Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14 APRIL 21 1906 SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA Leo stood on the train platform at the Sacramento station. The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky. Beside him, Morris had his face turned up, enjoying the fresh, clear air.

All around them were refugees from San Francisco. There were all different kinds of people — fancy ladies and street kids, Chinese families and scruffy gamblers, businessmen and very old people. Coats and hats were covered with ash and dust. Some people wore bandages, or walked with

crutches. And they all shared the same expression, a mixture of shock and relief. Their city was gone. Thousands were dead. But they had escaped. Alive. They'd gotten to the California capital just that morning: Leo, Morris, Wilkie, and thousands of strangers. The Southern Pacific Railroad had given out one free train ticket to anyone who wanted to leave San Francisco. After spending three miserable days in Golden Gate Park, the boys all wanted to get as far away from San Francisco as they could. The park had been turned into a tent city. Soldiers handed out food and water, but there wasn't enough for everyone. Leo and the guys had waited in line all day just to get a piece of bread and some water. Sleeping was impossible with all the crying and screaming. The fires had finally gone out on the fourth morning after the earthquake. But smoke and ash still filled the sky. Every breath reminded Leo of what had happened.

Some people in the tent city were already talking about rebuilding. A preacher had stood in front of a crowd, calling on the crowd not to give up on San Francisco. "Our city is gone," he said. "But its spirit is here! We will rebuild!" Leo believed it. Grandpop had helped build this city the first time, when it had been turned from a bunch of shacks in the mud into one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But Leo knew that he needed to put the ruins and smoke behind him. Even before the quake, he'd been looking for a fresh start. Wilkie and Morris needed one too. They'd left Golden Gate Park and walked for three hours through the smoldering ruins to get to the train station. They'd crowded onto the first train they could. Five hours later they were breathing in clear air, gazing up at buildings that stood strong and tall. The earth was still. They figured they'd stay in Sacramento. They'd sell newspapers. They'd share a room. They'd get by.

But over these past few hours, their plans had changed. That morning, the three of them had gone to a bank. Within the hour, Leo had sold his gold nugget. It's what Grandpop would have done, he was sure. And what Papa would have wanted Leo to do. He had enough money to buy Wilkie a train ticket to Seattle. Wilkie was going to find that man who wanted to turn him into a football star. "Why don't you guys come with me?" Wilkie had said. "You could play too. We could all be on the same team." "We already are," Morris said in that wise voice of his. They all smiled. They were some team, the three of them. Leo had the idea they always would be, no matter where life took them. But Leo and Morris weren't going with Wilkie. They had a plan of their own. Leo had bought two tickets to New York City.

He and Morris would find Morris's cousins. They would start new lives there. It was a crazy idea, Leo knew. But no crazier than when Grandpop had left New Hampshire to make his fortune in gold country. Wilkie took a long look at them before he got onto the train, like he was painting their pictures in his mind. "I'll see you again," he said. He stuck his hand out, and Leo and Morris put their hands on top of his. Their fingers were cut up, black with ash and grime, scraped raw in spots. But their hands looked strong, especially put all together. The train whistle blew. And then, just as when he gave that sack of loot to the crying lady, Wilkie turned and hurried off without another word. Leo and Morris stood in silence, watching Wilkie's train disappear. They bought themselves some cold bottles of milk and warm rolls. And then there was nothing to do but wait for their own train.