Chapter 62

I saw Bigglieo was sitting on the big wagon's seat, but Barago was driving the team. Georgo was also on his buckboard's seat, but a man I didn't know, though I had already seen him, was driving Sally and Jane. This was a good thing as far as I was concerned. More people who could drive the wagons could only mean I wouldn't be pressed into the service anymore.

Bigglieo and Georgo got off as the wagon and buckboard headed for the big cave, leading the way for all the travois horses with their cargos.

"How was the hauling Bigglieo?"

"We had no trouble and we were able to get everything except a few of the materials from the huts. I can go back and get them tomorrow if you want, but I don't think they will be worth the trouble," Bigglieo said.

"If the people have everything they wanted to bring we won't go back for anything else."

"Good, I can't understand though how I have come to learn to drive the wagon and grow tired of it so soon," Bigglieo said.

"You would grow very fond of it again if you had to make only one trip to bring something on your back. I know I would."

"Please do not remind me and I will never complain about the wagon again. Now I remember, I love the wagon," Bigglieo said, and laughed his big laugh.

"Cheer up Bigglieo, you didn't miss much of anything except post hole digging and post cutting and trimming."

"I will keep repeating, I love the wagon, I love the wagon. Galto seems to have done a very good job while I was gone. It looks like even the training pen will be finished today," Bigglieo said.

"Two will be finished. We had room for two training pens. We will also have a round pen," I told him.

"What is the purpose of the round pen?" Bigglieo asked.

"If you have time for it the training is easier and more complete in a round pen. You attach a longe line, a very long lead rope, to the horse's halter in the round pen and teach them to work by having them go in a circle.

"You usually use a slim whip to get them moving at first, but after they begin to catch on it isn't needed anymore. Soon you can have them walk, trot, or gallop from a vocal command and you can make them stop or change directions.

"After they are accustomed to working like that you can even exercise them with only the longe line and not have to put them in the round pen. Longeing is most useful with the younger horses that are too small to be ridden. It makes them understand they will be getting some handling too and gets them ready for when they are big enough to ride or work."

"Does it mean all the young horses roaming around loose most of the time will soon be big enough to work?" Bigglieo asked.

"Yes, some of the yearlings may be able to carry a rider next year if we can keep them well fed this winter. They will still be too small for a grown man then, but might be able to be ridden by some of the smaller women and some of the young boys.

"Care must be taken with younger horses though. Even if they seem big enough they cannot carry even a light person very long. Any riding of this year's yearlings next year should only be for their training."

"That means we will soon have many horses which can work or carry riders," Bigglieo said.

"Yes and we will have a lot of time to begin training them regularly during the winter. I think the horse cave will be big enough to do some training inside it while there is too much snow on the ground."

"How were things here while we were gone?" Georgo asked.

I wasn't sure he wasn't asking for a sign of whether I had fucked Ladeliea and others or not. I didn't intend to make any mention of who I had been fucking though.

"Everything went well. I have a new surprise and I think I should show it to you and Bigglieo at once. Come with me," I told them, and led them toward and then into my cave.

As Argent had promised they didn't seem to notice the new kitchen and we passed by it without any questions from them. I led them through the tunnel to the new firing range and they definitely noticed it, but didn't ask anything. They were stupefied when we entered it just as I'd been.

"What is this?" Bigglieo asked first.

"The spirits have given us this place to practice with our new weapons," I told him as I went to my locker and got out my bow, arrows, and other archery equipment.

I showed the bow and the arrows to both of them and then walked to an archery station and ran a target out to about a hundred and fifty feet. I gave them a demo then with three arrows. Bigglieo and Georgo were both spellbound.

"What do you think?"

"That will be better for hunting than a spear is," Bigglieo stated the obvious.

"Yes it is much better. I will need to show you how to do it tomorrow and then I will want you to teach all the other men how," I told him.

"Do you have more of them?" he asked.

"Yes, I do not have enough for all right now, but in the morning there will be one for you and the next morning the will be a set for Galto and Barago also. I will want you to teach them what I show you tomorrow."

"How long will it be before we can hunt with them? How long does it take to learn?" Bigglieo asked.

"It will take many days of practice. We will need to hunt before you have learned well enough I am afraid. I am ready for Jonoco, Nadlo, and Danlo to be mated and I know they are ready also.

"Since we are through carrying the things for a while I think Georgo should announce it and I will go and kill some more bison tomorrow. You must keep all of this a secret Bigglieo. If you can I will let you see me kill the bison along with my mates," I told him.

"I am very good at keeping secrets John. You do not have to worry. I will not tell anything you tell me unless you have me do it," Bigglieo assured me.