Robert and Daniel sat near the fire. Most of the others in the group had gone to sleep. As the camp quieted down for the night, Robert could hear more of the night sounds he had grown accustomed to: the hoot of an owl, the chirping of crickets, the call of a loon on a distant lake, the scurrying of some small animal through the dry leaves on the forest floor. They had traveled a day’s ride from where the exchange had taken place. Kenton came out of the shadows and sat with them.
“You two ain’t very happy about this, are ya?” he said, looking from Robert to Daniel.
Neither responded.
“Ya both got family back home, right?”
“If ya mean back in Chalahgawtha, yeah, we do,” Daniel replied sullenly.
“Look, I’m sorry this had to happen to ya. But it jist may help your families back there. Lot
