Kayla: A Cry in the Wilderness

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1

[DOGS HOWLING AND WHINING]

[DOGS BARKING]

I miss you, Dad.

Sam?

[KNOCKS ON DOOR]

Time to get up.

You don't want to be late

your first day at a new school.

Come on.

Asa.

Sam?

I'll drive to the station.

No trains last night.

He's probably still there.

No, no.

He hasn't run away.

He'd never have left this behind.

He's been here three weeks, that's

the first thing he unpacks.

Well, that's good Ali.

Means he's decided to stay.

Oh.

See?

There he is.

[RINGING BELL]

Kayla?

[DOG GROWLING]

Kayla?

I heard the barking, I just didn't

think they'd jump over the fence.

Can't believe they ran off.

Had those dogs since they were pups.

They'll come back, surely.

No.

Not if they're running deer with

a pack wild dogs, they won't.

Wild dogs?

Where did they come from?

Oh, up north.

Up north?

Yeah.

The Laurentians, Shield Country,

maybe farther.

Indian dogs mostly.

Runaways off the farms.

Some packs have wolf mixed in.

Travel south when the rivers freeze up.

Don't you like your pancakes?

Oh, and I can give Sam

a ride to school this morning.

I have some patients out that way.

What's wrong?

They're purple.

Well, it's because I mushed

dried blueberries in them.

Asa likes them that way.

Ugh.

Yuck.

It was only an experiment.

I'll make the kind you like.

I've got to check up on

old LePlant this afternoon

and I'll see if I can ask him

to make us up some skis for Sam.

I'd like him to go on some

of your calls with you,

see you practice medicine.

Sure.

Any time.

I used to do the rounds with my father.

You'd love that, wouldn't you, Sam?

These are terrific, Ali.

Have fun.

Try to make some friends.

Give me your bag.

Bye.

Check that belt, would you.

The belt's fine, Papa.

And did you check this battery here?

That's fine too.

What are you looking for?

It's in the engine.

It's the rod, I tell you.

- I don't think so, Papa.

- Well, that's what I think.

What's the problem, August?

Problem?

The whole darn problem

is those wolf dogs.

The whole darn town council

won't do a thing about it.

We lost three calf's this morning.

Papa said we'll be in the poorhouse.

Well, the township meeting's coming up.

You can have your say then, August.

I'll be there.

You can bet on it.

Well, what's wrong with the truck?

Just threw a rod, goll darn it.

Well, sorry for your trouble.

Uh, this is Sam MacKenzie, Althea's son.

He's living on the place now.

This is Mr. Nightingale, he's

our neighbor to the North,

and Jaynie's his daughter.

And your new classmate.

Well, one of them anyway.

Hi.

Hi.

Hi.

Happy new year, Jaynie.

Happy new year.

August?

All the best in 1920.

Papa, I think I fixed it.

It's the rod, I tell ya.

Set the choke, Papa.

What a useless piece of scrap.

If you ain't going nowhere, you might

as well catch a ride in with Asa.

Ne, ne, ne, careful now.

Okay?

She'll blow.

See, Papa?

She's running sweet as a top.

Take care, August.

Poor old, Jaynie.

Hope she got a decent breakfast.

I don't think August is much of a cook.

Well, where's her mother?

She died last winter.

Influenza epidemic.

There you go.

You know, I'd be happy to go

in with you and introduce you.

No.

Sam, listen.

Your mo...

Sam?

Sam's mother married

Dr. Robinson last September.

Sam has been at boarding school

in Montreal but from now

on he's going to live here in Bolton.

Will you tell us something

about yourself?

Tell the class who your

famous father was, Sam.

Samuel Clearwater MacKenzie.

And who was

Samuel Clearwater MacKenzie, class?

Yes, Jaynie?

- Famous explorer.

- And what did he explore?

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