Railroaded

Jan grinned at Frank and turned her back on him. She slipped her shorts and shirt off and sat in the stream with her naked back to him. She, too, soaped herself then stood and did under her now nearly see-through underwear. She sat back down in the stream and rinsed off then stood and walked to the bank. She dried off with a towel as best she could and pulled her shirt back on. She bent down and picked up her shorts then grinned over her shoulder at Frank and slipped her panties off. By then Frank had left the stream and dressed once again. He watched as Jan pulled her shorts on commando. His cock was harder than he remembered it ever being even after the dunking in the cold, cold mountain stream.

Jan turned to Frank and said, "Damn, that feels better." She held her hand out to Frank and continued talking, "Come on, Frank. There's no need for you to go back to your little cabin and sleep on the ground. There is an extra bunk in mine and if I can't trust you now, I'm a pretty poor judge of men."

Frank hesitated for a moment then grinned and took her hand. "Fine, but you have to promise not to abuse me."

The next morning, after the best night's sleep he had in the mountains, Frank awoke to the wonderful smell of coffee. He looked up at a smiling Jan as she handed him his first cup. Without thinking he threw the light blanket off and sat on the edge of the bed. He normally slept naked but since he was in Jan's cabin he wore his boxers to bed. When he sat up his morning wood bounced out of his boxers. Jan gasped and stared at his impressive seven and a half inch pleasure pole.

Frank realized what he'd done and almost spilled his coffee as he grabbed for the blanket to cover himself. He felt a blush rising in his face as he stammered out an apology. When he looked up at Jan's face he could tell she had blushed, also. She was still staring at his crotch. She licked her lips and said quietly, "Damn, I've never seen one of those before." She realized what she said and stammered out an explanation, "I mean I've never seen one so large before. How do you even get that inside?"

Jan blushed and turned away before she said, "Oh, shit, I can't believe I just said that. I'm sorry."

Frank took the opportunity to pull on his shorts and walk up beside Jan. He just stood beside her and said, "It's ok, Jan. I'm sorry you had to see that. I just forgot how loose the boxers are."

Jan looked at Frank and smiled. She said, "It's not a problem Frank. I know you didn't do it on purpose. I was just surprised. Now, let's get out there and finish breakfast. I'm starved and I want to get back to work."

This time they went farther downstream to the small valley Jan was in when she got hurt. They once again began exploring at the stream and worked their way deeper into the valley. They were almost half way into the valley when they came to the rock Jan fell from. She was showing Frank where the rock was and what she was trying to get a better look at when he stood and stared at a spot nearby. He didn't even answer Jan as he moved toward the clutter of rocks that had caught his eye.

Frank wove his way through the clutter and around a small point. There was a lot of brush growing across a small side canyon or valley but there seemed to be a lot of rocks and debris lying around. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the place just didn't look right. He pushed his way through the brush and down the small valley a ways. There was a small spring trickling out of the valley until it joined the small stream that eventually led to the larger one that ran past their camp.

After they were back into the small valley about a hundred fifty feet, they could tell there had been a lot of human activity nearby but they still could not find a mine. "Fuck," said Frank as he sat on a rock underneath a shady tree. He shrugged off his back pack and pulled his lunch from it. He leaned against a larger rock beside the old gnarled tree trunk and began eating. Jan sat beside him in companionable silence for a while.

Finally, they began talking. As they ate and talked, Frank kept his eyes roaming, looking over the area once again. Shortly he frowned and said, "Jan, look over there near those old boards. It seems strange to me that the whole area except for right there is covered with all sizes of rock and brush. All that is near there is very small rocks, a few cans and those boards of course. That just doesn't look right to me."

"Yeah. I see what you mean. And I also see several pieces of quartz and mica scattered around. There has to be something there, but what? The old stream bed runs just down from that area and it is full of rocks. Some of them look as if they fell from above because they are not rounded from tumbling in the water either."

After they finished their meal Frank stood and walked back over to the area they discussed during their meal. He pulled and pushed on the larger rocks, peering behind them as he moved around. One of the rocks he pushed against gave slightly when he put his muscles to it. There were some smaller rocks blocking it and some scrub brush and grass growing in the cracks. He went back to his pack and pulled out his small pick and entrenching tool then returned to the stubborn rock.

After about five minutes Frank had the smaller rocks and brush cleared from around the larger rock. It was buried in the ground about six or eight inches on the bottom and still difficult to move but he persevered. Finally, slowly, he managed to roll it aside to uncover a small hole in the mountain. The hole was no more than 36-40 inches in diameter and obviously man made.

Frank yelled back to Jan, "Jan bring the flash lights over please. I've found a cave or tunnel. It may be the mine. It's obviously man made."

Jan brought the requested lights as quickly as she could move. Frank took one and knelt down to shine it into the cave. The shaft widened and was taller as it progressed into the mountain. There were shards of quartz, mica, and rocks on the uneven floor. He could not see the back of the tunnel. He shined the light all around and looked at the cave carefully. He did not see any obviously dangerous cracks or hanging rocks so slowly crawled deeper into the tunnel.

When he was in about thirty feet the tunnel curved to the right and rose slightly. After he turned the corner he saw a wall about ten feet ahead that glittered. He saw darker spots in the glitter. When he got closer he saw an old pick and shovel as well as a kerosene lamp near the end of the tunnel. There were also a couple of old bags nearby.

Frank used his pick and dug some of the glittering rock from the end of the tunnel. After he had about fifty pounds in one of the old bags he replaced the pick on his belt and crawled back out of the tunnel pulling the bag with him.

After he got outside again Jan grabbed him and wrapped him in a tight hug. She said, "Don't you ever take off like that on me again. I was worried sick about you. Why didn't you answer me when I called?"

"I'm sorry, Jan. I didn't hear you, honest. Now, look what I've found." He opened the bag and showed her the quartz and the fine fingers of what he was sure was gold streaked through it. He described the tunnel and what he saw to her then said, "I think we need to cover this tunnel again and try to hide our work for now. I want to take this down to the stream and clean it or better yet, back to the old mine above our cabins to break the worst of this quartz off the gold. We need to decide how we are going to handle this find before we get too crazy digging it out. I'm not real sure this is on my family's property either. If it isn't we are technically stealing the ore here. I am going on the assumption it is on our land since we own a full section here and I don't think we walked off it, but before we get crazy I need to check that."

"What will we do if it's not on your land? Surely your grandfather wouldn't have taken the gold from here if it isn't on your land would he?"

Frank laughed and said, "You don't know Gramps very well if you believe that. If this is government land he would take all he could get. He might even have mined the gold if it was someone else's. He was a strange old duck for sure. He was honest as the day is long in some ways and in others he was crooked as a dog's hind leg. He wouldn't hurt someone for anything unless they were a danger to him or his family. He would figure this gold was just here for the taking and if the land didn't belong to a friend he would figure it was fair game. Of course, we really have no idea if this is where gramps got his ore but I bet it was."

"What should we do if this isn't on your land?"

"I don't know, Jan. I guess I'm sort of like Gramps. I think I might just take some from the mine off and on like he did. Obviously, whoever owns this hasn't mined it for a long time, if ever. Hell, this might even be one of the lost mines we're always hearing about."

"The first thing I'm going to do is find out if this mine is on our land. After that we'll decide what to do about it and how to do it."

The next day Frank walked out of the little valley again and went to town. His first stop was the county recorder's office to get the legal description of the family land and to purchase a map showing the boundaries of the surrounding plots. After that he went to the store and replenished their supplies. Once again he returned to the camp just before dusk and collapsed tiredly onto the porch. This time, however, after he was seated Jan sat beside him and gave him a hug and quick kiss.

Jan leaned on Frank and looked up at his face then asked, "Well, is the mine on your land or not?"

Frank sighed and said, "I really don't know for sure Jan. I have the legal description and a map of the area showing the boundaries. Now I have to find the corner pins or markers of the land and then the property lines. I don't think it was ever fenced so I can't find a fence line. I do have some of the old boundary descriptions to help though. You know in the old days they didn't survey a lot of plots they just recorded boundaries and distances from prominent landmarks. That was one reason there were so many disputed boundaries over the years."

It took the couple three days to find a corner they were sure of and trace the property line but they finally did so. Fortunately, or unfortunately the entrance to the valley was not on Frank's property but as far as they could determine the mine itself was. Jan said, "Well at least we know we can legally take the ore from the mine even if we are trespassing to get it."

"Yeah but what the hell will we do with the ore? I'm no mining engineer or geologist but even I can see there probably isn't enough ore there to be commercially feasible to mine."

"We don't know that for sure Frank. There may be a huge amount of ore there."

"Yeah, there might be, but there might not be, either. I'm not sure I even want to go that route. I think I might just do what gramps did and take a little out along to supplement my income."

"What income, Frank? I thought you told me you quit your job when you and your fiancee broke the engagement."

"Well, I don't intend to be unemployed forever."

That evening Jan found Frank sitting on the porch looking at the train tracks. She walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Without thinking he placed his hand on hers and smiled up at her. She said, "What are you thinking about, Frank? You look as if you were a thousand miles away."

"I was thinking what it would be like to see one of those old trains chugging up the tracks over there." He smiled and continued, "When I was young I thought I wanted to work on the railroads. That was all I dreamed about. Now look at me. I have a degree in marketing and management and no job."

"I know what you mean. I have always dreamed about the old days and the excitement of the railroads. I'm afraid they are a dying industry though since the government chose years ago to support the trucking industry over the railroads."

"Oh, I don't know, Jan. I think they're holding their own, now. Many of the larger Class I and II roads have increasing revenue miles as well as increasing profits from the higher shipping they carry. Now their only major drawback is the limited number of metro areas they service directly."

The two friends spent two more weeks in the mountains before the cold weather and the need to make a living forced them to leave. They exchanged contact information and hugs before they parted. Each returned to their home towns and tried to rebuild their lives. Their return to their home towns were made easier because of the gold they mined while in the mountains. By the time they left the mountains they each had almost a pound of gold to sell for living expenses.

When Janice returned home she found work at a small financial services software company. Frank found employment in a small trucking company as a warehouse and loading dock supervisor. After he had been working there for almost three months his boss called the department heads together for a meeting. He was smiling when they all entered the conference room. As soon as everyone was seated he opened the meeting with a surprising statement. He said, "Gentlemen, this company is about to grow faster than it ever has in the past. The railroad has finally decided to stop serving its customers along the spur from Joplin through Monett to Cassville and on to Branson. I have already received verbal commitments from the shipping supervisors for us to begin serving them when the spur line is closed. All we have to do is get a contract prepared and signed and we're in the money. You all need to plan for increased traffic within the next three or four months. I'm going to use owner operators for the expanded business until I see if it is feasible to purchase more tractors. I think we own enough trailers to do the job."

A couple of weeks later the railroad announced they were abandoning the track through the towns Franks boss had mentioned. There was a public uproar and congressional investigations but the abandonment was finally approved by the various Federal agencies. Frank found himself thinking about the abandoned track over and over. He even went out and looked at several places along the track from time to time and dreamed about trains once again rolling down the rails.

One cold, dreary, boring Friday evening in January Frank wanted to do something different. He couldn't face another night alone in his house and he certainly didn't want to do the bar scene. He felt he had nothing in common with the young people in the bars or the older ones trying to catch a young one. After some consideration he decided to go to one of the small Indian casinos near his home.

After having a nicer than normal meal Frank wandered through the casino looking for something to entertain himself. Finally, he settled on poker and found a seat at one of the lower stake tables. While playing he listened to the chatter and even made a few comments of his own. It was amazing what you could learn listening to the conversation as it ebbed and flowed.

Somehow the conversation at the table next to his moved to the abandoned rail spurs. One of the older players angrily folded his hand and began speaking. He said, "That was total bullshit. I'm about to pop their little balloon for them too. My great grandfather sold those assholes the track they abandoned the other day. I have the original contract still and it specified if they ever abandoned service on the lines they had to turn them back to my family with the same or equal equipment that they purchased from us for the exact same price they purchased the lines for." The old man saw Frank listening to the conversation. In a lull Frank even made a comment or two, then turned back to his own table and the game he was playing.

"They are going to scream bloody murder when I drag their asses into court. When they purchased the line we owned seven box cars, two engines and tenders, three cabooses, two baggage cars, three flat cars, and four Pullman cars. I intend to enforce that contract then find someone to purchase the line once again and continue service to those small towns."

As the evening progressed luck for the players did the inevitable ebb and flow. Frank was having a great evening. He normally didn't play at a table with the stakes his current one had but when his first table closed he was ahead enough he moved to one with higher stakes and continued playing. The old man with the railroad contract moved to the same table also shortly after Frank did.

The old man's luck went opposite to Franks and he lost almost his entire stake. The man sat back and looked around the table. He spied Frank and eyeballed his stack of chips. He said, "Hey, young feller. I remember you from the other table. You were interested in the old railroads as I recall. I'm not ready to quit playing tonight and I've used up my entire line of credit here. Would you be willing to loan me a stake son?"

Frank looked over at the man. He was half drunk from the free booze they provided to players. He did not know the man and had never seen him before that he could recall. Finally, he said, "No, sir, I'm sorry. I don't know you at all and I don't loan money to people even if I do know them. I just barely make ends meet as it is. My winnings tonight will help pay some of my bills and I don't want to risk them. I'm sorry."

"Oh, come on, son. I saw you buy in. You bought in with $500. How much you got there now? I bet it's at least $25-30,000. I won't stiff ya, son. Tell ya what. You help me out by loaning me a small- no, I've got a better deal for you, son. You give me $25,000 from your stack there and I'll transfer the rail line Union Pacific just abandoned to you lock, stock, and barrel. I'll even help ya get it back and pay the legal fees to do it. From the looks of your stack you'll still have $5000 or so for your evenings work. Hell, you're a gambler, son, what the hell do you have to lose? Money you didn't have before the evening started? Think what you'll win when I regain control of that track and all the equipment. Hell, at today's prices it will be in the millions."

Frank sat a moment and played with his chips. Hell, the old man was right. Even if he took Frank's money and ran, Frank would still be ahead for the night. Besides, he wanted to believe. It could be his dream come true if he did get the line and could make it pay. Finally, he said, "If I do give you the chips I would need a contract signed here tonight and witnessed by these gentlemen. Would you do that sir?"

"Yes, sir, I will. I'll even help you stick it to those Union Pacific assholes any way I can."

Frank was worried; no doubt about that, but, damn, this could be his chance to live his dream and own a railroad or at least a part of one. He rose from the table and went to find a piece of paper to write out his contract. After everyone signed he gave the chips to his new "friend" and they both resumed playing.

As the night continued, Frank's luck held and so did his new friends. By the time Frank decided to stop playing he had won back over $20,000 of the money he gave for the railroad. As he was leaving the old man stopped playing and moved to talk to Frank for a moment. He said, "Boy, you don't know me from Adam, but you helped me out. I'm telling you I'm a straight shooter, son. I'll begin working on getting you the track and rolling stock the first of the week. I don't know how long that will take, though, boy. You've got my phone and address and I have yours. I'll keep in touch and we'll nail those bastards. You'll see."

Frank grinned and made pleasant conversation with the old man for a while. Eventually, they shook hands and each returned home. Over the next several weeks he forgot about the old man and the railroad. He continued working for the trucking company and hated it, but it put food on the table so he kept on. From time to time he spoke with Janice. She was as unhappy as he was but stuck with her job for the same reason he stuck with his.