The Sky That Never Ends and the Town Under the Ground

The Iron Horse had a temper. Three days into the plains, the great beast let out a final, shuddering wheeze and ground to a halt. The sudden silence that followed was louder than the engine had ever been.

Silas climbed down the iron ladder to talk with the conductor, leaving Barnaby to keep watch over the "Grain Sack Twins," Oats and Barley.

The Guardian of the Car

With the train still, the heat of the prairie began to seep through the wooden walls of the freight car. Barnaby stood tall at the open door, his golden coat shimmering like the dry grass outside. He wasn’t just a companion anymore; he was the sentry of the Boone family’s future.

Oats and Barley, emboldened by the lack of motion, tried to tumble out of the car to explore. But one soft, protective growl from Barnaby kept them tucked safely behind the crates of supplies destined for the store. He knew this land was big, and a small pup could get lost in the sea of grass before the sun moved an inch.

A Different Kind of Neighbor

As the afternoon stretched on, Barnaby noticed a movement in the tall grass near the tracks. It wasn’t a wolf or a deer. It was a small, tawny head popping out of a mound of dirt. Then another. Then a dozen. These were prairie dogs which were a common sight in the prairies but to a golden retriever from the city, these were the strangest squirrels he had ever seen. They didn’t climb trees; they lived in the earth itself.

One particularly fat prairie dog sat up on its hind legs and let out a sharp, bird-like whistle. Barnaby tilted his head so far his ear flopped over his eye. He gave a single, polite "woof" in return. The prairie dogs vanished into their holes in a blur of fur, only to pop up five feet away. It was a game Barnaby didn't quite understand, but he liked the spirit of it.

The Lesson of the Plains

"They’ve got the right idea, Barnaby," Silas said, climbing back into the car and wiping coal grease from his forehead with a rag. He looked out at the burrowed field. "They built their home right into the heart of the land. That’s what we’re going to do in Lavoy."

The engine finally gave a triumphant thrum, and the wheels began to turn. As they pulled away, Barnaby watched the "town under the ground" disappear. He realized that the West wasn't empty at all; it was just waiting to be met.