A Dream to Follow by Lauraine Snelling

the hoops and reached down for his hat, only to get a nose swipe from Paws. Thorliff came up wiping his nose and glaring at his brother, who’d lost his skirmish against laughter.
    Paws leaped from one boy to the other, yipping his delight at having them home again.
    “You’d think he was still a pup the way he carries on.” Thorliff thumped the dog on the ribs and settled his hat back on his head. “You want the horses or the oxen?”
    “I’ll take the oxen. Pa said for you to go on over to Onkel Lars’s section.”
    “All right.” Thorliff backed the horses on either side of the sulky and hooked the traces. “See you later.” He started to cluck the team forward but looked over his shoulder to Andrew instead. “You seen Baptiste lately?”
    “No, but Metiz was on her way to the store when we came home from school. Mor is at the boardinghouse.”
    Metiz, who was old when the Bjorklunds met her soon after they located land to homestead, was half Lakota Sioux and half French Canadian. Her grandson, Baptiste, had grown up with Thorliff, the two fast friends. Baptiste had learned what he needed and left school as soon as he could.
    Thorliff nodded. Tonight he’d suggest Pa hire Baptiste to help plow during the day. Although why they hadn’t already done that was beyond him. Or Sam from the blacksmith, if he wasn’t working for someone else.

    Burning the midnight oil took on new meaning for Thorliff as he struggled to finish his commitments to school, keep up with his share of work on the Bjorklund farm, and eke out a bit of writing. He collapsed into bed long after the rest of the family slept and woke up tired.
    “What time did you blow out the lamp last night?” Ingeborg asked as she set a plate of ham and eggs in front of him.
    “I don’t know.” He rubbed his eyes and scrubbed a hand over his hair. “I’ll be glad when school is over. That is all.” He shoveled in the food and pushed back his chair. “Mange takk.”
    Ingeborg walked with him down the steps. “Have you filled out the forms for St. Olaf yet?”
    “No. No time. Besides, I know we can’t afford that, and you know how Far feels. How can I go against him?”
    “You let me deal with your far. You fill out the papers and send them in. Somehow this will all work out.”
    That afternoon Thorliff stayed after school long enough to finish the forms he’d started to fill out during the day. From there he ran over to the store and handed his envelope to Mr. Valders, who helped his aunt Penny in the store when she needed to be gone.
    “All the womenfolk are over at the boardinghouse.” Mr. Valders reached for the letter. “That’ll be two cents for the stamp.”
    Thorliff dug in his pocket and laid a nickel on the counter. “The mail hasn’t gone yet, has it?”
    “Didja hear the train come?” Mr. Valders asked, handing Thorliff his change.
    Thorliff shrugged. “Sometimes I don’t pay no attention.”
    “Well, it should be here right soon. Your mor need anything?”
    “Not that I know. Thanks.” Thorliff headed back out the door and broke into a run, leaping off the porch, hanging on to his porkpie hat with one hand until he snatched it off his head and pelted down the lane. Fields awaited him.

    “Thorliff, wake up.” Andrew shook his brother’s shoulder the next day in class.
    Thorliff raised his head from his arms. He blinked, then shot upright. “Sorry.” He could feel his face flaming as one of the other students giggled. He’d fallen asleep at school, his head on the desk. He glanced up to see Pastor Solberg shaking his head.
    “You have been burning the candle at both ends and the middle too, I’m afraid.”
    Thorliff could do nothing but nod. Of course he was right, but what else could he do?
    That night when Andrew blabbed about the incident at the supper table, Thorliff wanted to reach over and smack him. “Hush!” He put as much authority into a whisper as possible.
    Haakan studied his eldest son. “Are you