Hai ya, ho la,
Hai ya, ho la.

He repeated this over and over.

Papa stirred. He opened his eyes, raised himself up on his elbows, and looked about the room incredulously. "Mina, what . . . ?" But he fell weakly back onto his pillow.

Mina rushed to his side and knelt by the bed. "It is all right, Papa." She smoothed his rumpled hair back from his forehead. "The Indian medicine man is here. He has many cures for sickness, Papa. He will cure you."

"Oh, Mina, no," Papa groaned.

"Ja, Papa, he will cure you."

The Shaman grunted to Mina and held out the cup of tea. Mina took it.

"Here, Papa, you must drink this."

Lisette helped hold Papa up enough so he could sip a little tea. It steamed up before his face. Then he took another sip, and another until the cup was empty.

"Very good, Papa." Mina turned to look at the Shaman. He was nodding his head in approval. Then he put everything back in the bag, rolled up the hide, and rose slowly on his thin bowed legs. He handed Mina the bag of tea leaves. Custaleta came and took the old man's arm. They started for the door, slowly.

Mina wanted to give the Shaman something for helping Papa. She thought of the little hand mirror Auntie Fischer had given her, and got it from the trunk by the fireplace. She pointed to herself with her thumb and then to the Shaman with her forefinger the way she had seen Indians at the market make signs.

The Shaman stopped, turned to look at Mina. He reached out his hand and took the mirror, nodding his head solemnly. Then they left as they had come-without a sound.

Mina went to the door and watched them until they were out of sight. Then she looked back at Papa. He was watching her, and he smiled weakly. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Mina . . . "

"Do not talk yet, Papa." Mina put a wet pack on Papa's forehead. "Just rest now."

Papa closed his eyes and seemed to sink into the bed with a sigh.

Lisette motioned to Mina to come outside with her. It was midday, and the sun was hot.

"Mina," Lisette put her hand under Mina's chin, "as your Papa always says, you are a real pioneer girl."

Suddenly Mina went weak all over. She did not feel like a pioneer girl. Instead she longed to be comforted like a child. She remembered once when she was a very little girl in Wehrstedt, she had fallen down and bumped her head. Mama held her, rocking back and forth in the creaky rocker.

Mina looked at Lisette. "I am so tired."

Lisette put her arms around Mina. "Everything is going to be all right." She patted Mina softly on the back as she held her close. "I will return this evening and bring some broth for Papa. It will give him strength. And I will sit up with him tonight so you may sleep."

"Oh, thank you, Tante Lisette." Mina waved as Lisette went off down the road.

She did come that evening, and every day. Papa's fever left. One day as Lisette was feeding Papa, Mina watched his face. She saw him looking at Lisette with his big sad eyes. Lisette looked down, a smile on her face.

That night before going to bed Mina sat beside Papa. She did not know how to begin to tell Papa how she felt about Lisette, how she seemed to belong in their family . . . how Mina wished Papa would marry her! She knew Papa was fond of Lisette, and she knew Lisette cared for Papa.

"Papa, do you care for Tante Lisette?" Mina blurted out suddenly.

Papa looked startled at the question. Then he smiled and put his hand over Mina's. "Well, Mina, she has been very kind to me, to us, while I have been sick."

"She is very pretty, is she not, Papa?"

Papa chuckled. "Jawohl."

"Then why not ask her to marry you, Papa? You know Mama would not want you to be lonely, and she would want me to have a mother." The words came tumbling out. "I know she would say yes, Papa, I just know it."

Then Papa became serious. "Give me a little time to think, Mina." He patted her hand. "Time to go to bed now."

Papa grew strong again, strong enough to work in the garden. And Mina knew that before long he would be making trips in the wagon to earn some more money.

One evening after the heat of the day was over, Mina and Papa were working in their garden.

"Guten Abend," came a familiar voice from the road.

It was Lisette. She was carrying a bundle under her arm. Papa straightened up from his hoeing. Mina ran to meet her.

"I have something for you, Mina." Lisette unrolled the bundle. It was a dress made of yellow calico with a wide ruffle around the bottom.

"Oh, Tante Lisette," Mina threw her arms around her, "Thank you, thank you."

"Go, try it on," Lisette urged.

Mina hurried into the cabin, pulled off her dress and put the new one over her head. It had many tiny buttons down the back. Mina swirled once to make the ruffle flare out, then ran out to Lisette and Papa.

"Here, Mina, let me button you," Lisette moved toward Mina.

As she worked with the buttons, Papa suddenly blurted out, "Lisette, I think it is time we get married."

Lisette left off buttoning Mina, and they both turned to look at Papa. For a moment no one said anything, and Papa's words hung in the air between them.

Mina looked at Lisette. Her dark eyes were sparkling with life. Then Mina ran to Papa, took his hand, and pulled him along to Lisette. Taking Lisette by the hand, Mina pleaded, "Say yes, Tante Lisette, please say yes."

"Oh, yes," Lisette said with such enthusiasm that the three began to dance around in a circle.

Mina looked at Papa. His face glowed with health and happiness. She did not know whether the Shaman had cured Papa or whether Lisette's love had done it. All she knew was that Papa was well, and that their family would be whole again.