Mysterious Signal Read Free Page A

hair and blue eyes, he looked like Caleb’s younger brother.
    Finally in the gray light before dawn, Caleb took Peter’s slate. After losing his hearing through brain fever, Peter had learned sign language at the school for the deaf in Jacksonville, Illinois. Now Libby and Caleb were learning sign language from him. The slate helped them explain things they didn’t know how to sign.
    Using the shortcut words he and Peter had worked out between them, Caleb explained about Jordan and his daddy. Then he pointed to the depot and wrote, “Telegram. Libby’s pa.”
    Along the street no one moved. In the half-light Libby heard only the twittering of birds. Then Caleb slung his knapsack onto his back, and Peter did the same.
    “Let’s go.” For the first time all night, Caleb spoke aloud.
    Just hearing his voice made Libby feel better. Anxious to get moving, she tossed her head and her long auburn hair swung about the knapsack on her back. Libby thought about what was inside—a change of clothes, needle and thread, sewing scissors, packets of food, drawing paper and pencils.
Am I ready for whatever lies ahead?
    Then Libby knew.
If I’m not, there’s no turning back. No second chance
.

CHAPTER 2
Peter’s Fear

    C aleb, Libby, and Peter stepped out. Their watchfulness while racing through the darkness, then waiting for dawn, had been worth it. They seemed to have succeeded in getting away from any slave catcher who might follow them to find Jordan and Micah Parker.
    “I can’t believe it!” Libby exclaimed. “Jordan and his daddy are safely on their way in the wagon. We can walk down the street without wondering if someone will know that they’re fugitives.”
    Libby took a deep breath, just enjoying the fresh air, still cool with the morning. Thinking about how everything had suddenly turned out all right, she laughed aloud. “Not only are Jordan and his daddy together. We have the stolen money!”
    But Caleb was more cautious. “You mean we know where the money is. We don’t have it in the right places. The money from Jordan’s church isn’t safe till he turns it over to John Jones in Chicago. And we still need to get your pa’s money to Galena by August fifteenth.”
    Libby knew exactly what Caleb was saying. Galena was in the northwest corner of Illinois, while they were still near the center of the state. For two weeks they had tried to stay aheadof the clock to find money stolen from Libby’s father, who was captain of the steamboat
Christina
. But now Libby felt impatient with Caleb. She didn’t want anything to spoil her excitement about all the good things that had happened.
    Though only a few inches taller than Libby, Caleb walked faster. Just then he reached for Peter’s slate. While still walking, Caleb tried to write. Finally he gave up and stopped long enough to scribble, “I hope we hear from Libby’s pa. That would make it much easier to find each other.”
    Holding up one hand, Peter wiggled his fingers. “See?” Because he could hear until he was seven, Peter knew how to speak. “It’d be easier if you learned to spell with your fingers. You can talk even when you walk.”
    Caleb grinned, returned the slate, and set out again. With Libby and Peter half running to keep up with Caleb’s strides, they hurried the rest of the way to the Springfield train depot.
    Libby’s thoughts leaped ahead, even more quickly than her feet. “Can you imagine what Pa will think when he hears our story?” she asked Caleb. “I can’t wait to give him the stolen money and see him pay off that loan!”
    Caleb’s blue eyes held a warning. “If we don’t find your pa, he won’t get to Galena by Saturday. He’ll lose the
Christina
!”
    Again Libby pushed aside Caleb’s words. “That’s five days. Pa will make it in time. I know he will. We’ll find him. We’ll give him the money, and everything will be all right.”
    “If nothing else goes wrong.”
    Like a clanging bell, Libby heard the words