As morning broke, Jimmie went down the mountain path towards town with his mule and cart. All of the children were still fast asleep in their beds. Upon reaching town he parked the cart in front of the jewelry shop and tied off the mule's lead. He then went to the inn and ordered himself a black coffee and sat down to await Mr. Joseph. The two had hit it off famously the day prior. Not but a few moments later (enough time to drink his coffee) Mr. Joseph ambled down to the lobby and spotted Jimmie. After a bit of a chat the two headed to the cart and went up the mountain path towards the cabin that Jimmie called home. Just as the men were arriving Kaleb had woken up. He pulled on a set of clean over-all's and went to stoke the embers in the wood stove and add in some additional logs so that his oldest sister could start to cook breakfast for the household. Jimmie put the mule away in the lean-to and fed her some oats.
Mr. Joseph stared in awe as he took in the crisp, clean air and beauty of the homestead that he had just arrived to. He thought of famous paintings that he had seen in exhibitions that could not hold a candle to what he was witnessing in front of him. A broad smile graced his face as he mused at the splendor of it all. 'This was truly living' he thought to himself. Making a mental note he decided that this was where he wanted to be after he retired.
Kaleb and the others washed up and invited Mr. Joseph to dine on breakfast with them. Everyone enjoyed the lively stories that Mr. Joseph told as they ate. After breakfast Kaleb and Jimmie showed him around the property. They explained how they kept self sustained by much of what they had on the land and foraged from the woods and streams. Finally they made their way to the small cave that the gemstones resided in. Taking a lantern and sliding in Kaleb illuminated the space, allowing the gems to sparkle and shine, casting an array of colors all over the walls. Mr. Joseph laid upon the ground and marveled at the sight.
Kaleb cleared his throat and proceeded to introduce Mr. Joseph to the gems. If it had been anyone else they might have thought the boy to be mad as a hatter. But Mr. Joseph knew better since he shared the same gift as the boy and Jimmie.
Emerald was the first to welcome him. Followed by the rest of the gems, as if being greeted by a group in a school house. Finally Mother Matrix formally greeted him and asked him to forgive Father as he no longer could speak as he once did. The ravages of time had taken its toll upon him. Mr. Joseph was beyond words as he took in everything. Taking some of the loose and broken gemstones Kaleb lifted them out of the cave opening handing them over to Mr. Joseph. Taking a jewelers loop from his pocket he started to examine the bounty that had been passed to him. The quality was beyond his expectations. If these were the broken and loose matter he could only guess what was still hidden inside.
Finally Kaleb picked up the cluster that held Emerald, Essper, and Ruby, then dug up the mice that were encased in amber, then wiggled himself with lantern in hand out of the cave. Mr. Joseph had thought himself to have been blown away by the specimens that the boy had handed over had now gotten a shock at what Kaleb was now presenting in front of him. The dazzling gems and the amber was beyond his wildest dreams. It was simply magical.
Emerald looked all around the big outside and was amazed. He had never known anything beyond the cave other than what the generations of mice had brought in. Ruby asked, "Is it alright for us to be outside of the cave? It's so huge and bright." Emerald answered, "With some of us coming out it will give the little gems room to grow. We are ready enough to leave Mother so it will be fine. Besides we have Kaleb to look after us." Looking up at Kaleb he felt comforted. Mr. Joseph could not help from chuckling at the conversation between the gems. "Say young man, who are those splendid chaps that are in the Amber?" ,he asked Kaleb. Kaleb answered back, "Grandpa said that one is Mr. Penn and the other is his wife Sylvie. They have long fancy names but I can't quite remember what they were. Grandpa would know. Besides that Mr. Penn was referred to by the woodland critters and the gems as 'A Gem Of A Mouse' and now that he is in amber it has been made true even more."