The "cabin" turned out to be an old lodge, looking very small from outside, but actually large inside. The front door opened up into a long room, like one in a Yeoman's House, with a large fireplace at the west end. A kitchen was tucked in behind the fireplace. On the opposite side of the room, at the east end, a winding staircase, narrow and wooden, scrolled up to the next floor, which was a huge open room, like a school dormitory. Six smallish wooden single beds without bedding lined one side of the wall, while windows on the opposite wall faced out to the grassy circle outside. On the far side was a separate bathroom, with Victorian fittings, and a separate toilet. One adult sized single bed stood separated by a screen on the east side of the room. Jamie thought it looked like an old hospital bed,
Two large armoires stood like giant guards on either side of the washrooms, and one could just make out linens in one. On top of the armoires, again, like a school dorm, several old leather suitcases were piled on top of each other. The entire room felt and looked like an old summer camp for boys, which it had been. Father James, one of six children, all boys, spent his summers here in this house built by his grandparents in the 1870s.
Dust lay everywhere. There was an old wood burning stove, which was set above the fireplace below. That stove had been considered an improvement after the First World War.
In the second armoire lay stacks of sports equipment, tennis rackets, a badminton set, a croquet set, ice skates of various sizes, (all boys), a very old baseball bat and an equally old cricket bat. Thomas went over and began rummaging through the things, but his sister lay on top of one of the bare mattresses and instantly fell asleep. Jamie whispered to Tammy, who was walking, but limping, "Let us get this room cleaned up so some of us can sleep here." So, the women got to work and Father James brought Thomas downstairs. As it was September in the north country, Joe and Casey had used some of the wood in a lean-to outside to start a fire. The chimney seemed clean enough and was drawing the smoke up nicely.
Casey began to organize the kitchen, when a loud howl stopped all work. Thomas clung to Father James. "Wolves. They come when the fires start for a few days and then go away. One year, when we were cooking steaks, Dad and Uncle Carl had to go out and scare them away with rifle shots. They smelled the meat."
Joe smiled. "Well, they would not like this meat," and he pulled some beef jerky out of his knapsack.
Casey found four oil lamps with oil and put two down on the floor in the "long room" as it christened, and brought two upstairs. Not only the little girl, but Tammy was sound asleep on the newly made beds.
"Just leave one up here," Jamie whispered. And, she followed Casey down the staircase.
Father James passed out food and drink, when Joe interrupted. "I found coffee and tea in the kitchen. When was the last time anyone vacationed here, Father?"
Father looked sheepishly. "After we decided on Vermont, I came back here and stocked some things. I wish I had time to do more, but there is coffee, tea, sugar and powedered milk to last months. And, cookies." Thomas smiled, but a big yawn caused Jamie to suggest that he would go upstairs to bed. She led him back up, while Joe and Casey took out blankets and laid them on the long room floor.
"Father, you sleep upstairs on the one adult bed up there. We two shall take turns guarding this place. Please, Father, you look worn out."
Father knelt on the floor. "Do you know think we should stop and give thanks for our safe trip and deliverance?" All three men knelt and prayed. Then, Father blessed them. "I may come back down. As you can imagine, I am not used to sleeping in the same room with, well, family."
They laughed and said goodnight. Joe looked into the fire, which was dying down. "Casey, this is a strange place, like a house in a time warp. But, it has a good feel to it, despite the wolves."
Casey agreed, and said he would take the first watch. Joe, who had not slept since they all had left the city, rolled over in his sleeping bag with an extra blanket underneath him and immediately fell asleep.
In the dim light, Casey took out his rosary and began the first of the four mysteries he would say, partly in devotion, and partly to stay awake.
Casey heard a Northern Saw-Whet Owl in the distance, and another answer. This seemed a good sign to him. Then, over the trees, he heard the wind pick up in the firs and pines, making these stalwart trees sway and bow. A storm was coming. How odd, that even in this darkness, rain would come. Casey looked at his watch. It was three a.m. He drank some black coffee and started his first decade just as the storm broke. "Good," he thought. "Any footprints we may have made will be washed out."
He turned the gas down on the two lamps and they sputtered and went out. All was dark. But, through the large window facing the grassy circle in front of the house, Casey saw a remarkable site. It was the moon, white and full, piercing through the odd darkness.
"They will not keep us down forever, " he thought. He heard Father James on the stairs, bringing his sleeping bag and blankets downstairs. "Mind if I join you?" Casey nodded. "We can take turns on the decades, " said Father.
To be continued...
