Chapter 41

After breakfast the next morning I had some navigating to do with the truck. We'd be fine except for George's stuff, but if he did buy in we'd need two trailers to gather everything. I put the reefer back in line first, hooked a dolly to it and then put the dry van on the dolly. I had the rig built in an hour though and we left not long afterwards. Keeta felt she could tolerate another turn on the skidder and with a good early lunch in us Layta, Leita, Talila, and I took off.

Our leg out was long, but rewarding at the last. Once again everything was mostly intact. This guy hadn't thought the lions would be brave enough to come around a human, and besides, he had faith in his over and under twelve gauge and his skill as a wing shot.

His troubles started when the covey of lions he flushed didn't fly when they saw him. Things got worse since the number six shot he was hunting birds with didn't seem to bother the lions all that much. Note to deadman: Just because you think you're hunting birds doesn't mean the game you run into is going to act like birds.

We found his remains pretty quickly and the Purdy 12 bore over and under hadn't suffered so's you'd notice from the exposure. It was a magnificent shotgun and I had high hopes for other nice fowling pieces he might have in his containers. We put his stuff in the rear trailer and then built a small fire and warmed up supper.

The next morning after breakfast we only had to move about thirty miles to the next and final three pallet spot. This guy either had the worst luck in the world or he was a complete idiot. None of his pallets had even been opened at all and he was nowhere to be found. We didn't find a single sign of him except for the three untouched containers.

We loaded his stuff and then headed off due east. George would be south east of us, but we went due east and dropped the full rear trailer where we thought we'd come right back by it on the way home and then headed out to look for George's spot.

We found him easily enough, but Rose had been off the mark, a little at least. Gorge was in a small cave, or a smaller one than ours anyway, but he wasn't alone. There were two Cro-Magnon women with him and one had an eight-year-old girl. George was completely astounded when we pulled up, but he seemed glad to speak English to someone again.

"You've got me curious as hell mister," he said, after we were all on the ground.

"My name's Jack, and Rose sent me by to check on you?"

"Rose, the one working with the outer space catfish?" he asked.

"Yep, she told me she helped them pick you out."

"Shore did, and it was the best thing ever happened to me, though I've got myself in a little fix now. How's Rose doing anyway?"

"We're doing fine George, but what kind of fix have you got yourself into?" I asked, and I was pretty damned curious myself.

"It started when a couple of cave men came by with these two women and the girl following behind 'em. They tried to talk to me at first, but I couldn't speak cave man and they didn't understand a word of Texas English. I was trying to puzzle some of it out, but they seemed to take offense and got after me with their spears. Finally I went ahead and shot 'em before they skewered me.

"If it was the way they were gonna act - fine - they could feed the worms, but the women and the girl just stayed. I don't mind saying I'm getting used to 'em by now, and they can cook well enough, but we can barely understand each other and it's been four days now," George said.

"I'm sure some of my girls can talk to them. Do you have anything you want to say to 'em right now?"

"Well, mostly I'd like to know why they're staying. Not that I mind a bit, but I'm sorta curious about the details."

Keeta talked with the women for a few minutes even though I was sure even I knew the answer. I was right too, but I let Keeta explain things to George. At first, when he got the lowdown George looked a little confused and then he asked me for confirmation.

"Is she saying these women have taken up with me as mates since I killed their men folks?"

"That's the size of it George. They need a man to help them make a living here and now, and since you killed their last ones you're elected if you'll have 'em," I told him.

"If I'll have 'em? Hell, I'm shickled titless over the deal now I know what it is. With the shape those catfish put me in I might even need to go out and shoot a couple more of those pesky bastards to see if I can't find a few more gals," George said, and smiled.

"I've got a better deal for you. Rose wanted me to come get you if you'd come along. We've got a pretty good group collected where we are and there are quite a few more women than men."

"How many are what you might call unattached?" he asked.

"I don't know for sure since I've given up trying to keep a head count. Rose would know the exact number, but I'm pretty sure there are at least twenty women who need a man right now."

"Hell fire, if they all think like these two - share and share alike - we'll start packing right now. What's gonna be the easiest way to get my stuff aboard the truck, and by the way, do any of them women have young kids? I just love kids," he said.

"Yeh, there's plenty of kids running around and loading your things won't be problem because we've got forks for the skidder. It can put your pallets right up in the truck for you."

"Damn, it makes me glad I've dragged my feet unloading things. I've only opened one pallet and most of it is still where it was packed. You got room for all four or 'em in the trailer or do you have it partially loaded already?" he asked.

"Nope, it's empty. We dropped a mostly full one about fifty miles toward home from here and we'll have to stop by and hitch it on the way."

"It sounds like a hell of a deal to me. Say, you ain't seen any horses have you?"

"I've got about thirty trained to ride already and probably twenty more pulling travois when we need 'em to. We've got nearly a hundred more where they can't get away, but with no training at all yet. I've even got the biggest damned Jack I've ever seen and I hope to have some nice mules in a year or so," I said, and I knew I was bragging, but couldn't help myself.

"Here I was thinking what a good turn those catfish did me when along you come and sweeten it considerable. It's just too damned bad I wasn't smart enough to bring more'n one saddle," George said.

"That ain't no hill for a stepper like you George. I've already got eight women who know how to make a saddle and they do damned good work too. They can plait you a rawhide lariat too if you didn't bring any."

"Damn man, let's us get to loading. I'm ready to be there already."

Keeta was keeping what we said translated for George's mates and daughter and they didn't look a damned bit sad over the developments. They pitched in on reloading the things George had already taken out of the one container he'd opened. We had everything on board within an hour and a half and we headed home.