The Trail West Ch. 03

He suggested that if they went into town that they go in groups; warning everyone to be careful because Amarillo was a cow town and sometimes a hot bed of wild cowboys, guerilla bands, and the Rebel army. Hobart gave each of his men $5 and split them into two groups and told them that each group could have one night, morning, or afternoon in town. Again he warned them about the possible dangers of the town.

The next morning Hobart walked over to where Red and Josh were getting ready to go into Amarillo. "Red here's your pay along with a bonus; I think you've earned it. I want you to keep the two horses you picked after the raid; those are two good ponies," Hobart said to the young Texan.

"Thanks Mr. Hobart. I didn't expect to be paid, I was just working my way home," Red replied. He was very surprised at the wages and the gift of the two horses.

"I guess we'll be leaving without you, now that you made it back home. You're a good man John and I've enjoyed knowing you," Hobart said shaking the young man's hand. "Hope to run into you again sometime."

"Josh, here's your town money and I'm making you a gift of Diablo."

Like Red, Josh was surprised at the wagon master's generosity. Hobart just laughed and said, "Hell Josh, that horse follows you around like a big dog anyway. I'm just glad to see that I still know horse flesh."

Josh was grateful to Hobart for the money and the horse but he was the most thankful for the confidence, trust, and respect shown to him by the older man. "Thank you Mr. Hobart. But Diablo is pretty much over his distrust of people; he'd be a good horse for anyone as long as they treat him right. Are you sure you want to let him go?"

"I don't have time to train another man how to treat a horse. I've got enough on my plate, so you take the animal off my hands for me. Okay?" Hobart had made up his mind that Josh deserved the big bay horse and not just because he had been able to train the animal.

Apparently I still know men too, Hobart thought as he watched Josh and Red mount their horses for the ride into town. That youngster is so much more than I could have hoped for. I knew he was a good one when Johnny Burrows took to him but I didn't realize how much he could do for the wagon train. Yep, I still know how to pick em alright, Hobart finished his thought.

The two young men rode toward town; Josh on Diablo and Red on the big gelding. Watching them leave, Hobart decided that he needed a few hours in town too. He climbed on his horse and followed the men toward Amarillo. Damn I guess I'm going to have to start using a buckboard or surrey he said to himself, I'm getting too old to ride a horse all day every day for weeks at a time. These old bones just won't take it anymore.

Josh and Red talked about what they would buy or hoped to find in Amarillo, their days on the trail, and the generosity of the wagon master. They didn't talk about what was really on their minds; the fact that Red was home and the two friends would be parting. Josh hated to see Red leave the train but he was home again; Josh would have gone home too if he could have.

They left their horses at the blacksmith's to be reshod. The two men bought a few things at the general store and then went to the gun smith's to get powder, shot, and percussion caps for their pistols; in addition they picked up cartridges for the repeating rifles that they both carried. The men were basically killing time until the smithy could finish with the horses.

The next stop was the saddle maker's. Red had been using a Confederate Officer's saddle that he had brought with him after leaving the war. Now he wanted a western saddle; it was more useful when working stock or herding cattle. He was able to find a used saddle that was reasonably priced and bought it. Red carried the saddle over his shoulder and Josh helped by carrying the rest of the gear back to the blacksmith's. This left both men with a hand free to use their pistols if the need arose.

They got to the smithies just as he was leading their newly shod horses to the hitching post in front of his shop. Red switched out saddles, giving the military saddle to the smithy. As he finish a group of six men wearing Confederate grey rode over and stopped in front of Red and Josh.

"I'm Captain Davis of the CSA procurement office for Texas," the man leading the troops said to Red. "That's right nice piece of horse flesh you're riding."

"Thank you, I like him myself," Red answered with a little hostility. Josh could sense the change in his friend and slowly pulled the Henry out of the saddle scabbard.

"I'll give $40 in good CSA script for the animal," Davis offered.

"No thanks, I'm right fond of this animal. He's not for sale," Red answered.

"I don't think you understand youngster. In time of war, the army can take whatever it needs for the people it protects. I don't have to pay you for that horse, I was just being polite. Do you understand the phrase military confiscation?"

"Do you understand the phrase dead where you sit?" Red said as he slid his hand down to the butt of the pistol strapped to his hip. "You're not takin my horse Grey Back."

Josh was amazed at the change in his friend. Gone was the laughing, joking, easy going young man. In his place was a steely eyed gunfighter ready to shoot it out to keep what belonged to him. Josh had no doubt that Red was ready to kill the Captain.

"Son, there's only one of you and there's six of us. I think you're out gunned," Davis boasted.

"There's two of us mister," Josh informed the Captain as he stepped from behind his horse. He was holding the Henry in the crook of his arm. It wasn't pointed at the Confederate Captain but it could be brought to bear in a heartbeat.

"I don't think the two of you will be much problem, you're still out numbered," the Captain said.

"Maybe so Mister, but when the shootin starts, you'll be the first one to die," Red promised. Just like my pa told Fogerty Josh thought.

"And if he don't get you, I will Captain."

Davis turned his head to see a man with a Spencer rifle pointed in his direction. "And who are you Mister? You don't want to go against the army."

"I'm Clint Hobart and these men work for me. I'll just repeat what the boy said; the horse is not for sale." Hobart took a step or two closer.

"Don't believe you represent the Confederacy. I think you're just another son of a bitch trying to take advantage of people during this war. It might be a good idea for you to ride on." There was a deadly threat in Hobart's voice.

Captain Davis was a lot of things but stupid wasn't one of them. The three men facing his troop had the look. The look that said they were willing and able to fight Davis and his men if necessary. He turned his horse and with the rest of the troop following, rode out of town.

"Damn Red, I thought you were going to kill him," Josh said.

"I was; if he or any of his men had touched a gun, I would have shot Davis out of the saddle," Red told him. "I would have got as many of them as I could before I went down. Thanks for the support Josh; it means a lot to me."

Hobart had remounted and walked his horse over to the two youngsters; I'm going to have to stop thinking of them as boys, he thought. Those two are about as tough as any I can think of. "It might be best if we ride back to the camp together. I don't think those skunks will hang around but no need to be foolish about it. You boys ready to go?"

Back at the camp as Josh and Red were taking care of the horses, Josh asked, "When are ya leaving for home Red?"

"I guess I'll head out early morning. It's about two hours out to the ranch," he said laughing. "Hell it's just a big farm but Pa's got an idea that he's a real cowboy, don't you know."

In the early hour just before first light, Josh and Hobart watched Red saddle his horse, gather his gear, and get ready to leave. He put a pack on his other horse and loaded up his few belongings. Then he was ready to go and turned to say good bye.

"Gonna miss you son, you done good while you been with the train. If you ever want a job, look me up in Fort Smith; I'll always have a place for you," Hobart told him. He shook hands with Red and left the two young men to say so long.

"You take care of yourself Red. I don't have many friends and I can't afford to lose one. Good luck to ya," Josh said. He was sorry to see the Texan leave but knew Red needed to go home to his folks.

Red grinned to hide his feelings and said, "If I'd known about the attack on the wagon trail, the hard work I was going to do, and the run in with those fellers in Amarillo I might not have been so quick to accept your help when you found me walkin.

"Well I had to entertain you some, I mean being an ignorant Texan and all. I aim to please," Josh said.

"I don't want to lose a friend either. Hope you get to return home soon, Josh. If you come back this way, stop by the ranch to say hello," Red replied in a more serious note. "Keep your powder dry big man."

Red mounted his horse, pulled the lead rope on the other horse tight, and with a final wave rode off to join his family. Josh watched him until he went behind one of few hills on the flat prairie. He gave a big sigh and went to get Sunny ready for the day's work. Another huntin trip was scheduled to supply the wagons with meat; the more meat supplied by hunting, the less they would have to buy.

Josh and the other hunters were able to add some wild game to the larder. The rest of the people worked on the wagons and got organized for the last push through to Santa Fe. There was always work to be done on a wagon train.

The land they were traveling through was mostly flat. There were few trees, some scrub growth, and a lot of grass belly high to a horse. A hill twenty feet high stood out like a small mountain and it was on one of this rises that Hobart posted a look out early the next morning. Out riders and guards were a fact of life out here especially as the train began to hitch up teams and prepared to travel.

Hobart had posted one of the older boys on the hill as a look out while the wagons got ready to begin the day. Both Josh and Hobart would check the guard's positions every so often and it was Josh that saw the boy riding like hell back to the wagons. Dang, that boy can ride Josh thought, admiring the boy's skill on a horse.

The youngster pulled up in a cloud of dust and was off the horse before it came to a complete stop. "Riders coming Mr. Hobart," he reported. "At least two horses, maybe more, couldn't tell but they're raising a lot of dust."

Josh hurried to finish saddling Diablo, making sure that his weapons were loaded and readily available. He knew that if it was another guerilla band he would be more effective from horseback.

"Good job Jerry. Go tell the rest of the guards and tell them to stay alert; they might have to come back to the wagons. Now off you go son," Hobart ordered. Josh mounted and turned his horse toward the low rise.

"Where you going Josh?"

"Going back up the hill, if it is a raiding party I can slow them down a mite. Maybe give you time to set up a defense," Josh told him. Hobart nodded and Josh started for the crest of the hill.

Sitting just below the crest of the low rise Josh was able to see the dust cloud coming toward his position. He stayed on the big horse and sat with the butt of his Henry propped upright against his hip. The wind was in his face, blowing the dust kicked up by the horses toward him and obscuring the ones causing it. When the wind shifted and the dust blew sideways he could see that it was a lone rider leading another horse. He relaxed a little but stayed alert; even a single man could be a danger out here.

When the rider drew closer Josh began to smile and road out to meet him. He recognized the rider; it was Red on a big sorrel stallion leading a quarter horse mare. The two friends pulled their horses to a stop as they met.

"You get lost on the way home?" Josh asked as a greeting.

"Naw, but I figured you would if I wasn't around to keep an eye on you so I thought I'd come back and lead y'all to the promise land," Red replied with a laugh.

"Good to see you Red. Why are you here?"

"Let's get back to the wagons and I'll explain to you and Mr. Hobart at the same time. I crossed the trail of about twenty riders headed southwest, could be nothing but he should know about them," Red suggested.

As they rode back to the wagons Red said, "I saw your scout up on the crest and then he was gone in a hurry. I guess to report my dust cloud. Who was it anyway?"

"That was Jerry Barnes; his pa and ma were killed in the raid and Mr. Hobart has sorta taken the boy under his wing, letting him work some and paying him. It helps take his mind off what happened."

"You might tell him to sit just below the crest with only his head showing. That way no one will see him and he'll be able to surprise them if need be," Red suggested. Josh nodded agreement.

Hobart was waiting for them when they got to the wagons. "Hello Red, I'm surprised to see you so soon."

"Hello Mr. Hobart," Red said. He nodded at a few people that had seen him ride in, including the Barnes boy who was still mounted waiting for orders from the wagon master. "Thought you'd like to know, just north of Amarillo I found a trail of 20 riders or so headed southwest." He waited for the wagon master to think about the riders. "Say Mr. Hobart, is that job offer still open? Thought I might go along as far as Santa Fe, if you don't mind."

"Glad to have you son, and thanks for the warning. I thought you were going to farm with your dad. What changed your mind?"

"Well, funny thing about that. When I was with the 29th Texas in '61 I couldn't wait to get back home. When I got back to the farm I realized that I didn't want to be a farmer. Besides, my sister married a guy with two children and they're living with my folks. To make things a little tighter one of our cousins lost her husband at Manassas in '61, and she and her three kids have moved in too." Red shook his head at all the people now living on the farm and in the one farm house.

"I don't hanker to sleep three to a bed in a room full of kids so I thought it might be time for little Johnny McCall to go out on his own. I loaded my gear, grabbed my horses, and come back here. Thought I might sweet talk you into a job," Red finished the story.

"Put your extra mount with the others and get to work. We're burning daylight," Hobart said with a smile. He liked and respected the young Texan and was glad to have him back with the wagon train.

"How long to Santa Fe Josh?" Red asked but really didn't care; it was more out of curiosity than anything. He was on his own journey now and was looking forward to the trip.

"If the weather holds and no one bothers us and if nothing else happens, should take 20 to 25 days," Josh answered and continued with a grin, "But something or someone always turns up."

Josh was also glad to have his friend back with him; they had formed a strong bond since Josh picked Red up limping down the road. He respected and liked Mr. Hobart but Red was closer to his own age and they had something in common; he had left his home too.

He looked forward to getting to Santa Fe and beginning the final leg of his journey to Colorado. Josh mounted on Diablo, turned the big horse on the trail west.

To be continued.