activa-t Chapter 124 The Rainy Season!
Chapter 124 The Rainy Season!
Chapter 124 The Rainy Season!
The air froze for a few seconds.
Margaret spoke calmly from the side, as if remarking on the fine weather: "Send him another telegram. Say," she paused, then clearly uttered a few words, "that James is dead. Come quickly to care for the widow and her children."
"6
James suddenly turned to look at his wife, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Margaret met his gaze and added in a completely flat tone, "Or, to put it another way, Margaret is dead too. Come quickly and take care of these orphans."
puff!
Tom and Elsa, who were standing nearby, almost choked.
Good guy!
After sending a telegram, both parents died on the spot, leaving the siblings orphans!
Ultimately, under his mother's insistence, Tom had no choice but to bite the bullet and send the telegram!
Days passed, but the telegram seemed to have sunk without a trace, and there was no response.
Gradually, Tom forgot about it.
Early that morning, the sound of horses' hooves shattered the tranquility of the valley.
The foreman led a dozen or so strong men, who arrived in Paradise Valley covered in dust.
The group looked at each other, puzzled.
"The rainy season is just around the corner!" The foreman looked at James and then said, "Let's build you a wooden house to get through this period!"
These words were like a bucket of cold water, sending a chill down everyone's spine!
The rainy season! It's coming soon!
Fortunately, last winter was freezing, but the weather was kind enough that the rainy season is expected to arrive later, giving us a little breathing room.
"How do you plan to live in the house?" The contractor looked around and his gaze fell on James, the head of the household.
James remained silent and looked at his wife, Margaret.
Margaret stepped forward, speaking clearly and rapidly: "A big log cabin, four bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen! We also need to build another one for the cowboys! We can't skimp on storage; we have so much stuff, we can't let it all get soaked in the rain!"
After she finished speaking, her gaze returned to James.
James then added in a deep voice, "The livestock shed, the hay shed."
Wade, standing to the side, chimed in, "We need to build more livestock sheds! It gets damp when it rains, so we need to rotate the sheds. And the ground," he stamped his foot on the mud, "should be covered with a thick layer of dry hay to absorb moisture!"
Wade noticed James listening intently, and unconsciously straightened his back a little, adding more quickly, "Remember, feed them hay on rainy days! As soon as the sun comes out, immediately rush out to graze on the green grass! Wet grass will cause bloating and can be fatal! The best time is in the morning!"
They then discussed with James how to store the hay.
The foreman quickly jotted it down, adding a reminder: "Okay! We also need to dig a few shallow wells for you, just in case! Remember, the rainy season lasts at least a month, so make sure you have plenty of firewood!"
James nodded emphatically.
Tom seized his opportunity and squeezed forward: "The drainage ditch must be dug!" He then pointed to the muddy ground under his feet, "And we need to pave the walking areas with stones! Otherwise, when it rains, half a leg can sink into this place!"
"Got it!" the foreman replied readily.
Seeing that there were no further objections, the foreman waved his hand and shouted, "Start work!"
In an instant, the sounds of sawing wood, hammering, and a deafening explosion filled the air!
The framework of the simple wooden house was erected at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Not far away, the well-drilling workers also grabbed their pickaxes.
Tom wasn't idle either. He grabbed his tools, called over a few helpers, and rushed towards the edge of the ranch.
The fence work can't wait!
The rainy season has arrived as scheduled!
The villagers had already built cattle sheds on high ground to protect the cattle from the direct impact of the torrential rain.
On the high ground on the north bank of Paradise Valley, several simple wooden houses have sprung up.
In summer, there's no need to worry too much about the temperature; being able to shelter from the wind and rain is enough.
Each path is paved with stones and pebbles to ensure it stays clean even on rainy days.
The well has been dug, so at least we can drink clean well water when it rains heavily.
Boom!
A thunderclap rang out in the night sky, waking the sleeping people.
Little John's eyes hadn't even opened yet, but his mouth was already agape in fright.
Tom reacted quickly and covered his ears.
"Go to sleep, you'll get candy when you wake up tomorrow!"
The sweet candy seemed to have a magical power, making even the thunder outside the window sound less frightening.
The thunder gradually subsided, and then a dense pelt of raindrops began to pound on the roof.
It's raining!
No one expected that the rainy season would arrive quietly in the middle of the night!
Fortunately, the deep drainage ditches were already in place, and the rainwater flowed downstream along the ditches.
The river channel has been cleared, and some of the dikes have been raised. How much they will help depends on the weather.
Tom often thought that there weren't many days in Montana when he could actually get a proper job.
Excluding the long, cold winters and endless rainy days, if you count all the time, you're lucky if you have four months of golden time a year.
Fortunately, the rain won't last forever.
Taking advantage of the clear weather after the rain in the morning, everyone hurriedly let the cattle out of the shed to get some fresh air.
All the doors and windows of the shed were opened to allow for ventilation and dispel the dampness, thus preventing the growth of bacteria and reducing the risk of disease in the cattle.
"Are you going out?" Tom frowned slightly when he saw Elsa put on her raincoat. "It's too humid outside, let's stay inside."
Elsa fastened her raincoat belt without looking up: "The rain has stopped, I'm going out for some fresh air."
"The ranch has enough manpower; they can handle the cattle herding!" James chimed in from the side.
More than four hundred cattle and five or six cowboys are more than enough.
"Tom! I want to go out too!"
Little John was making a fuss, but he wasn't actually looking for fresh air; he clearly wanted to play in the water!
The little guy was quick on his feet and almost plunged into the river several times, for which he was often scolded by his mother, and the worst time he was even beaten.
Since then, John Jr. has had to be accompanied by a "guardian" whenever he goes out in the rain.
And the "guardian" who didn't keep an eye on him and played in the water with him—that's right, Tom—also got scolded!
The mother's meaning was clear: Tom, if you don't keep a close eye on little John and something goes wrong, you'll both be held accountable!
"Can you promise you won't play in the water?" Tom reminded him impatiently.
"No!" the little guy puffed out his chest and answered confidently.
Tom was furious and was about to grab his ear and give him a good "lecture" when little John's eyes lit up and he set his sights on Elsa, who was pushing open the door.
"Elsa! Take me out!" Little John's voice was so sweet it could kill.
"No!" Elsa's answer was even more decisive than slamming a door shut, and her figure disappeared into the fine rain in the blink of an eye.
Little John's hopes were utterly dashed, and his lips trembled.
Tom had no choice but to resort to his ultimate weapon: his mother, Margaret.
The little one met his mother's calm yet stern gaze and instantly wilted, blinking his big eyes and whimpering, "I—I won't go out to play in the water—"
This agonizing rainy season was endured, stumbling and struggling, amidst the incessant sound of rain.
No one expected that the rainy season would arrive so abruptly and retreat as if it had been cut off by a single stroke!
When the workers were finally able to return to Paradise Valley to resume work, a few hushed comments drifted to Tom's ears: "This year's rainy season was far too short, wasn't it?"
"There will be a drought!"
The word "drought" was like two cold pebbles, crashing into Tom's heart!