didn’t die. You didn’t even get burned much. The world didn’t stop. I’m still hungry and all you’re missing is a skirt, so I’m gonna go get us another squirrel.”

He stomped off, leaving Letty to think about what he’d