JULY 12, 1861

Jedidiah had followed the wagon tracks that presumably Cody had trailed. Unfortunately, it got really dark and with no moonlight, Jedidiah couldn't see the wagon tracks any longer, so he decided to head to the nearest town. Jedidiah arrived in Two Forks by mid morning hoping that Cody and Jacy would be there. Unfortunately, neither one was there. Some how he must have missed them on the trail, or they had went a different way, or they had doubled back and were both home by now. He hoped it was the latter one because he was very tired. He had hunted for Jewel in the woods yesterday, and then had to go back in and hunt for Jacy. The hunt yesterday and riding all night had worn him out.

He stepped down out of his saddle, and went into the restaurant. He had breakfast, and it perked him back up. He took Joker over to the stables and had the owner feed and water him. While Joker was being taken care of, Jedidiah went over to the sheriff's office. He gave the sheriff a description of Cody and Jacy in case they happened to end up here after he had left. He returned to the livery stable and mounted Joker. He retraced his steps from the previous night, but when he came to the fork in the road he inspected the trail and concluded that no wagon or horse had went that way recently. So he continued back towards Dreamville. By late afternoon he came upon the wagon tracks again. He noticed that they veered off the path. If there had been light last night then he would have noticed it.

When Jedidiah came upon the wreckage, he saw Cody pinned under the wagon and Jacy laying farther down the ravine. She was in an awkward position and not moving. He swung down off of Joker, and running and sliding most of the way down to his sister; he stopped and looked down at her. He hadn't even paused to check Cody. He was more concerned for Jacy. He went around to the other side and gently pushed her over onto her back. He lifted her head up onto his lap. Besides a few cuts and bruises to the face and arms, he didn't see anything seriously wrong with her. He cupped her chin and turned her head from side to side. "Jacy, Jacy, please wake up. Come on sis, it's me, Jedidiah, your brother. Wake up now." Her eyelids fluttered. "That's it Jacy, wake up." Jacy's eyes finally focused and she could see her brother leaning over her.

What had happened? "Where's Cody?" Jacy inquired.

"He's pinned under the wagon. What happened? No, never mind, you can tell me later. First things first, we need to get you home. Can you stand? Do you hurt any where?"

Jacy shook her head and then begin to move her legs. They felt ok. With her brother's help, she got to her feet. Holding onto her, Jedidiah walked her up to Cody. Jedidiah picked up the canteen lying next to Cody. He shook it and then turned it up. It was empty. Jacy knelt down to Cody and removed his hat from covering his face. She tried to wake him, but her urgings failed.

Jedidiah climbed back up the ravine and got his canteen. He brought it back down and let Jacy have a drink. Her lips were parched from the heat that she had suffered all day since she had been unconscious. Her arms had some sunburn to them, and her face probably would have been sunburned, too, except that her long hair had covered the side of her face that would have been exposed to the sun's rays.

The blanket that Jacy had covered Cody with had prevented him from getting sunburned. And if it hadn't been for Cody's hat that he had placed over his face then it would have been sunburned also. Jedidiah touched Cody's face and it was burning up. He needed to get both of them to a doctor as soon as possible. Cody more so than Jacy because she seemed to be doing all right. But first they had to get Cody out from under the wagon. Jedidiah put the canteen to Cody's lips and poured a little bit in his mouth. Soon Cody was awake and trying to guzzle as much water as Jedidiah would let him. Jacy was relieved to see that Cody was awake.

Jacy explained to Jedidiah what had happened, and then Jedidiah hooked Joker and Trixsy to the wagon and had them pull it up while Jacy pulled Cody out from under the wagon. Jedidiah backed the horses up and let the wagon back down to its original position. Now he had to figure out how to get Cody back to Dreamville. He probably wouldn't be able to ride. He walked over to Jacy and Cody.

"How are we going to get Cody home?" Jacy frowned because she knew Cody couldn't ride.

"That's what I was just trying to figure out." He said.

Jedidiah went to work making a stretcher by tying big branches together and wrapping some blankets around them. He then hitched it to Joker, and then with Jacy's help they carried Cody up to the top of the ravine and then lowered him onto the stretcher. Jedidiah helped Jacy mount Trixsy after she brought her to the top of the ravine. Then he mounted Joker and they headed for Dreamville. On their way home, he saw Jake's dead body. Ironic that he should die close to the spot where he had his accident not so long ago with his little sister, Melissa. He felt no remorse for the cruel man and was glad that he was dead. Now he couldn't hurt anybody any more.

Because Jedidiah couldn't travel as fast since he had the stretcher hooked to Joker, several times he had contemplated sending Jacy on ahead to get the doctor and have them meet at StarShine Haven, but every time he looked back at her, he knew she was in no condition to ride alone. He wasn't even sure how much longer she could stay in the saddle. Miraculously she didn't fall out of the saddle once, and by the time they arrived at StarShine Haven it was late evening.

Melissa and Jewel came running out to meet them. Instantly Jedidiah sent Melissa to get the doctor. By the time Daniel arrived, Jedidiah and Jewel had got Cody and Jacy into bed. Jedidiah was tending to Cody in one of the guest rooms, and Jewel was spoon-feeding Jacy some soup.

Daniel was amazed to see that Jacy had a sister, a twin sister, but he was more concerned about his patients to say anything about it. He diagnosed Jacy with dehydration and put some ointment on her cuts. Her cuts and bruises would heal soon enough, and lots of liquids would take care of her dehydration.

Cody's healing process would take a little longer. He had two fractured knees, so he wouldn't be walking for a while. He was very dehydrated, and he had several cuts and bruises that were very minor compared to the fractured knees. He also had a slight concussion due to blow to his head from the rock or from falling underneath the wagon or from both. Mostly rest and good food would take care of his minor ailments. As for his legs only time would tell if he would be able to walk again. Daniel wrapped Cody's legs up as best he could. And he left firm instructions for Cody not to move around cause it could injure his legs more.

Jedidiah saw Daniel to the door and thanked him. "I'll be back tomorrow to check on them." Daniel said as he stepped out of the house.