“No need for that. The Lord put the water in the ground, doesn’t cost me anything to take it out, and it don’t seem to me that it would be Christian for me to charge for it. What did you say your name was again?”
“Jensen. Matt Jensen.”
“My name is Fowler, Edward B. Fowler, but most folks just call me E.B. That’s my boy, Green.”
“Green?”
“Back in Texas we had us a two-year drought before he was born,” E.B. said. “My wife took it real hard, thought maybe she wasn’t ever goin’ to see anything green again, so when the boy was born, we named him Green just so she could see green anytime she wanted.”
E.B. laughed, and Matt laughed with him. He dipped the dipper into the bucket, then glanced up at E.B.
“Sure, go ahead, take a drink,” E.B. invited. “I’ll wager it’ll be about the best-tasting water you ever put in your mouth.”
Matt drank deeply and the water was cool and sweet. E.B. was right about the water. If it wasn’t the best water he had ever tasted, it was certainly equal to it. He began pouring it into his canteen and as he did so, Spirit started pawing at the ground.
Matt looked around at his horse, then back toward E.B. “Do you have a watering trough somewhere?”
“Just inside the corral fence,” E.B. said. “Your horse can drink all he wants.”
“Thanks,” Matt said. “And you were right about the water. It is very good.”
“Would you like me to lead your horse to the water, Mr. Jensen?” Green asked.
“Why, thank you, Green, I’m sure Spirit would appreciate that.”
“Spirit?”
“That’s my horse’s name.”
“Come along, Spirit,” Green said, taking the reins. Spirit looked at Matt.
“It’s all right, you can go with him,” Matt said.
Spirit followed the boy easily.
“That’s a good-looking horse,” E.B. said. “Well trained too.”
“He’s not trained,” Matt said. “He’s just smart.”
E.B. chuckled. “I hear you,” he said.
“E.B., who are you talking to?” a woman asked, coming out onto the porch then. The woman was younger than Matt would have imagined E.B.’s wife to be, and very attractive, though rather tired looking. She was wearing a white apron over a dark gray dress, and though most of her hair was covered by an unattractive bonnet, Matt could see by the tendrils that hung from the bonnet that her hair was a rich, chestnut color. She was holding a long- handled wooden spoon in her right hand, while with her left arm she was cradling a large wooden bowl.
“Sue, this gentleman is Matt Jensen. He stopped by for water.”
“Mrs. Fowler,” Matt said with a slight nod of his head. He touched the brim of his hat in a salute.
“Why don’t you invite him for dinner, E.B.?” Sue said. “It’s about ready.”
“Of course. Won’t you stay for dinner, Mr. Jensen?”
“Oh, I don’t know, I certainly would not want to intrude on your family,” Matt said.
“It’s not an intrusion,” Sue Fowler said. “We get company so rarely here that your presence would be most welcome.”
Matt smiled. “The thought of a home-cooked meal does beat eating jerky,” he said.
“If you want, I’ll have Green take the saddle off your horse and let him loose in the corral,” E.B. said. “No doubt he needs a break too.”
“Thanks.”
“Green, unsaddle Mr. Jensen’s horse and put some fresh hay out,” E.B. called over to his son. “If we’re going to feed Mr. Jensen, we may as well feed his horse as well.”
“All right, Pa,” Green called back.
“Better let me unsaddle him,” Matt said. “Spirit is still new, and I don’t know but what he might get spooked if someone else took the saddle off.”
Matt walked out to the corral and removed the saddle. Spirit dipped his head a few times, then trotted once around the corral before coming back to the trough where Green had put fresh hay.
When Matt returned to the house, Green was pouring warm water into a basin. The boy handed Matt a bar of soap and a washcloth.
“Ma says you have to wash up, before you can eat,” he said.
“Green!” Sue called from inside. “I said no such thing! I said he could wash up, not that he had to.”
“You always tell me I have to wash up,” Green replied.
“That’s different.”
“What’s different about it? Don’t adults get dirty too?”
Matt chuckled. “We do indeed,” he said. “I think I have to wash up.”
