By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House, #5)

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Next morning Laura milked the lone cow by her lonely self. Aunt Docia had driven away with a load of oats from the feed room. Lena had driven a wagon-load of goods from the store, and Jean still another big load of scrapers and plows. Uncle Hi would follow them as soon as he settled with the company. “I guess Hi’s debt is big enough this time with all those goods charged to him,” Pa said. “Shouldn’t you have stopped it, Charles?” Ma worried. “It’s not my look-out,” said Pa. “My orders were to let the contractor take anything he wanted, and charge it to him. Oh, come, Caroline! It wasn’t stealing. Hi hasn’t got away with any more than’s due him for his work here and at the camp on the Sioux. The company cheated him there, and he’s got even here. That’s all there is to it.”