Book 2, Chapter 19

Bob and Hank watched as the traumatized young ladies were pampered by Bob's "harem" as he had started to think of them. He estimated that they were all around twenty years old. Blonde, brunette and red head. They had similar features and he guessed they were sisters, or cousins at least. They stood between 5'2" and 5'8" tall. He could see that Dana and her crew had taken most of the upset out of the three. After a short time, the women started heading straight for Bob.

"Uh oh," Hank whispered, "Now you're in for it."

He was grinnin' to beat the band at Bob's discomfort.

"Sweetheart," Dana started "I have someone I'd like to introduce you to."

The three women stopped just behind her and waited.

"This is Miss Cassandra Kay Blakeslee," she began as she introduced the brunette first. "She's twenty."

Bob tipped his hat and said, "Ma'am."

"And this darling is Miss Sandra Lynn Brown," she said as she pulled the blonde forward. "She's nineteen."

Bob tipped his hat and said, "Ma'am."

"Finally, I want to introduce you to this striking young woman. Her name is Miss Charlene Nobles. She is seventeen. They are all cousins. Not a one of them is married. They are newly arrived here from Austin. They were on their way to Waco by way of Hearne, and when they got here, their escort, a dastardly cad by the name of Boris Badinov stole their wagon and team, with all their clothing and money and left them stranded. He told them when they arrived that they needed to stay here two days to prepare for the last leg of their trip. After they took to their hotel, he lit out for parts unknown with their wagon and everything they owned."

Bob breathed a sigh of relief, tipped his hat and said, "Ma'am."

Dana continued, "I have persuaded them to allow us to help them."

Bob's face took on a worried look again.

"So here's what I think we should do. We will pick them up in the morning when we start out again. We're going to need to take the north road, as it's an easier road to take, even if it is longer. When we get to Waco we will provide them with the things they lost and a wagon to boot. We need to take them to the store before it closes and buy them some additional clothes and 'things', too. Anyway, that's what I think we should do,"

She said this with the sweetest smile on her face.

"I think we should do that, too," Ana chimed in.

The sounds of "Me too" echoed through the crowd. Bob knew he had no choice, even though she stated it as if he did. He wanted to keep the peace, and he was certain the way to do that was to agree. He'd been through it before, ya know.

"Yes, dears, I think that's a superb idea. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. But now that I have a proper chance to think about it, I would have suggested just that, once I learned about that dastardly deed that was perpetrated upon these visions of loveliness."

At that point, Dana elbowed Bob in the ribs while smiling sweetly.

"Yes, dear, you would have. I was just a little quicker. I know you would have thought of it given a bit of time. Now then, let's be off to the store. Come, girls, and bring this big galoot with us. He has all the money."

They giggled at that, and Cassandra and Charlene each took one of his arms and Sandra took hold of Dana. The two were flagrant with their rubbing on him. Dana got a kick out of that. She got another kick when Sandra did the same to her. She felt a little tingle 'down there', too.

The group spent about an hour shopping. The trio was just as good at shopping as Dana was. By the time all was said and done, the bill was $85.18 which Bob took care of with gold. The whole family was enlisted as porters to carry the purchases to the hotel. Once the trio was established in their room again, Dana led the procession back to camp. It was agreed that the wagons would roll out at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

There was the usual fooling around before the camp quieted down. Although they were camped almost in town, Andy, Wayne and Del agreed to stand watch.

It was a good thing they did. Around midnight Andrew noticed the horses and mules became unsettled on the pickets. He picked up his Winchester and cautiously moved close to the wagons and then made his way over to the pickets. The moon was full and it shed its light on the area behind the picket line. Andy scoured the area, looking for any sign of what was spooking the stock. He continued to search by quadrant. He jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Shhhh," he heard. Turning his head left, he discovered his sister, Jackie standing next to him in her nightgown. She held her Sharps rifle in her left hand. She pointed with her right. Andrew sighted down her arm and saw for himself what she was pointing out.

A pack of wolves, six in all, were about 250 yards away. They looked like they were hunting. This was trouble. "I'll take the left, and you take the right," she whispered. Andy nodded and stepped a little more to the right. There was a young tree which had a limb at a perfect height to act as a rest. Jackie climbed to the seat of the wagon and use it as her gun rest.

When they were both ready, the firing began. In less than a minute, they were finished. Six wolves lay dead in the field, and the entire wagon train was awake. Men from town were running down the street towards the camp. The saloon had emptied. Even Juicy Lucy, the town whore, half-dressed with her pendulous breasts swingin' in the breeze was hurrying toward the action.

Of course, the men and several of the women sprang from the wagons. Andrew called out the all clear and that prevented any accidents. Bob and Hank made their way over to the shooters. Jackie gave a quick synopsis before Hank and Andy headed out to check the kills. They approached carefully. A wounded wolf was extremely dangerous. Hank picked up a long stick on the way. He used it to poke each wolf as Andy covered him.

"That was fine shooting you two did," Hank complemented Andy. "Six clean shots. Let's get to work."

With that, Hank and Andy began skinning the animals. Hank also took the claws and the canine teeth. Once the animals were skinned, they headed back to the camp. Hank would have to get up early to process the pelts. He'd done it a lot and wouldn't take long at doing it. There would be no delay in starting.

Once the excitement died down the townspeople gravitated back to their domiciles, and everyone was back in bed, quickly. Soon, quiet reigned over the campsite. The peace held until almost sunup. Then the crow of a nearby rooster began. His insistence woke everyone, and the new day began. They were all up before the full dawn broke. In no time at all, the camp became a bustle of activity, with the women cooking and the men readying the teams. They all finished at the same time. Breakfast was served and the area cleaned up. Once they had finished, the wagons were loaded. They started to move out a short time later.

The wagon train headed north into town, and stopped a couple of minutes later in front of the hotel. Cassandra, Charlene and Sandra were already standing on the veranda waiting for their 'rides'. Their parcels were at their feet. They smiled and waved as the wagons approached. The three girls and their bags were loaded onto the big Conestoga, along with Bob and Dana, at Dana's direction. Rob was riding point again, and Charles was tagging along, picking up pointers from his brother-in-law. Actually Charles had been doing that for some time and was getting pretty good, himself.

"Don't get too far ahead today," Dana called out as the two boys started forward. "The sheriff warned us there might be trouble in the woods between here and Mexia."

The boys assured her they would be careful and eased their horses into an easy canter as they headed north ahead of the wagons. Once everyone was settled, the wagon train headed out again. Wayne, Del and Hank were acting as wranglers for the stock and were trailing behind the wagons, following at an easy gate. The horses were used to following the wagons and it really was an easy job.

The drover jobs were taken up by the rest of the group. There were enough people that they could easily share the duties and not get worn out. Of course it didn't hurt that a couple of the mule teams were so used to pulling in line that very little needed to be done as far as directing them went. All they had to do was be sure the team was behind the wagon in front and of course be on the lines when the wagon went across the fords in the creeks and streams.

At about eleven that morning, the wagons pulled into a wide spot in the roadway. They saw three orange flags. Rob was indicating a good spot for lunch. The wagons circled up, and reins were tied to handbrakes. There was a natural corral off on the left side of the road and all they had to do was string their rope (with the flags tie onto the ropes) across from tree to tree, to keep the horses and extra mules in. The grass was lush and green and there was a little stream over to one side.

Since the day was nice and not too hot, Ana and Dana decided to make this a short stop. The women made a cold lunch and the wagons only stopped about a half an hour. Sort of like Dana's duty free lunch back in uptime at school. When the wagons started out, Charlie's wagon ended up in the lead. The Conestoga Bob was driving was third in line, just behind the large buckboard. The road was easy.

The train had just crested a hill and was descending on a long incline when about 800 yards ahead a tree fell into the road. Bob saw it and pulled out his pocket telescope. Snapping it open he spotted a man wiping his brow standing near a freshly made stump.

"Ambush," he called out. "Everyone take their stations."

With what room was there, three other wagons pulled up in a line beside Charlie's wagon. Brakes were set and reins were tied. Every person on the wagons was armed. Bob told the three girls to get in the back in the hidey hole behind the wooden crates. Just as they did that, eight men wearing masks burst out onto the road, pushing their horses to run.

"Hold," Bob cautioned. "Hold. Wait until they are in your kill zone. Remember about a hundred yards for sure kills. Stay low though. They won't be able to aim but you still could get injured by a stray bullet. Everyone got that?"

Responses to the affirmative reached his ears as the riders closed the gap. Then they crossed the distance line.

Bob hollered out, "Fire!"

At least twenty rifles blasted at the riders. There were so many weapons committed to this that by the time the fourth volley was fired most of the men on the horses were dead men riding. Those who had the courtesy to fall off their horses made it easier for the rest. Being vastly outnumbered, the would-be robbers were soon amongst the ranks of the dead.

Wayne, Del, Charles, Ralph and Rob headed out to check the fallen while Hank, Charlie, Frank and Bob tended to the wagons. One of the mules on the prairie schooner on the far left had taken a fatal stray bullet and the men worked quickly to replace it. Hank and Charlie looped their lariats around the dead mule's neck, after Bob removed the harness, and they then dragged the dead mule into the woods. They left him for the carrion birds ... ugly critters, really ... to feast upon. While they were at that task, Frank had fetched one of the younger mules, a sturdy looking fellow, and together Bob and he secured the harness on him as he joined the team. Only time would tell if he was a good match for the others.

In the meantime, the boys, with Rob in the lead were strip searching the bandits that had fallen in the attack. None of them had fallen together, but rather the lot of them was strung out along a path of destruction that came from the wagons. Man, did they pick the wrong time to go raiding.

"Got a brand new Bowie over here," Ralph called out. "He's got a new double rig of Colts and it looks like he dropped a Winchester when he fell."

"This one over here also has Colts, but they aren't new. Seem to be alright though," Del said," He's only got a Henry, but his hat fits perfect! That is after I removed the money he had stashed in it. Looks to be fifty or sixty dollars here."

"Hey, I got a derringer. It might be .45/410. We can check later," Charles added. "His rifle is a Winchester, too. And he had a money belt. I used his funny looking knife to get it off him. Dang thing folds up."

Wayne arrived at his corpse and discovered the man wasn't dead yet. He called back to Bob. "We got a lingerer here. This one ain't quite dead yet. You want me to finish him or do you want to talk a bit first?"

Bob and Hank walked out to where Wayne was standing. Bob sent him on to check the next dead man while Frank and he started grilling the bandit.

"Well, I guess you know you're a dead man, don't ya," he started to say.

"Damn you to hell!" the man shot back.

"Now, that isn't very friendly. You know, with a gut shot like that, you can take a looooonnnng time to die. We are going to take every weapon here with us, even that piece of shit Patterson you got strapped to that busted leg there. You won't have any way of relieving the pain. We'll just let you suffer."

"No, mister, don't do that," he pleaded. "What do you want? Anything, I'll tell you anything you want to know!"

Panic seized him as he had a coughing fit. He spit blood out of his mouth at its end.

"Well, we only have a few questions. When we're done, and we're satisfied with the answers, we'll see about you," Bob informed him. The man nodded his agreement. "How many of you were there?"

The man said eight, and Bob had already verified there were eight down.

"No, I mean, total," Bob said as he gave the man a kick in the side. "How many total?"

The man swallowed and said "Ten,"

"So just where are the other two?" Bob asked next.

"Dunno," he replied weakly. The energy was draining from him quickly.

"What else should we know?"

The man shook his head no. Hank caught Bob's eye and then spoke. "OK, well I guess that's all."

Bob noticed that all the other bandits had been stripped and their horses caught and were tied to the wagons already. Hank signaled for the wagons to start out with the usual hand sign. Rob rode up leading two horses. Bob mounted and started off towards the downed tree. A couple of the other men joined him and they had it moved in no time.

Meanwhile Hank just looked at the man. He'd taken the reins of the other horse. He quickly searched the man in front of him. He removed the man's gunbelt, knife and rifle. He had a nice thick money belt too. Then Hank mounted his horse. He looked down at the man.

"You promised, mister. Give me mercy now."

"You lied to us," Hank said with a scowl. "We asked how many, and you said eight when it was actually ten. We asked where they went and you said you didn't know, which was a lie, too. I know. I've been interrogating prisoners for a long time. To top it all off, you lied when we asked if there was anything else we should know. I saw it in your face. So that means you lay here like the pile of Bison shit that you are, and you damned well wait to die."

Hank turned his horse toward the tail end of the wagon train and started walking his horse.

Not more than two seconds later he heard, "Wait."

Hank pulled the reins on the horse's neck, and it swiveled around like a dancer doing a pirouette.

"Well?"

"I knows where they went," he began. "About three miles up the trail there's a pull off on the left. If you look closely, near the big oak tree there is a path large enough to walk a horse through. It winds a bit through the woods, but comes out at a small clearing. There's a shack there. They'd be in that shack."

The man coughed.

"There's more," Hank said. "I know it. Spill it, or else I leave,"

"Behind the shack is a cave, an abandoned mine. Inside the mine there's our stash of loot," he gasped, as talking was really hurting him.

"There's still something else. Let's quit playing games! Give me the rest," Hank demanded.

"In the mine ... at the very end, is a room. There are prisoners there."

That caught Hanks attention, immediately. He pulled out the man's gun from a saddlebag and checked the cylinders. There was one unfired chamber. He tossed it down just out of the man's reach and said "There's one shot left in that six shooter. Choose wisely what you shoot at."

Hank swiveled his horse around and spurred him forward. As he passed the downed tree he heard a gunshot ring out. Since nothing stirred around him, he knew the man had taken care of his own comfort with that last shot. Hank easily caught up to Bob and the lead wagons. He told him what information he'd garnered and they agreed they would have to stop and find out about what Hank was told. They pulled up to the turnout, and stopped the wagons.

Since everyone didn't need to go, Bob decided that Hank, Charlie, Rob and Andrew would go up the trail with him. The other men would stay with the women, in case of trouble along the road. What the man had said was true, so far. They had to lead their horses for the first part of the path. Eventually, it widened out. Then there was enough room to mount up, and ride in single file. Rob led the way, watching the path for signs of deadfall traps, and the like. The men must have felt secure, as no such trapping was evident.

Stronger light shone ahead and they figured, rightly so, that the trail led out into the open. They stopped and dismounted, tying their mounts to nearby trees. They huddled together while Bob gave out directions. Rob and Andy would circle around to the far side while the three men would stay on this side. Everyone was to sneak up to the shack as quietly as possible. Five minutes later they were all in position.

Bob called out, "ALL RIGHT YOU YEAHOOS, COME ON OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. WE'VE GOT YOU SURROUNDED, AND THERE AIN'T NO ESCAPE. COME OUT NOW, AND YOU MIGHT LIVE!"

Bob waited and then shouted again, "I SAID COME OUT, NOW! ONE ... TWO..."

"Wait, don't shoot, we're coming out."

Three men came out the door of the cabin.

"Keep walking forward. We'll tell you when to stop," Bob said.

When the men were about twenty feet from the shack Bob started shooting at the shack. The others caught on and they filled the shack full of lead. The three men fell to their knees as Charlie kept them covered. Bob called out a cease fire and the shooting stopped. Rob cautiously approached the cabin. Behind the door was another bandit, dead as a doornail with a gun in his hand.

Rob pulled the man out by his legs after first picking up anything of value in the house. Not much there, except an exceptionally fine sextant and compass. They must have been surveyor's tools. He brought them out to his father, just as the last man was hogtied. Bob questioned the men about the sextant. He had more questions too.

Hank noticed the man in back glance toward the cave opening behind the shack. That proved out the first man's story. Hank interrupted Bob's interrogation, and reminded him about the cave. Bob left the men to guard the prisoners. He and Hank first went into the house and fetched up a kerosene lantern. Then they went to area behind the shack and entered the cave. They had to crawl to get in.

Not far inside, they came across a room to the left. In fact there were three rooms on the left. One was a powder room filled with kegs of powder. The next was powder and weird shaped projectiles, in cases. The next was filled with chests. A little further down the cave was the big room the man told him about. Bob took out his zippo and lit the torches mounted on the wall. He had to turn his head away from the horror that presented itself down there.

Later, he had difficulty even describing the scene to the rest of the family. On one side of the room there were three sawhorses. Tied to those with legs spread wide and ankles tied to the legs of the sawhorses were two female forms and one male. At the end of the room was a large barrel. A young boy of about nine was draped over it. On the other wall were three beds. Each one had a young girl, between the ages of 8 and 14 tied spread eagle to the bed. Every person there was naked, and each one had been sexually molested. Bob guessed they were continually abused until they were dead. The men started the grisly task of cutting them loose and covering the bodies. There was enough bedding to wrap each body, which they did. Once that was done, Hank excused himself and left the cave.

In the daylight, the three men were sitting in the dirt tied together. Hank crawled out of the den of death and stomped his way up to the men. He sent to others to go help Bob with the bodies in the cave. Once everyone was inside they heard three shots ring out.

Quickly, they turned around, thinking Hank was giving the 'Help' signal. They burst forth from the cave with guns drawn. They rushed over to Hank. Looking down at the tied up men, they found each one had a single round hole where the mystical 'third eye' was said to have been located. Each one was dead.

Hank's gun was still smoking as he reloaded it. Justice was served, there in that pasture, just then. Hank then holstered his gun as he walked to the shack. Inside, he found a shovel. He went over near the trees and started digging. Dirt flew as he dug in the soft dirt. Shortly, Rob joined him with a second shovel. Andy had found a pick in the mine. Picks and shovels were abundant. Each man dug, silently, until there were enough graves for each of the victims. Once they had buried the dead victims, they went back into the cave. They brought out every chest and barrel.

It took about three hours to go through everything. Rob had traveled back and picked up several of the mules and harnessed them with the pannier packs for bringing out the loot. He told everyone what had happened, including the execution, before he left. He brought five mules on a stringer, leading them along. He emerged as the final barrel was brought from the cave. They packed all the booty on the mules without searching it. They would do that at another time. Most of the day had been taken up, so they hurried back to the wagon train.

They arrived to the smell of food cooking. With her usual astute summation of the situation, when Rob left with the mules; Dana organized the women, and set up camp. She was sure that the men would be long enough at whatever it was they were doing, that a camp would be necessary. While they were waiting a doe and yearling came out of the woods on the far side of the road. Jackie dispatched the doe with little fanfare and they had dressed it out and there was a haunch of meat cooking. The rest of the meat was packed in salt and stowed with the other meats in the wagons.