The man on the wagon was Major Anderson from Fort Spokane. But he was kind of fat and was not wearing a blue uniform so he did not look like a soldier. He had another Indian with him who spoke Major Anderson's language and your father's language and he was translating the conversation.

You only overheard bits of the conversation and it was hard to understand since the other Indian was translating. But Major Anderson was not with the Army-since 1897 he had worked for the Indian Service and was the Colville Indian Agent. You also learned that there were no longer any soldiers at Fort Spokane. They had all left to go fight in some war far away from here.

When you heard the translator say that the old fort buildings were going to be used as a school for Indian children, you could not believe your ears. You and the other children would have to walk or ride our horses several miles and then somehow cross the river just to get there. This Major Anderson must be totally crazy to think up this school idea.