Chapter 24
Sharps kept his emotions under wraps, but inside he was giddy as a boy on Christmas Day. He and Steve had to be cautious, even though the people they traveled with were nice enough—he’d learned not to trust too easily—but no one seemed to mind that they were sharing Steve’s sugan when they bedded down.
That first week on the road had set the tone, and they continued to push the mules as much as they dared. Every few days they’d find a place to hole up where they could water and grain their animals, and where everyone else could rest, hunt, and make whatever repairs were necessary to their equipment or the wagons.
Sharps had asked Frank to swap watches with him on a permanent basis, and in the evening, when Steve rode out for a final check of the area, Sharps would go with his
