~Chapter 10~
Thieves in the Night
A plot to commit a crime had been hatched, the wheels inside of criminal minds were in motion, and the plan to carry out a misdeed would soon come to a result by three of the seediest, scruffy, and mangiest characters who ever came to Centerville.
Louis and Chug were now in search of an answer to this most baffling and perplexing problem, that was unexpectedly thrust before them.
How could they foil the wrongdoing?
How would they be able to save Jupiter from a terrible fate?
The most logical thing that both of them could agree on was to go for help, and find the Chief of Police, Mr. Thomas Pinkerman.
Louis remembered seeing the Chief of Police earlier in the day up on the stage, before The "Great Race" had begun. Would he still be there? Would they be able to find him in time, and most of all would he believe them and their far-fetched story, about Jupiter possibly being kidnapped and that Black Jack Tilley was right here in their town?
Louis knew he had told some tall tales in the past and laid it on thick in a few stories here and there, and of course he was prone to daydreaming but this was different. Somehow, he would have to convince someone that he was, finally telling the truth and that Jupiter was really in big trouble.
Louis and Chug were milling over the plot in their minds so as not to forget each detail, as they ran off towards the main stage, in search of help. The crowd was still buzzing over the race and people were going backwards and forwards, and out in all directions. This made it very difficult for Louis and Chug to make any headway forward, against the bustle of people exiting the fair. By the time, they had reached the main-stage all the speechmakers, and military bigwigs had long since vanished.
"They're all gone Chug," said Louis in a hurried speech "we're too late. We have to get down to the police station to see if anyone is over there."
"You're right Louis."
"Maybe we can find the Chief of Police in his office we've got to tell someone what's going to happen. Somebody has got to help us, or Jupiter's a goner."
"Louis, the Chief of Police will know what to do alright. But man that's a long way off."
The police station was on the other side of town in the main business district, and was a good hour away or more by foot.
"Chug, I've got an idea. Charlie can help us. We can ride him down to the police station and make it in half the time. We've got to tell Charlie about those "Missouri Rats". He'll know what to do" said Louis with desperation in his voice as things, were getting worse by the minute. Chug nodded again in agreement. They then both bolted over towards the horse stables, where they had last seen Charlie before the race had began.
As they saw Charlie coming into view, Charlie smiled widely.
"Louis, Chug, did you see the race? Man, I just knew Jupiter would win. Could you believe that finish?"
"Charlie, Charlie. Forget about the race! Jupiter's in trouble!"
"What do you mean Jupiter's in trouble? He just ran the race of his life, he's a hero. Come on Louis have you been talking with Mr. Beamer again, and he's put a new story in your head, or are you off daydreaming or seeing visions again?"
"No this is for real. We saw three bad guys who were watching Jupiter warm up in the stables and they looked like those awful guys, who were involved in that big bank heist over there in Saint Louis, a few years back. They must have broken outta jail again, and they are now here in our Centerville. Anyway?ah? they're plotting to kidnap Jupiter after the fair is over, and sell him off for big dough! They're going to sell Jupiter over there in Saint Louis to some other fellow crooks...ah...Squint Eye Pete was one of the crooks names I heard. They're taking him tonight. Chug and me heard um?ah?didn't us?Chug?
"Yeah we heard um?Charlie," said an out of breath Chug "and we gotta get some help".
"We gotta do somethin Charlie, and I mean right now" cried out Louis as he fought to get the words out of his mouth.
"Yea, some help, Charlie". I heard um, we need the Chief of Police!"
"Slow down boys."
"No this is for real Charlie," said Louis as he tried to catch his breath again.
"Well, Louis, Chug I know you two wouldn't kid me about Jupiter, and now that I think about it, your story makes perfect since to me. I did hear about those crooks breaking out of jail, a few weeks ago. Everybody has been looking for them. They're on the lamb all right and they ended up here?at our county fair? Who would have thought that? They stole all that money, from all those good folks over there in Indianapolis. Just terrible" said Charlie as he finally realized all that Chug and Louis were saying was true.
"Yes, they're gonna kidnap Jupiter tonight from his stall, take him down to the train station out at the edge of town, and then take him over to Saint Louis to sell him. Charlie they're going take our Jupiter!" said Chug as he pulled ever so hard on Charlie's tail, to get his full attention.
Chug was just as excited as he could be when speaking, he didn't even realize what he was doing.
"Hey, lay off the tail. That's the only one I got," stated Charlie as he tried to flip his tail away from Chug's tight grip.
Chug had a grip so tight that he did not let go in time, and was sent sailing up in the air over Charlie's head and heading directly, for a bail of hail found nearby.
He landed with a soft thud.
He came up from the bottom of the hay pile with a head full of straw.
Louis and Charlie looked over at Chug, but dared not laugh.
"You alright Chug" said an amused Louis.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I got a little too excited."
All smiled.
"Did you find the Chief of Police yet?" asked Charlie.
"No we can't find him. We looked over at the main-stage where he was last seen, but he's gone now, and there are so many people at the fair today, we just could not possibly find him. He might have gone down to the police station, to check in on a few things. The police station is way over on the other side of town and we need you to give us a ride down there. We need to tell him all about those bad guys and what their up to. We've got to save Jupiter before it's too late."
"You're right, no doubt about it Louis."
"I know I'm right and yes, we've got to stop em."
"Hop on fellows. We've gotta get over there to the police station as soon as we can" said Charlie as he turned sideways so the boys could climb on his back.
As both boys grabbed Charlie's tail and jumped up on Charlie's back: he whirled around as fast as he could, planted his big over-sized hooves on the ground, dug deep into the dirt, and off they went, just as fast as Ole' Charlie could run.
All three headed out towards the far side of town with Charlie in a full gallop. Charlie had never moved this fast in his life; nor ran with this much determination. Charlie's long mane of hair and tail where flowing, out in all directions as Chug and Louis were both holding on for dear life.
Charlie, being so big and a little clumsy looked a bit funny running down main-street, with the two small boys hanging on his back, oh the horrified looks on the faces of both as they tried to hang on to, Charlie's mane. Chug groped more on to Louis than Charlie did, because Louis was in front and hanging on to Charlie's neck and mane.
Charlie ran like a hound dog chasing a wild rabbit, for what seemed to be a half-hour or more as the three, crime-stoppers finally reached their destination at the far-end of town. Upon coming to a screeching halt and dust flying out in all directions, Louis jumped off Charlie's back and sprang toward the front door of the police station.
Louis began banging on the door freely, and as hard as he could.
Again and again, he banged.
No answer from anyone inside
Not a sound.
Louis looked inside; the lights were all turned off. The interior of the room w
as dark and quite.
Not a soul in sight.
"How could the police station, be closed in the middle of the day," cried out Louis "how could they...?"
"Louis, that's right! Everything is locked up today because of the fair. Remember today was declared a city holiday. The Mayor said so, when he made that speech today?before the "Big Race"?remember now" said Chug.
"You're right Chug. Now I remember."
Louis shook his head in agreement.
"Charlie what are we going to do? Everyone's off work today, and everything is closed, we're not going to be able to get a hold of anyone not the fire department, the police chief, or the Mayor. We won't be able to find even a city chimney sweep to help us," said a now even more worried Chug.
Charlie looked at the fear on the faces of his two energetic friends and wondered to himself, what the next logical step to take was. What was the right thing to do? How could they foil the horse-napping plans of Black Jack Tilley, and the "Missouri Rats?"
"We're going to have to save Jupiter ourselves," said Charlie in bewilderment at his statement, and the position they all found themselves in. Did he just volunteer to save Jupiter? Then place himself, Chug and Louis in grave danger?
What was Charlie thinking?
Louis started speaking to Charlie but Charlie did not bother or try to hear a thing. He just thought to himself, the whole time. I'm just a barnyard horse, what am I doing? Let's just find the Chief of Police, and get out of this mess. Old barnyard horses don't do deeds of daring and heroic things.
"Chug what are we going to do?"
"I don't know Louis."
Charlie paused for a moment, gathered himself, grew more purposeful and determined in his manner, then spoke out to Louis.
"What else did you hear those three guys say today Louis? How is the caper going down?"
He had come to an ending, and that this was now his responsibility, and that himself with Louis and Chug would save Jupiter and capture, those three crooks all by themselves.
"Let me tell you all I heard Charlie..."
"I hate to cut you off Louis but boys: we need to go down to Mr. Beamer's barn, rest for awhile and talk this over, and find out the best way to save Jupiter."
Louis and Chug climbed aboard Charlie's back one more time. Louis again gripped Charlie's neck and Chug again gripped Louis. With both boys safely on Charlie's back, he started back up main-street, in a slow steady gallop towards Mr. Beamer's barn.
As all three weary travelers lumbered slowly along, Louis and Chug went over most everything they heard that day with Charlie and were trying, not leave out a single detail of the plan. They told Charlie: of the hot-wiring and stealing of Baron Von Beck's milk truck by Rags Martin, the meeting to take place over at the old yellow farmhouse, of getting the blindfolds and rope, and about the plot to get Jupiter to the train station by eleven-o'clock for the last train out of town tonight.
Upon reaching, Mr. Beamer's barn Louis, Chug and Charlie were absolutely worn out, and just plain exhausted from the fair, all of the day's activities and especially from the wild ride over to the police station.
Muncy upon hearing Louis coming into the barn bounded into Louis's lap; looked up and saw the concern, and worry in Louis's face. He noticed that something wasn't quite right with him. Muncy tried to comfort Louis all he could, but Louis was so tired he hardly noticed Muncy's affections.
They all three relaxed the best they could, and talked some more about their plans, to spoil the kidnapping of Jupiter. Chug and Muncy after all the talk of plans, crooks and horse napping, finally tired out completely; falling fast asleep on a large haystack, in the back of the barn.
Charlie stayed awake as the others slept; running over and over in his mind, the plan to steal Jupiter, and what they should do to stop the Rats.
After a few hours of restful sleep Chug, Louis and Muncy all woke up all feeling much better. Charlie had stayed awake just thinking, and thinking the situation repeatedly over in his mind.
Charlie was not known for being the brightest or bravest horse around being so very old and all, be had finally found a solution to their problems.
As Chug and Louis wiped the sleep out of their eyes, Charlie went over in detail the plan he had worked out to foil the crooks. It would be a mighty adventure. Quite dangerous, but he was sure the plan was a good one, and that no harm, would come to any of them. After hearing Charlie's plan, all agreed as to what had to be done, and all thought that this was the best plan that any of them had come up with so far.
Louis headed up to his farmhouse with Muncy in-tow found Hattie May sitting in her old favorite chair by the fireplace, then told her that he and Chug were going out for a nighttime ride with Charlie that they would be back later this evening, and for her not worry about him, or stay up late for him to return.
Hattie May looked a little puzzled.
"Whatever you're up to Louis, please be careful and don't go getting yourself in trouble again. That's all you seem to do lately?is to get in trouble..."
"Don't worry mom. I promise to be safe."
"Oh Louis you're too young to be out late! I just know your dad wouldn't like this."
"Yeah I know mom. I'm a troublemaker and a daydreamer but this is different. You have to trust me mom, just this once. I'll be alright?really."
Hattie May took Louis by the hand and held him tight, just long enough to let Louis know...that she loves him...more than he could know.
"Aw don't worry mom, I will be with Charlie, and Chug, so I will be just fine."
Louis grabbed a few winter coats, scarves, and hats out of the nearby closet and dashed out the front door, as quickly as he had come in.
He stopped on the porch for a moment, leaned down to look into Muncy's eyes and told Muncy to look out for Hattie May while he was gone, and that everything would turn out just fine, and not to worry. Muncy of course was very unsettled over the whole thing, giving Louis a thoughtful look, as if to say, "Don't go, you'll be in danger. Louis", something bad is going to happen" I just know it".
Louis gave Muncy a comforting pat on the head, then turned, heading towards the rear of the porch, without even looking back. Muncy was heartbroken, just wishing Louis wouldn't leave the safety and warmth of his home this night.
It was now close to nine thirty, and darkness had fallen on Centerville. It was an eerie kind of darkness, fraught with many dark shadows, not seen in Centerville in a long while, if ever before. It seemed to speak of a foreboding of unpleasant things that were about to come.
It began to snow lightly and the wind started up, signaling that the weather would be turning distasteful and nasty soon.
A gloom hung in the air, and was soon to descend upon Charlie, Chug, and Louis. An impending and unpleasant snowstorm was on the way this night.
Snow and ice storms would blow in hard from the north into this part of the country around this time of year, and could come up and unleash their furry, on all in its way in a moment's notice. Darkened clouds drew down and in upon the town. Neither man, nor animal was seen or heard from this night, all had taken for immediate shelter at the first winds rustling, and the first snows falling.
Charlie exited the shelter of Mr. Beamer's barn with the two boys perched squarely on his back. Both boys were bundled up against the winter's chill with their winter clothes on, and were well prepared, for the long ride ahead. Charlie led them down past the old clearing where they had played the hated Logansport Tigers a few months ago, past Ms. George Pennywell's farmhouse, and then down into the valley below.
Charlie was eager to reach the Centerville train station. This is where the town's water tower stood. He could not wait to get started, with setting his plans into motion. It took nearly an hour to get there, and the weather was, quickly turning for the worse with each passing minute.
Louis pulled hi
s coat tighter across his chess as he looked at the looming storm, now brewing down on them.
Directly overhead, the big snowstorm was now bearing down on the valley from the north, and was growing in intensity with each step that Charlie took.
As the ten o'clock hour crept in, it now began snowing with more intensity and steadiness. The snowflakes were thick and heavy, which made it nearly impossible to see very far up the road ahead of them.
Louis and Chug turned up their coat collars, and tightened their woolen scarfs tighter up against their bodies, to try and, stay as warm as they could. At times, the winds were so severe when they gusted that they were almost, blown off Charlie's back.
As they came over a low-lying hill, the water tower slowly came into view. They could barely see the water tower because of the dark moonless night, and the ever-blowing snowstorm surrounding them.
As Charlie approached closer and closer to the top of the next small hill, he could finally see the two faint gas-lamps marking the entrance to the Centerville train station. When they finally reached the train station's main entrance, they found that it was empty of passengers, except there was one lone old train engineer in his office at the back of the loading dock, who monitored the telegraph wire, and ran the passenger ticket office.
The wind and snow had now picked up an adequate amount that Charlie had enough reason to shelve the entire plan.
"Maybe we should get you two boys back home, and I should take care of this myself. The weather is turning for the worse with every step we take. This could get dangerous as the night goes on. Remember what I said boys, about you two being safe, above all else."
"Charlie you're going to need help to pull this off and there's no one else around, but me and Chug. I'm the only one who can climb up on that water tower to set the trap like you said, and you're going to need Chug, to be that lookout," said Louis as he pleaded with Charlie to let them stay.
"We'll you two you boys have to promise me again that you will do as I say, and if anything goes bad, you've got to run off, and stay out of it from then on. I don't want anybody to get hurt. You've got to promise me."
Chug and Louis agreed, and promised one last time.
The old train engineer was sitting at his desk deep into the nights' paperwork, with one solitary gaslight hanging overhead that illuminated a small worktable below. He had not heard Charlie, Louis, or Chug arrive due to the awful snowstorm blowing outside, and the sounds of the swirling winds.
He had been working at the train's station for a better part of fifty years and was soon going to retire, to spend more time with his grandchildren. His main job tonight was to make sure the lucky Number 7 train to Saint Louis, departed at eleven o'clock, by checking all the baggage and making sure, that all the passengers, had their proper boarding tickets.
Louis and Chug blew into the train station's office, shaking off the winter's storm for a moment then frantically began to speak to the old man.
"There's gonna be a horse-napping tonight at the fair" exclaimed Chug.
"Huh? Wha-t's that kid?"
"Black Jack Tilley is going to try and kidnap our Jupiter. You know Jupiter the Show Horse, who won the Gazette Stakes today," said Louis with a quizzical look on his face.
Chug was now shivering wildly from the cold.
"What's that you say...?"
"Yep, they're going to grab Jupiter tonight at the horse stables and they're going to sneak him out on the eleven o'clock train to Saint Louis. They're gonna be coming here tonight, right here. We came here to stop em, you gotta listen to us, you gotta Mr. Wrinkleman" said Louis in haste, as he began shivering right along with Chug.
The old man raised a large hollow wooden hearing-piece up to his ear, to help him hear better, what Chug and Louis were trying to say. After a few moments of deep thought, Mr. Wrinkleman spoke again to the two boys.
"I didn't hear much of what you two said. Slow down kids, you're both speaking too fast for me to understand ya. Anyway what are you doing out here in this nasty weather anyway? Why aren't you at home with your mom and dad, reading a book by a warm fire?"
When Louis and Chug had finally calmed down long enough to be understood, they went over again all that was about to happen, and all that they had heard, at the fair earlier in the day. They both explained that Jupiter the Show Horse who had just won the "Big Race" at the county fair was being kidnapped and was on his way to the train station with some bad fellows, and that these fellows were going to be here, within the hour. They pleaded and pleaded with the old man, until he finally started to believe them.
"Why else would we be out here in this horrible weather," exclaimed Louis "I tell ya...were telling the truth."
"Alright kids. I believe you. Now you two boys try and warm up by the fire over there, and let me think about this for a minute or two."
They finally got the old man to send an emergency message over the telegraph wire to the police station and the Mayor's office to try, and get some help before the eleven o'clock train arrived.
"Well, if this is true you two boys just stay out of this and let the police and the Mayor, take care of it. I know the Mayor always checks the last of the nights messages, about ten o'clock or ten thirty, before he locks up city hall, and goes home for the night," said the old man as he waived the two boys out of the office "so I will keep trying to reach him, every few minutes or so."
"Thanks Mr. Wrinkleman, we knew you'd help us," said Louis.
"You boys stay out of trouble now. After you've warmed up by the fire, head over to the flop room in the back of the loading dock, and hide out. I'll take care of this from here on out."
The boys, feeling that the first part of Charlie's plan was in place bundled back up in their coats, turned their collars once again to the cold wind and silently went back out, to where Charlie was standing, under a small wooden overhang and out of the driving snow storm.
"Charlie, the old man sent a wire to the police station and to the Mayor's office, like you said he would. They should be here within the hour or so, depending on the weather. He's almost sure of it?he knows the Police Chief and Mayor always check their messages before they close up their offices, for the night. Let's get to the water tower and set up our trap," said Louis.
Charlie and the boys were deep into this plan, with no way to turn back now.
However, would the Chief of Police or the Mayor get there soon enough to help?
Louis stood on top of Charlie's back as Charlie positioned himself under the main outflow pipe on the town's water tower (this is the main pipe that fills up the train's steam engines and the main water tower that supplies water, to the entire town of Centerville).
Louis set the outflow pipe spicket to trip open, with just the flip of the wrist then tested it to make sure it worked. Gallons upon gallons of water started flow out of the opening. Louis closed it back up. He then loosened the large metal bar that keeps the water pipe in place so that it would swing freely in any direction, if shoved, or pushed hard enough.
"It's ready Charlie."
"You sure Louis, is it safe enough for you to move it without much trouble?"
"Yep, I tested it, and it worked, just like you said it would."
"Good. Now hold on tight, try to relax and try the best you can to stay warm, up there."
Next, Charlie had seen a large load of stacked molasses barrels waiting to be loaded onto a flatbed car, he decided to arrange them loosely and very unsteadied in case need be to be pushed over, to block the escape route of the crooks.
"Chug, see those molasses barrels over there? I want you to stack them up next to the exit, over there to the left side," said Charlie as he kicked his front hooves in the snow towards the direction of the barrels "stack them real high, we might need those later".
Some of this plan Charlie had tried to think from beginning
to end at Mr. Beamer's barn earlier in the day, and some of the plan he had to make up as he went along. They had to stop these crooks, or slow them down, until help finally arrived.
Charlie had to think on his feet and be as inventive and creative as possible. This was something that Charlie did not have too much experience with, being a barnyard horse and all.
Chug after stacking the molasses barrels, climbed the water tower's wooden ladder, to about sixty feet up, and almost to the top. He was now perched high above where Louis was sitting at the top of the water tank, next to the in-flow spicket.
Chug was so high up that when he looked down and saw Charlie standing below, he got a real fright, almost losing his grip. Upon seeing this, Louis yelled out.
"Careful?Chug and hold on tight. If you fall it's goin to be curtains."
"I'm all right Louis. I just slipped a bit. Don't worry I'm just fine" said Chug as he waived back at Louis, way below.
Charlie wanted Chug to stand lookout and let him know, when Black Jack was in sight while Charlie hid around back, behind the main train station's loading dock, out of sight. Now all there was to do was, wait patiently for Jupiter and the crooks to show up, and then set the plan into full motion.
"You all right up there Chug? Do ya see anything yet?" yelled out Charlie.
"I'm fine Charlie. It's a little cold though," said Chug as he started to shiver again, "I can't see anything yet. It's snowing so hard that it's hard to see very far up the road...but I'll keep watching."
Charlie the Great White Horse and the Story of the Magic Jingle Bells Page 11