[Primrose Bolger]

Sassy swatted at one, or most probably more, of the little gnats that hung in clouds along the riverbank this time of day. They were buzzing near her ear, threatening to chew on the tender parts. And really the sound of them was becoming more annoying than the buzz and hum of Sondo’s words as he scolded her. She hadn’t really been listening to Sondo as he talked. In fact, she had tuned him out as soon as he started his declaration. ‘First of all, I am the leader of this expedition . . .,’ he had begun. ‘Well of course you are,’ she thought to herself, squinting up at him in the sunlight. ‘You’re Sondo. You’re always the leader.’

She kept her attentive face on as he went on. It was a well practiced face, used mostly for times when her Ma or Aunty or one of the twins felt it was time to ‘take the young lass in hand’ for something. She opened her eyes wide and looked toward the person speaking, a look of sincere attention on her face. Then she’d let her mind wander, being careful to keep one ear tuned to the scolder’s voice. This time she was looking at the pools and eddies that lay along the river’s bank, thinking about what her Gammer had taught her about fishing. The gnats were hatching and she could just see where fish were rising to the surface to feed.

‘. . . and being my sister will afford you no special favors. I won’t be taking any sass from you. Now, come on.’ She caught the change in the pattern of his speech and brought her attention fully back to him. He’d shoved her a little, toward the boat, and she trotted aboard eagerly, glad that he was done talking. She was on the raft, out in the open, with the others! A part of the adventure!

The others on board seemed to ignore her, for the most part. But she was used to that, that’s how it was at home, too. Though . . . she looked slyly at two of the younger boys, Reggie and Marroc. They weren’t exactly overly friendly, but at least they weren’t grumbling about ‘girl’ and ‘little sister’. Maybe she could be pals with them. She looked toward her brother who seemed to be cornered by that Falco fellow. He looked sneaky, Falco did, to her. And some of the things he was saying sounded pretty darned whiney, though truth be told she couldn’t hear all his words. Sondo had that set look on his face. ‘Not gonna get anything by MY big brother,’ she muttered smugly, thinking to herself this was one of those people you didn’t want to be around too much. He looked like trouble to her.

With a shrug, she shouldered her pack and walked carefully to one side of the moving raft. The gnats she noted, were less bothersome now that they were on the move. 'Just like Gammer said,' she thought to herself. For a few moments she stood looking at the water. Sassy poked about in her pack, looking to find the fishing line she’d brought. Once found, she measured out several arms length, and taking her little scissors from her vest pocket, she snipped off the length. One of her uncle’s hooks was soon deftly tied on, and a bit of linty apple from her breeches pocket stuck on the sharp point. She plopped herself down on the edge of the raft, tucking her feet beneath her. Reggie’s brother was there, curled in a ball, and she could hear his stomach rumbling quite loudly. Tying her line onto the handle of her spoon, she trailed it out into one of the eddies as they passed near it. No luck with the first one, or the second, but the third cast was luckier, and a plump little trout caught the apple with its hidden hook and was soon pulled aboard, wriggling and slapping against the wooden surface of the raft.

‘Hey!’ cried Sassy, delighted with her catch. ‘Any one fancy some nice crispy fish for supper?’ She looked round with a grin on her face. ‘I’ve more line and hooks if you want to give it a try.’ Sassy cast her little line out again, not really expecting an answer . . .