“Earl, I’m a mite concerned fur you,” Lucy said.
“What’s that all about?” Earl asked.
“When you uns went off to the hunting cabin last time, there was a car I ain’t never seen before that went up that same way as you and the man driving favored Steve, the revenooer. I’m thinkin he follered you,” Lucy said.
“Well, I’m not goin to borry tomorrow’s problems to worry about today, Lucy. I’m glad you done told me and I will pay better attention, but nobody bothered us atall while we wus at the huntin cabin. We aim to spend the first couple of days up there this time huntin fur deer fur Donna’s family and us fur the winter, cuz we have to wait for the mash to ferment. We will keep our eyes peeled fur signs of our revenooer. I want you to keep the house locked up at night, just so nobody gets no ideas,” Earl replied.
That night when they went to bed, the Higgins said their family prayers on their knees in their living room just like always. Earl said, “Our family prayers is important. They keeps us together, however, each one of us needs to have a relationship with the Lord and should pray when we are by ourselves,too. It’s like we is a close family but sometimes Karen and Hattie talk about things among themselves and sometimes Ma and I talk about things among ourselves and that is called a relationship. So when you pray and talk to Jesus, that is a relationship.
That night when everybody went to bed, Hattie thought about what her Pa said about relationships and about what her mother had said about waiting to ask for Jesus to live in her heart and forgive her for the bad things she’d done and she made up her mind about something. Hattie pulled her quilt over her head for privacy and put her plan into action. Hattie prayed, “Dear Jesus, I love you. I want to be saved, but my Ma says I am too young. I know you said to honor your ma and pa, so I will do what she says, but I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry for the bad things I do and ask you to forgive me. I love you and I know you love me and I thank you for that. I am happy we are talking and that we have a relationship. I’ll talk with you tomorrow!” Hattie yawned really big. “In Jesus’ name I pray” Hattie pulled the quilt down around her neck and turned over and was asleep quicker than you can say fried hotcakes with syrup on top!
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Steve was gettin mighty tired of sleepin in his car. He started dreamin about after he made this big bust about his big promotion. He hoped he would get his own office and a new squad car. He might even get his picture in the newspaper. This was his chance for fame. Why, this would be the thing that would make Callie down in town notice him and start dating him and maybe even down the road, be his wife! Yes, this was the turning point in his life! He was so lost in his daydreams that he almost missed the Higgins heading up toward the still. What made him notice was when he started coughing because of the smoke from the burning oil! Steve started up his car and follered them.
Earl and the boys got to the huntin cabin early enough in the day to finish off the bunk beds and so they did. Their food was hung up in the tree because it was the hungry time of the year for bears. They only had a short time before hibernation would be upon them. A pot of beans was set on the fire since the team would be there for a few days. They fixed a mess of turnip greens with the turnips in them, cornbread with butter and some fresh corn from their garden back home. For the mattress on the bunkbeds, Lucy had sewn together two sheets for each bunk to where each one looked like a giant pillowcase and Timmy went out and gathered some long grasses to fill them. He overfilled them because the grasses would take up less room as they dried. In a couple of days, he would add more to each one.
The guys cozied up on their newly made bunks like they was a king in a palace and they slept like one too. Meanwhile, from his hiding place, Steve smelled the good food cooking and it made him madder than all get out! They was havin a nice hot meal and he was sleepin in his car eatin sandwiches again. He couldn’t risk startin a fire to cook. Earl’s team might spot it and his whole operation would be messed up! Next mornin, Steve woke to hearin shots fired really close to his car. Were the Higgins on to him and tryin to shoot him? Or were they tryin to scare him away?
