The Teacher's Star

look for us much before five. I’ll need to prepare lessons after school, and I have a meeting with a parent.” Then a thought came to her. “Oh, and I have to explain to the Pettigrew sisters that Eenie is no longer boarding with them.”
Yesterday, they’d decided that she would try traveling to the school and back each day. It would take about forty-five minutes each way, less if she rode the horse. Yet, for this first week she’d try it, and definitely not by horseback. That was, as long as the weather held.
He nodded. “Eenie can go to the livery and watch the horses while you work.”
At her skeptical look, he hurried to reassure her. “Really, Paps Johnson doesn’t mind, and she’s done it before.”
She nodded, still doubtful. “Well, it’s a plan then.”
Everyday life had started for their family.

Chapter 8
“How come the teacher and you got the same last name now?”
School was done for the day, and Ben and Annie walked with Eenie as she headed for the livery. Her mother had reminded her to wait until Paps Johnson gave her permission to enter the business. She already knew that but didn’t want to make her mother angry, so she promised her she would.
Now, Annie asked the question about names. Before Eenie could answer, Annie’s brother spoke up.
“Don’t you know anything? It means Eenie’s pa married the teacher.” Ben’s tone let his sister know he didn’t think she was very smart.
Annie stuck out her tongue. “I am so smart. You stop being mean.”
Eenie watched them and promised silently that she’d be nice to her little brother or sister when she got one. Now that she had a mother, maybe she’d get a little sister to play with. She liked babies.
“Yeah, my pa got her as my new ma. We’re a family now. We just need money so Pa don’t have to run around for his work.”
Ben asked a question this time. “Why does he run around? Is it so he can sell his horses?”
Eenie shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s so we can get money, I think.”
A wagon caught Ben’s attention and Eenie’s father was forgotten quickly. “Hey, let’s go spy on the cobbler. Our ma says he’s odd cuz he won’t fix anyone’s shoes.”
The two younger girls followed behind him. Hiding at the edge of a building near the back of the wagon, Ben hushed the giggling girls and waited.
Jubal Yarborough sat hunched inside his wagon, looking at a paper. His lips mumbled as he ran his finger over it like he was tracing something. Bent over the paper as he was, Eenie thought he looked like a scarecrow which had fallen from its pole. It made her want to laugh except Ben told them not to.
Someone called from near the wagon’s front. The cobbler grumbled and climbed out of his wagon. The kids ducked back into the shadows as he stepped onto the ground and moved to see who called.
Ben pointed suddenly. “The paper he’d studied must have hooked onto his clothes. See, it’s over there.”
The kids silently moved toward it, sneaking out of their hiding spot. As she looked down at it, Eenie saw an X and knew immediately her family needed this map.
“You can’t take that!” While Ben whispered the words, his tone shouted that she was doing wrong. “It’s not yours.”
Ignoring him, Eenie grabbed up the paper and ran. The others followed her. When she reached the livery, she stopped, and the brother and sister caught up with her.
Annie frowned and shook a finger in Eenie’s direction. “You’re a thief.” Her words were said in a sing-song, teasing sort of tone. The other girl ignored Annie’s words.
“It’s a treasure map. My family needs it. I want my pa to be home every day.”
Ben looked over Eenie’s shoulder. “What do you suppose those are?” He pointed to long, three-sided boxes positioned in spots on the map. “And you think that thing near the X is a house?”
“These remind me of canyons out on Paps’ ranch. Pa took me over most of that place.” Suddenly the little house made sense.
“There’s a shack there. Near a canyon, too.” Tonight, she’d study the map some more.
Ben gave her a challenging look. “You just think you know what those marks are. Bet there ain’t a treasure.”
The determined girl turned mutinous. “You don’t know everything, Ben! I’ll show you.” She folded up the paper and hid it in the pocket of the pinafore covering her calico dress.
A bellow of rage came from the direction of the cobbler’s wagon. Ben grabbed his sister’s hand and ran. Probably for home, Eenie thought.
Thinking she’d better hide too, she called into the livery and then joined Paps. While she curry combed a small horse for him, she dreamed of the treasure she’d find soon.
 “Please. I don’t wanna stay in town after school.” Eenie began her plan right away the two mornings later, and her father fell into it just like she wanted.
He nodded. “I expect it gets to be a long day for you, sweetie. Go ahead and ride the pinto to school.”
So far so good. Her new ma frowned. At the girl’s huge grin, her ma’s eyes narrowed slightly. Did Ma know what she was up to?
Amy Sue said her mother always knew what she was doing. It was why the girl was afraid to have fun or pull pranks. Maybe Eenie’s new ma could tell what she’d planned. She was a teacher, too, after all.
The girl waited, but her ma didn’t say anything. Just went back to finishing her breakfast.
The school day went on and on. Ma got after her more than once as Eenie stared out the window and dreamed. Finally, the day was done and