Chapter Five
Crossing the Great Tuffaluktee
It had been five days, and the travelers were tired and dirty. They lost a day, by making the mistake of letting Mr. Struggles read the map. They wandered around in circles, until they finally found the trail again. They had covered many miles and were hopeful to soon see the Valley of the Lukers.
Thea asked, “How much further Mr. Popper?”
Now, Mr. Popper was the worst person to ask. He had absolutely no sense of distance. He would always think that they were almost there, even if they had ten miles left to go. So he would always respond, “I think we’re almost there. Probably just around the next bend.”
Polly shook her head in unbelief, but the little girls didn’t know better. “Maybe this time he’ll be right.” thought Polly.
Just then they emerged from the trees to see the most glorious valley. It was wide and open, and full of blueberry bushes,fruit trees and tall grass. There were herons and geese, and turkeys and deer in the meadows. There were wild flowers of all kinds and colors, that made the valley look as if it had been freshly painted by some brobdingnagian artist. The sun was shining and they all felt renewed and refreshed just by seeing this much of their destination. The walk had been worth it, just to behold such a lovely place.
“This must be the valley.” Polly shouted. “I had no idea it would be this beautiful.”
“How much further to the river?” asked Donkeyhotie.
“I should say, it’s probably just around the next bend.” said Mr. Popper confidentially.
Polly shook her head.
“Look! I can see the river!” shouted Keona. Then she ran around in circles, made crazy faces, and did cartwheels until she was out of breath. Her sisters also joined in the fun and Bon Bon chased her tail until she was dizzy.
Sure enough. Right before them was the great Tuffaluktee river. It was maybe a mile or more across. No one knew for sure how far it stretched, but it was beautiful. Blue like sapphire with hints of turquoise, and deep. Some said it had no bottom. It was infinite like space. In that infinite space lived the otters, the trout people (brown,rainbow, and speckled), the frog women and turtle men, and, of course the fearsome knotty heads and hellbenders.
“Can anyone see the barge that we need to cross the river on?” Mr. Struggles asked.
“Yes, I see it. It’s there, just past that last grove of orange trees.” Polly answered.
On their way to the barge, they filled their knapsacks and saddle bags with blueberries and apples, oranges and figs, and even blackberries and pomegranates.
Donkeyhotie ate several apples from right off the tree. He especially liked Pink Lady, Macintosh and Winesap varieties. And the girls ate blueberries and blackberries until their hands and faces were stained purple. Una had to show everyone her tongue, which looked as if she had dipped it in ink. Then they all laid down in the tall grass and rested, with the afternoon sun warming their tired bodies and lifting their spirits.
“I have to admit that I’m a little apprehensive about crossing the river after hearing what Veaster said about the Knotty heads and Hellbenders.” said Mr. Struggles. “Does anyone know much about them?”
“I know a little. Although, I have never seen a Hellbender, but I have come upon some Knotty Heads in Caney Fork Creek years ago.” Mr. Popper added. “The Knotty Heads are fish. When they are young, they have small bumps, or warts on their pale green heads. As they grow the knots get bigger and turn dark green and red. They make a sucking noise when they speak, that’s hard to listen to. It sounds almost as if someone were trying, in vain, to draw their last breath, while choking up something stuck in their throat. The Hellbenders, or Waterdogs, are huge salamanders. They are roughly the size of large dogs. They are slow to move on land, but swift in the water. They have sharp claws on the ends of their webbed feet and hands, and very sharp teeth that can eat fish, bones and all. They are beautiful colors. Iridescent blue, pumpkin orange, blood red, deep purple, canary yellow, pure white, neon green, and every combination in between.
The Dilleyards used to fish the smaller creeks. Not with a pole and line, but with burlap sacks. They would go down stream and dam up the creek, then several Dillieyards would walk in the water, up stream, and drive all the fish toward the damed up area. They would be waiting with the sacks and simply scoop up all the fish they could carry. Then they would keep the ones they wanted to eat, but he Knotty Heads were too bony, so they would throw them on the dry land, where they would die from exposure. And the Hellbenders were so fierce, that they were afraid to get near them, so they would tie them up in the bags and throw them back in the water. It would take some time for the Hellbenders to chew through the bag and escape. That is why they don’t like humans and are so protective of the river. They are afraid that one day the Dillieyards might find a way to dam up even the infinitely deep Tuffaluktee.”
“That is so cruel.” Keona said, with compassion in her voice. “Maybe we can show them that not all humans are like that.”
“Hopefully we won’t see any, and we can simply cross the river without incident.” interjected Polly.
After they had rested and eaten their fill, the journeyers headed down to the river bank. They came upon the dock where the barge was tied. It was a small barge. More like a raft than a barge. It was obvious to them all, that they could not all cross at the same time. The barge had a cable and pulley system attached to it that ran all the way across the river to a large oak tree on the other side. It ran through a pipe that was securely fastened to the side of the barge. When the rope was pulled on, it would travel through the pulley system, and one could pull the barge across the river without too much difficulty.
“I’m afraid we can’t all fit on the barge together.” said Mr. Popper. “I will stay behind with Bon Bon and Mr. Struggles. Polly can take the girls across with Donkeyhotie first, and then send the barge back for us.” he said, feeling better about Mr. Struggles not riding across with the girls.
Polly lead the girls onto the barge with Donkeyhotie. “No sign of Knotty Heads, or Hellbenders yet.” said Polly with relief.
“If we’re lucky, we’ll all make it across before they know we’re here.” Mr. Popper added, with concern. “We shall see you on the other side.”
With that, Polly began to pull on the rope. It was a fairly windless day, and so the water was calm and the barge traveled easily across the great Tuffaluktee. After, maybe an hour, Polly and the girls reached the bank on the other side. There was a small field, and then the woods. These woods were no ordinary woods. They were thick and dark and there was something foreboding about them. The trees were huge and it appeared that almost all sunlight was kept out by their branches.
Polly helped the girls and Donkeyhotie off the barge and then waved her arms to Mr. Popper to signal that he could pull the barge back. Mr. Popper could barely see them, but could make out the signal, and so, began to pull the barge back across. He pulled for an hour, but would not let Mr. Struggles help, for fear something bad might happen.
With the barge back on their side Mr. Popper, Mr. Struggles, and Bon Bon boarded the barge.
“Mr. Struggles, I should much appreciate it, if you would sit with your hands in your pockets, and no matter what, please don’t try to help.” Mr. Popper pleaded.
With that, he began to pull on the cable and the barge began to make it’s way across the river.
They had gotten about half way across the river and could see the girls playing in the field and Polly waiting for them, when the water started to ripple and bubble around them, as if boiling. Bon Bon began to bark and run from one side of the barge to the other.
“What is it!” exclaimed Mr. Struggles.
“I Believe the Knotty Heads have found us!” yelled Mr. Popper. “Try to stay calm. They cannot hurt us as long as we stay out of the water. I will continue to pull us across and we will try our best to ignore them.”
Mr. Popper’s arms were getting tired from so much pulling, but he knew better than to ask Mr. Struggles for help. The boiling of the water continued and the sucking throaty sound of the Knotty Heads started. It was a horrific sound when made by many schools of them. This further added to there anxiousness to get to the other side.
Just then they felt something hit the side of the barge. Port side, Mr. Popper saw a large, rusty orange colored, webbed hand, grab the deck of the barge.
“The Hellbenders have found us!” shouted Mr. Popper.
He was on his feet now and kicked the Hellbender off the side of the barge. Starboard side another Hellbender had climbed on board. It was a vibrant shade of pink with black claws and yellow eyes. Mr. Popper kicked him off also as Bon Bon barked ferociously. There were more coming from every direction. Aqua blue ones, and bright white ones, and then the biggest one Mr. Popper had ever heard of. It was blood red with coal black eyes and steel gray teeth. He was coming straight for Mr. Popper.
Mr. Struggles, who had been sitting, with his hands in his pockets, like he was told, felt for his knife.
“I must try to do something.” he thought to himself. With that he jumped to his feet and lunged at the giant beast with his pocket knife, yelling “I’ll save you, Mr. Popper!”
As he did so, Mr. Struggles tripped and fell with his pocket knife held out straight in his hand. He came down right on the cable that led to the oak tree on the other side, and severed it in two. Mr. Popper kicked the large Hellbender off the barge and the rest of the salamanders slipped back into the river.
On the shore, Polly and the girls had been watching in horror, and now watched as the barge began to sail down stream. they ran along the shore until the barge, with Mr. Popper, Mr. Struggles, and Bon Bon, faded out of sight.
“What shall we do?” shouted Mr. Struggles.
“We must stay out of the water and hope that we will come to a bend in the river that will put us ashore on the same side of the river as Polly and the girls.” Mr. Popper said, trying to calm the situation.
He began to notice a rumbling sound that seemed to be growing as they headed down stream.
“Do you hear that rumbling, Mr. Struggles?” asked Mr. Popper.
“Yes, now that you mention it.” replied Mr. Struggles
As the sound went from a dull roar, to an almost deafening one, Bon Bon began to bark. The hair on her back stood straight up and her tail began to wag from right to left. Mr. Popper knew this mean’t immanent danger. He looked down stream, maybe one hundred yards and saw the most massive waterfall he had ever seen. It was a drop of five hundred feet or more.
“Bon Bon, Mr. Struggles. There is a waterfall right in front of us. We will surely be killed if we stay on this barge. We must jump into the water and try to swim for shore!” he yelled, over the pounding of the waterfall.
“But what about the Knotty Heads and Hellbenders!” shouted Mr. Struggles.
“We shall have to take our chances!” yelled Mr. Popper.
And with that he pushed Mr. Struggles into the water and jumped in behind him. Bon Bon dove in and began dog paddling for the shore. They swam with all their might, but the pull of the waterfall was too much. The more they swam, the less they seemed to move toward the shore. They were worn out and the current was beating them. Mr. Popper was so tired from pulling the cable, and fighting the Hellbenders, and now fighting the drag of the waterfall. He felt himself begin to blackout. He looked to see where Mr. Struggles and Bon Bon were and spotted them off to his left. He felt a tug on his shoulder and the last thing he saw, were two coal black eyes behind Mr. Struggles and Bon Bon, and then a webbed hand grabbed them both from behind.
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