worst. We need to keep looking.”
“Where else shall we look?”
“I think we should check at Cooper’s store. Sammy might have gone there to play with his cousins.”
“Do you think he’d do that without asking his mother?”
William shrugged. “I’m not a father yet, so I’m no expert on children, but I wouldn’t be surprised by anything Sammy might do. He’s always been a challenge for Sarah, and his curiosity has sometimes gotten him in trouble.”
“That’s true, but if he’d gone to the store to play with his cousins, wouldn’t Kelly or Mike have let Sarah know?”
William turned his hands palms up. “Not if they thought he’d gotten his mother’s permission to come over.”
“But surely they know Sarah would never allow Sammy to skip school so he could play.”
“Maybe he found something else to do during school hours and then went over to the Coopers’ later in the day.”
“Well, it’s worth checking anyway,” Betsy said. “Should we walk or go back home and get our horse and buckboard?”
“We may as well walk, because we’re at the end of town now, and it would take too much time to get the horse hitched to the buckboard.”
“You’ve got a point.” Betsy clasped William’s arm, and they hurried toward the store, which had been built close to the canal, and was only a short distance from the lock tender’s house.
When it came into view, Betsy noticed several children playing in the side yard near the Coopers’ house, which was connected to the back of their store. She didn’t, however, see Sammy among the children there.
“Should we check at the house or the store?” she asked William.
“Let’s start with the store, because I’m sure it’s still open.”
When they entered the store, they found Mike behind the counter, waiting on Patrick O’Grady, the town’s able-bodied blacksmith. Patrick, who was in his early thirties and still single, had wavy red hair and pale blue eyes—obvious traits from his Irish heritage. When they stepped up to the counter, he turned and gave them a nod. “I talked to Gus Stevens at the livery stable, and he said you gave a fine sermon last Sunday, Preacher,” Patrick said with a smile. “Gus said it got him to thinkin’ that he oughta spend less time worryin’ and more time prayin’.”
“I’m glad Gus took something away from the sermon,” William said. “I deliberated for a while on what I should preach last Sunday, but that was the sermon the Lord laid on my heart.” His brows furrowed above his finely chiseled nose. “We’d like to have you join us in church sometime, Patrick.”
“Maybe someday; we’ll see,” Patrick mumbled.
Betsy cleared her throat and nudged William’s arm. “Did you want to ask Mike about Sammy, or should I?”
William’s face turned red. “Oh, sorry. I forgot for a minute what we came here for. That happens to me sometimes when I’m talking about the Lord’s work.”
“What can I help you with?” Mike asked after he’d handed Patrick his purchases.
“Sammy’s missing,” Betsy said before William could even open his mouth. “His teacher said he didn’t go to school today, and William and I have looked all over town for him.”
“He’s probably sitting along the bank of the canal someplace with his fishin’ pole,” Patrick called over his shoulder as he headed out the door. “That’s what I used to do when I was his age.” The door clicked shut behind Patrick.
“Sammy’s not missing,” Mike said. “I know exactly where he is.”
A sense of relief flooded Betsy’s soul. “Where?”
“He’s walking the towpath, leading Elias’s mules.”
William’s jaw dropped, and Betsy sucked in her breath. “Are—are you sure about that?”
Mike gave a nod. “Elias and Sammy were in the store earlier, and Sammy told Elias that his mother gave her permission for him to lead the mules.”
Betsy clutched William’s arm. “Sarah did not give Sammy permission to
“Where else shall we look?”
“I think we should check at Cooper’s store. Sammy might have gone there to play with his cousins.”
“Do you think he’d do that without asking his mother?”
William shrugged. “I’m not a father yet, so I’m no expert on children, but I wouldn’t be surprised by anything Sammy might do. He’s always been a challenge for Sarah, and his curiosity has sometimes gotten him in trouble.”
“That’s true, but if he’d gone to the store to play with his cousins, wouldn’t Kelly or Mike have let Sarah know?”
William turned his hands palms up. “Not if they thought he’d gotten his mother’s permission to come over.”
“But surely they know Sarah would never allow Sammy to skip school so he could play.”
“Maybe he found something else to do during school hours and then went over to the Coopers’ later in the day.”
“Well, it’s worth checking anyway,” Betsy said. “Should we walk or go back home and get our horse and buckboard?”
“We may as well walk, because we’re at the end of town now, and it would take too much time to get the horse hitched to the buckboard.”
“You’ve got a point.” Betsy clasped William’s arm, and they hurried toward the store, which had been built close to the canal, and was only a short distance from the lock tender’s house.
When it came into view, Betsy noticed several children playing in the side yard near the Coopers’ house, which was connected to the back of their store. She didn’t, however, see Sammy among the children there.
“Should we check at the house or the store?” she asked William.
“Let’s start with the store, because I’m sure it’s still open.”
When they entered the store, they found Mike behind the counter, waiting on Patrick O’Grady, the town’s able-bodied blacksmith. Patrick, who was in his early thirties and still single, had wavy red hair and pale blue eyes—obvious traits from his Irish heritage. When they stepped up to the counter, he turned and gave them a nod. “I talked to Gus Stevens at the livery stable, and he said you gave a fine sermon last Sunday, Preacher,” Patrick said with a smile. “Gus said it got him to thinkin’ that he oughta spend less time worryin’ and more time prayin’.”
“I’m glad Gus took something away from the sermon,” William said. “I deliberated for a while on what I should preach last Sunday, but that was the sermon the Lord laid on my heart.” His brows furrowed above his finely chiseled nose. “We’d like to have you join us in church sometime, Patrick.”
“Maybe someday; we’ll see,” Patrick mumbled.
Betsy cleared her throat and nudged William’s arm. “Did you want to ask Mike about Sammy, or should I?”
William’s face turned red. “Oh, sorry. I forgot for a minute what we came here for. That happens to me sometimes when I’m talking about the Lord’s work.”
“What can I help you with?” Mike asked after he’d handed Patrick his purchases.
“Sammy’s missing,” Betsy said before William could even open his mouth. “His teacher said he didn’t go to school today, and William and I have looked all over town for him.”
“He’s probably sitting along the bank of the canal someplace with his fishin’ pole,” Patrick called over his shoulder as he headed out the door. “That’s what I used to do when I was his age.” The door clicked shut behind Patrick.
“Sammy’s not missing,” Mike said. “I know exactly where he is.”
A sense of relief flooded Betsy’s soul. “Where?”
“He’s walking the towpath, leading Elias’s mules.”
William’s jaw dropped, and Betsy sucked in her breath. “Are—are you sure about that?”
Mike gave a nod. “Elias and Sammy were in the store earlier, and Sammy told Elias that his mother gave her permission for him to lead the mules.”
Betsy clutched William’s arm. “Sarah did not give Sammy permission to
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