Allister, being busy, I shook hands withHarry and thanked him for having me and looking after me.  I thought I detected a tear in his eye.  Shaking hands with Jean, she put her armsaround me and wished me well.  Turning toNorma I hugged her and I thought she was not going to let me go.

Boarding thecar, off we went down the driveway and turned right, made our way past myschoolhouse then the church.  As we spedalong the country roads I began to think this was my third accommodation inthree years.  I was certainly gettingaround and I wondered if there was an arrangement that us children just stayedabout one year with our guardians – Uniacke, Milford and now Egerton, Barney’sRiver station coming up.  No one evermentioned about a length of stay.  Isuppose it all depended on how long the war lasted.  As we left the side roads for a main road, asit was then, it reminded me of our entry into Nova Scotia – trees, trees andtrees.

It did not seemtoo long before we passed a small church. I felt sure it was the church I had attended with the Powells.  Sutherlands River (perhaps).  Then further on another church that I wouldattend from time to time.  Further on, afarm on my right with an outbuilding – probably a barn – on my left thefarmhouse was quite big, I thought.  Littledid I know that I would visit there many times to visit the Bannermanfamily.  Within a few minutes we sloweddown at a small white building at the edge of the road.  We slowed considerably and my driver pointedto the building and said, “that will be your school.”  Down the track at a slow pace we went forabout a quarter of a mile through the trees across a smallbridge, over a creek then minutes later out into a clearing and up a short riseon which was quite a large house.  Thiswas the home of Linus and Katherine Cameron, a middle aged couple who, whenintroduced to me, seemed quite pleased to see me and welcomed me with handshakes and lovely big smiles.  Afterhaving a few words with the Department of Health lady we all turned to thehouse which was rather salubrious, and this, I found out, was due to theefforts and diligence of Katherine who was very meticulous in herhousekeeping.  Linus was a shortishbright-eyed man who moved about very quickly. He appeared very active for his age which I guessed to be about sixtyishwhich indicated to me that he spent most of his time outdoors.  Going back to Katherine – she was a littletaller than Linus.  As time went by shegave the impression that she did not belong in the countryside but was more athome in a town or city and as time went by I became more convinced ofthat.  I based my home theory on the factthat she used to receive, regularly, the Boston Globe newspaper and had it sentdirect from Boston.  Her two daughterslived and studied or worked in Boston and very likely sent their Mum theGlobe.  It was not long before I startedto peruse the Globe and it was in that newspaper that I first read about thetragic fire at the “Coconut Grove” night club with the great loss of lifetherein.  Not long after, of course, wasthe attack on Pearl Harbour and the subsequent declaration of war by PresidentRoosevelt. 

The bedroom which was allocated to me was mostpleasant and had a window which looked out over the apple orchard.  A small but adequate bathroom was just downthe passage and close by was the inevitable country toilet.

The living room come dining room was well furnishedand had a small parlour added on.  Allvery comfortable.  I did not go upstairswhich, no doubt, was for the Camerons. The lady from the Department of Health spoke alone to Linus andKatherine then turned to me and gave me some good news – that my sister Bessiewould soon be coming to join me at the Cameron home.  Then bidding us all good bye off she went togoodness knows where.

Meanwhile, Katherine commenced to prepare an eveningmeal – my first in Barney’s River Station and my fourth accommodation in NovaScotia.  As we ate silently I mused tomyself what life here had in store for me.