“Why, I told you. The caves are safe, completely safe. This spot is exposed . . . it’s dangerous.”
“Maybe. Rod, in the whole time we’ve been here, nobody has been hurt inside camp. We’ll put it to a vote, but you can’t expect us to abandon our houses and everything we have worked for to avoid a danger that may be imaginary.”
“Imaginary? Do you think that a stobor couldn’t jump that crummy barricade?” Rod demanded, pointing.
“I think a stobor would get a chest full of pointed stakes if he tried it,” Grant answered soberly. “That crummy barricade’ is a highly efficient defense. Take a better look in the morning.”
“Where we were you wouldn’t need it. You wouldn’t need a night watch. Shucks, you wouldn’t need houses. Those caves are better than the best house here!”
“Probably. But, Rod, you haven’t seen all we’ve done, how much we would have to abandon. Let’s look it over in the daylight, fellow, and then talk.”
“Well . . . no, Grant, there is only one issue: the caves are safe; this place isn’t. I call for a vote.”
“Easy now. This isn’t a town meeting. It’s a party in your honor. Let’s not spoil it.”
“Well . . . I’m sorry. But we’re all here; let’s vote.”
“No.” Cowper stood up. “There will be a town meeting on Friday as usual. Goodnight, Rod. Goodnight, Roy. We’re awfully glad you’re back. Goodnight all.”
The party gradually fell apart. Only a few of the younger boys seemed to want to discuss the proposed move. Bob Baxter came over, put a hand on Rod and said, “See you in the morning, Rod. Bless you.” He left before Rod could get away from a boy who was talking to him.
Jimmy Throxton stayed, as did Caroline. When he got the chance Rod said, Jimmy? Where do you stand?”
“Me? You know me, pal. Look, I sent Jackie to bed; she wasn’t feeling well. But she told me to tell you that we were back of you a hundred percent, always.”
“Thanks. I feel better.”
“See you in the morning? I want to check on Jackie.”
“Sure. Sleep tight.”
He was finally left with Caroline. “Roddie? Want to inspect the guard with me? You’ll do it after tonight, but we figured you could use a night with no worries.
“Wait a minute. Carol . .. you’ve been acting funny.”
“Me? Why, Roddie!”
“Well, maybe not. What do you think of the move? I didn’t hear you pitching in.”
She looked away. “Roddie,” she said, “if it was just me, I’d say start tomorrow. I’d be on the advance party.”
“Good! What’s got into these people? Grant has them buffaloed but I can’t see why.” He scratched his head. “I’m tempted to make up my own party you, me, Jimmy and Jack, the Baxters, Roy, the few who were rarin’ to go tonight, and anybody else with sense enough to pound sand.”
She sighed. “It won’t work, Roddie.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“I’ll go. Some of the youngsters would go for the fun of it. Jimmy and Jack would go if you insisted. . . but they would beg off if you made it easy for them. The Baxters should not and I doubt if Bob would consent. Carmen isn’t really up to such a trip.”
13 Unkillable
The matter never came to a vote. Long before Friday Rod knew how a vote would go about fifty against him, less than half that for him, with his friends voting with him through loyalty rather than conviction or possibly against him in a showdown.
He made an appeal in private to Cowper. “Grant, you’ve got me licked. Even Roy is sticking with you now. But you could swing them around.”
“I doubt it. What you don’t see, Rod, is that we have taken root. You may have found a better place . . . but it’s too late to change. After all, you picked this spot.”
“Not exactly, it . . . well, it just sort of happened.”
“Lots of things in life just sort of happen. You make the best of them.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do! Grant, admitted that the move is hard; we could manage it. Set up way stations with easy jumps, send our biggest huskies back for what we don’t want to abandon. Shucks, we could move a person on a litter if we had to using enough guards.”