Charlie the Great White Horse and the Story of the Magic Jingle Bells

by Kenneth Mullinix

  ~Chapter 12~

  The Water Tower

  Trying to keep the milk-truck and wagon on the road with Jupiter inside was no easy task. This night the weather was just terrible. The two front headlamps of the truck threw off very little light, and only lit the road a few feet head. Inside the cab of the truck, all three "Rats" started singing that old song that, they had sung before when they first saw Jupiter earlier in the day: WE LOVE TO BE BAD...WE LOVE TO BE BAD.

  The song was sung repeatedly to everyone's delight, as the truck ambled along the road, with the snowstorm outside raging all around.

  Chug was still on lookout for Baron Von Beck's milk-truck, from his perch high up on the water tower. Chug thought he could finally now see the faint glow from front headlights, and could now make out the form of the milk-truck rumbling down the road.

  Finally, when the truck was closer and more visible, Chug called down to Charlie.

  "They're coming Charlie."

  "Are you sure Chug?"

  "Yeah I'm pretty sure."

  "Can you see Jupiter?" yelled out Louis after hearing all the commotion.

  "It's them Charlie. I can now see em clearer. They're coming! I can see Jupiter; he's in the back, all tied down, and blindfolded. Get ready now."

  "I'm Ready Chug?" hollered out Charlie from behind a snowdrift, off to the left of the loading dock.

  "I'm ready as well Chug" called out Louis from down below.

  As the milk-truck and wagon-with Jupiter in it-got closer and closer to the train station you could, faintly hear the sound of the Lucky 7, steam train shaking along the train tracks. Three loud bursts of the train's steam-whistle could be heard coming from over a distant low-lying hill.

  Charlie looked towards the road searching for Jupiter then looked down the train tracks at the Lucky 7 that was now coming into view. The train was about a mile away, you could see the bright white light of the train's over-sized center headlight, starting to light up the train tracks.

  The water tower began to shake and shimmy back and forth, from the train's giant steel wheels scraping over the wooden and steel rails below it. Louis almost fell off the water pipe, and down onto a snowdrift below, as the train started to come over another small hill closer towards them.

  The train's engineer was leaning out of the front cab of the train, straining to see the loading dock and red stoplights. He blasted two more loud whistles of the tremendous steam-whistle, to announce their impending arrival. The front headlight of the train grew brighter and clearer now, as the train approached.

  Charlie looked up at Chug then over at Louis as they were holding on for dear life, the water tower was violently shaking as the train thundered towards the station.

  The Lucky 7 now began to slow with the sound of the wheel-break starting to overtake, the sound of the train's wheels rolling over the tracks until at last you could see the enormous black train less than a quarter mile away.

  Knowing that the first part of the plan was in the works already, Chug released his grasp lightly from the wooden ladder, but held on just enough to slide right down the water tower ladder, right past Louis, who was still sitting on the large outflow water pipe.

  Having long arms does have it advantages. Chug, was perfectly fitted for his job. But Chug had gathered up a little too much speed as he slid down the ladder, and hit the snow covered ground below?with a soft?thump, spun a few somersaults, then hit another large snowdrift with a silent thud.

  He popped up out of the snowdrift with his eyes as wide open as, an owl searching for a mouse in the dark, he shook his head from side to side to clear off the snow, jumped on his feet, then ran off towards the barrels of molasses found inside the station.

  The look on his face was that of complete exhilaration.

  Black Jack finally pulled the milk-truck into the train station with just enough time to spare. All three "Rats" jumped out of the truck, and quickly approached the old man's office.

  Mr. Wrinkleman seeing the headlights from the train and milk-wagon approaching came outside to introduce himself.

  The trains whistle blew twice more, loud and clear to announce its arrival.

  The old man stepped forward, raised his hearing aid to his ear to hear what Black was saying, shook his hand firmly, and then sold him three tickets for the eleven o'clock train to Saint Louis.

  "Little bit of a storm we've got going here."

  "It sure is-a blowin hard," said Black Jack.

  "It's so bad it almost looks like an ice storm," said the old man.

  "Yeah, I like ice," said Cool Joe smiling as he stepped into the pale light of the gas-lamp over head "just gives me the warm-fuzzies inside".

  "The lucky Number 7 leaving at eleven o'clock to Saint Louis is, pulling into the station right on time. She'll fully be in the station in a few minutes. Now I'm a little hard of hearing, so I cannot hear the whistle much anymore, but I sure felt the rumble of the ground, and look, here you can see the light of the train coming down the tracks. You can just stay here under the front overhang out of the snow if you like."

  The old man then headed off for the warmth of his office, to monitor the telegraph line for any more word of help from, the Mayor or the Chief of Police.

  "Were almost finished Black Jack, all we got to do is just unload Jupiter and away we go," said Cool Joe "easy street, I tell ya, it's gonna be easy street."

  "Ya got that right?yep...easy street...you toothless...birdbrain..."

  All three started to head towards the back of the wagon passing right under the large water pipe, which hid Louis who was up above.

  Just as Black Jack and Rags started to open the back of the wagon and unload Jupiter, out jumped Charlie from behind a large snowdrift with a mighty vault. He let out a monstrous breath of cold, steamy air from his two flaring nostrils, blowing his great and mighty breadth upon all three of the crooks, who were now standing thunderstruck before him. Charlie took a wide stance that was, meant to defy all three and throw fear into their ever-shrinking hearts.

  Charlie: raised his head high with a look of complete defiance in his eyes, reared up in the air, and kicked his hooves out in front of him, in contempt. He then let out a loud whinny and proclaimed, "Jupiter's rescue is at hand!"

  Charlie yelled out so loud and so forceful, and in such a commanding voice that Louis and Chug covered their ears in fright.

  Black Jack Tilley, Rags Martin, and Cool Joe Biggs at the sight of Charlie rearing up into the air, retreated as quickly as they could. All fell and stumbled backwards in the snow as they tried to turn and run.

  The three, "Rats" quickly scrambled away from Charlie as best they could, stood up then, tried to gain control of their senses.

  Charlie whinnied loudly again, at the top of his lungs!

  All three "Rats" had fear in their eyes.

  Charlie stood up on his two hind legs once again, to show off his true size.

  All three finally scampered off in haste, bolting for the safety of the loading dock and as far away from Charlie as they could get.

  Charlie: lunged forward a few feet?paused for a moment?and then sprang right off the ground, flying up in the air right over their heads onto the wooden loading platform to block their escape.

  Black Jack reached for something shiny that was tucked into his rear pants pocket. He advanced flashing the thin metal object so that Charlie could see it, as he turned to face him. Charlie couldn't quite make out what the object Black Jack now held in his left hand was, but he sure didn't want to wait to see anymore; he immediately gave a mighty kick to Black Jack's hand. The metal sheave was kicked free out of his hand. It was lost from sight as it fell into the snowdrift, below the platform.

  "Get him Black Jack!" yelled out Rags.

  "Get that extra rope from the back of the truck Joe," said Black Jack "we've got us another
horse-napping to do".

  Charlie reared up again: he kicked Cool Joe and Black Jack at the same time in the butt, which sent them flying across the train tracks, right in front of the bellowing steam train, as it now came to a thunderous halt in front of the station.

  The steam from the train's brakes, and engine engulfed the entire platform and all of the "Rats" for one long ?difficult moment. The sound of the train's breaks coming to a halt was deafening. It pierced the thin cold air, traveling right down into the souls of everyone present.

  The snowstorm raged on all around the train station, as the energized wind was howling all about.

  Seeing this turn of events Rags took off running towards the front of the truck. Charlie jumped off the platform, cutting him off in the process. He kicked Rags in one side, sending him tumbling backwards, back over by Cool Joe and Black Jack.

  "Get em, Charlie," yelled out Louis from above "show em who's boss".

  "Kick em again" shouted out Chug from behind the molasses barrels.

  Charlie had a wild look in his eyes, as he took another bold stance.

  All three "Rats" started running as fast as they could, back into the train station, towards the old man's office. Charlie now had all three dashing right where he wanted them, back towards the station and into the waiting trap.

  "Now Louis now", shouted out Charlie, is his loudest voice "pull the lever!"

  "I'll get em Charlie!" shouted back Louis.

  Louis grabbed the large metal lever, pulling it down with all his might. He kicked the side of the water tower, forcing the outflow-pipe into position right above their heads then opened the water spicket. Freezing cold water came gushing down, all over their bodies and with the force of the water coming down, it knocked all three off their feet, pushing them closer to where Chug was hiding.

  "I got em Charlie. I got em good!" screamed out Louis from above.

  Charlie quickly turned around one last time, kicking all three of them at once, back inside the train station, towards the base of the stacked molasses barrels.

  "Now Chug," bellowed out Charlie in Chug's direction "push with all your might".

  "You got it Charlie. Let's let em have it."

  Chug upon hearing this command by Charlie pushed over the over-sized barrels of molasses with a mighty heave.

  They broke wide open with a loud, 'thud"!

  The barrels split in two, sending molasses careening out to cover all in its path with a thick layer of cold, sweet syrup. As the syrup flowed over Cool Joe, Rags, and Black Jack, it held them steadfast to the floor inside the station. The gushing water faded away, falling down off the loading dock, and from inside the train station.

  The molasses started to freeze solid, as the water and air hit all at once.

  "Look at this. All clean and sweet smelling", said Charlie with laughter in his voice as he walked up to the crooks that were covered from head to toe in sweet molasses, and frozen solid, to the wooden platform.

  Louis shimmed down from the water tower and hurriedly ran over next to Charlie. Chug, Louis and Charlie all jumped up and down in delight at the sight of all three crooks captured, and sealed fast into place.

  "We got em all Charlie, just like you planned. It went just like you said it would Charlie!" yelled Chug as he continued to jump up and down.

  "Get me out of here Rags ya?snot blowing idiot!" cried out Black Jack as he struggled to free himself.

  "Man I'm stuck as well. How am I supposed to git ya help?" blurted out Rags.

  Rags turned and licked some of the molasses.

  "Caught for the tenth time Black Jack" said a laughing Cool Joe who had a sinister smirk on his face.

  "Yeah caught for the tenth time?" snickered back Rags.

  Rags turned and licked some of the molasses off his shirt. Seeing this Black Jack slapped him in the back of the head with his one free hand, which incited laughter from Louis and Chug.

  Both Rags and Cool Joe thought that was funny as can be and started to laugh right out loud again.

  The old man came back out of his office after all the, yelling and commotion had died down to see what had happened.

  "We'll I finally got a hold of the Mayor and the Chief of Police. They'll get here as fast as they can. The storm out there tonight is making it tough on em to get here. I'd give em another half hour at least; and look at that, you captured those crooks all by yourself, and you didn't need any help after all. Well you guys are going to be real town heroes?I tell ya?real hero's" said the old man as he scratched his head in disbelief. He turned slowly heading straightaway, back into his office, and out of the dreadful weather.

  Louis looked over at Chug and smiled.

  Charlie and Chug headed back over to the back of the milk wagon. There stood Jupiter all tied up. He was shivering from the cold, and had a large blindfold covering his eyes.

  Charlie and Chug could not believe what they saw.

  There was the great Jupiter tied up and blindfolded. Charlie asked Chug to un-tie Jupiter and get him down, out of the back of the wagon as fast as he could.

  "Jupiter its Chug?do you remember me? I saw you by the horse stables earlier today. I was with Louis and Charlie the ice-horse. We found out you were being horse-napped, and we came here to save you."

  Jupiter let out a faint whiney.

  "We're here to set you free. We just caught the three bad guys you know the horse-nappers! We caught em for ya Jupiter. Yeah, all three of em at once?and Charlie planned the whole thing. You remember Charlie don't you? You met him today at the fair" said a very excited Chug as he quickly un-tied Jupiter and got him down from the wagon.

  "Aw he doesn't remember me" said Charlie as he slowly walked over and stood next to Jupiter.

  Jupiter did not say a word to anyone. He just stood there in apparent shock.

  "Get him up on the loading dock Chug and get some blankets from the old man inside. Let's try to get him warmed up. He doesn't look to good."

  Chug took Jupiter: to a backroom behind the loading dock, placed a few blankets on him that he found on a bunk bed, then started back towards the wagon to help Charlie all he could.

  "Let's get all three crooks into the back of the wagon and tie em up good and tight with their own rope. We'll watch em?until the police get here," said Chug.

  "Good idea" said Charlie as he bit Rags, and then Cool Joe on the back of their collars, pulling them up out of the sticky, frozen molasses. Charlie placed Rags and Cool Joe into the back of the wagon with Chugs help, as Chug started to tie them up real tight so they wouldn't get away.

  Louis was left to watch over Black Jack all by himself, while his two friends were busy at the back of the wagon. It seemed to Louis as if Charlie and Chug were gone a long, long time. He started to get a little nervous about watching over Black Jack Tilly all by himself.

  Then?the worst happened?!

  When Charlie came back from the rear of the milk-truck and towards the front of the loading dock, Black Jack and Louis had?had...just?disappeared?into thin air.

  Both had vanished without a trace?!

  Charlie looked to his left side, and then to his right, trying to see out and into the raging snow storm that was still blowing all around them.

  Charlie became immediately alarmed. He yelled out Louis's name.

  "Louis?Louis!" he yelled out repeatedly, with panic ringing in his voice, "Louis where you are?where are??"

  Chug came around to the front of the train station, with his jaw dropping to his chest in disbelief, upon hearing Charlie calling out. Straight off, he began to call out as well.

  "Louis, where are you? Can you hear me? Louis! Louis!"

  No answer; not a squeak was returned or heard.

  There was only heard, the sounds of the snowflakes falling, and the wild winter winds, blowing all about.


  The steam trains lone front light shone brightly on Charlie and Chug, as they stood face to face on the platform, in front of the belching steam train. You could see the blowing snow through the trains light and the two lone, troubled figures standing there, with the look of utter fear and dread, written across their faces.

  Louis is in considerable trouble, thought Charlie.

  How could I have left Black Jack and Louis alone together?

  How stupid could I have been, to underestimate Black Jack Tilly?

  Black Jack had wiggled himself free from the frozen molasses and grasped Louis from behind, when he had turned his back. Louis had turned just for a moment to see if the old man had gotten into the office all right, and that was all the time that Black Jack needed to free himself, he then grab Louis.

  Black Jack from one of the train station's storage bins had pinched an old seed-bag. He had bagged Louis when he wasn't looking. Black Jack then: stormed into the old man's office with great speed and cunning, got the drop on the old man hitting him in the back of his head, with one swift blow of a large book that he had found laying nearby. That was all it took to render the old man unconscious.

  Black Jack found dry clothes and a thick heavy jacket in the train station's locker room.

  He was off with Louis in tow.

  Thrown over his right shoulder like a sack of potatoes, Louis was carried off into the night's darkness, before anyone knew what had happened.

  Louis had never been in a more dangerous situation in his entire young life. Louis had fought off, cave bears, pirates, and Indians while daydreaming but never in real life. Charlie's feelings and forewarnings in the barn earlier were right. This was something Charlie should have taken care of himself, ten-year-old boys should be out on a warm sunny summer days playing baseball in the park, and riding snow sleds during the wintertime, not fighting bad guys, and saving famous racehorses from horse-nappers.

  Louis was in "deep trouble" and Charlie grew more and more worried, with every ticking second that found Louis away from him.

  By all accounts, this could be the end of Louis!

  As Louis was surrounded by darkness, and being carried off through the night: he thought of his mom Hattie May back home and of her baking apples pies for the county fair, he also thought about the beautiful blue and white speckled dress, she wore that one special day; after "The Big Game". His thoughts also wandered off to: Molly and her "big red lips" and "how much he missed her", then most of all he thought about "his father" and the last hug he ever had given him; before was called away to serve his country.

  This made Louis ever so sad, and more deathly scared all at the same time.

  All assortments of emotions swept over him, as he was led away, tied-up in a gunny-sac by Black Jack?and off?not to a fate of his choosing.

  "Charlie, I'm here!" faintly yelled out Louis into the howling snowstorm?"I'm over here..."

  "Ain't, no one goin to hear you kid. Were long gone, and just listen to that wind blowing. Ain't nobody goin to come to save ya this time" said Black Jack as he shuffled along as quickly as he could.

  "Charlie where are you? It's your Louis..."

  "I should have taken care of you, when I saw ya by that water-trough at the fair earlier today. I knew ya were up to no good."

  He then violently shook the bag up and down that held Louis, for fun, just to scare him that much more.

  "Charlie, I'm in here. Help?Charlie?help?"

  "I told ya?he ain't gonna hear ya kid?you're a goner fer sure..."

  I need you Charlie now! Where is my best friend in the whole world, thought Louis, as shear panic overtook him.

  It was just in his most dire moment of need that Louis remembered, the small singular "magic silver bell" that hung around his thin neck. The bell that Charlie had given him, that night before the hayride; which now seemed so long ago.

  Charlie had told Louis something special that day.

  "Louis, just ring the bell anytime, and anywhere if you're ever in trouble, and I will be able to hear its magical chime?and I will come to your rescue."

  Louis reached down into his shirt, fumbled with the thin leather string found around his neck for a few moments, then thrust the bell up and out of his shirt. He grabbed it in his left hand, shaking it with all his might.

  How could this tiny bell be heard from inside the hopelessness of this bag, in the dark, and through this driving snow and windstorm, thought Louis? It was just impossible. Repeatedly he feverishly shook the bell, in complete fear and desperation.

  Black Jack by now had Louis well away from the train station, and almost back to the old yellow farmhouse, where the plot had started to first unravel. His new plan now was to; hot-wire another truck, get out of Centerville, and as far away from Charlie, just as fast as he could, and head without further ado over to Saint Louis. From there he would be able to ransom off Louis, and still get those two thousand dollars anyway.

  Easy?street!"

  Yep easy?street!

  Black Jack slogged and lumbered forward as silently as possible, through the ever-growing snowdrifts.

  Black Jack had had enough: of that old barnyard horse Charlie, that old man at the train station, those two snooping boys and Centerville. Nobody gets the drop on Ole' Black Jack Tilly when he sets his mind to something, thought Black Jack as he could now see the old yellow farmhouse off in the distance.

  Just then, Black Jack thought he heard a chilling voice, calling out in the night.

  "Not one more step..."

  Black Jack stopped in his tracks, turning to look backwards.

  It was a voice so soft, and so low, it could barely be heard within the sounds of the snowstorm raging all about.

  "Black Jack?I said?"

  Black Jack again, thought he heard a voice in the wind.

  Black Jack started up for a second time towards the farmhouse.

  "I...said..."

  He stopped in his tracks once more to look around. He instantly looked to his left and then back to his right, not see anything. Therefore, he started yet again, but this time but with much quicker steps.

  "Not one more step?I said...!"

  This time he was sure the voice was real, spinning around with Louis slung across his back, heading directly away, from where he thought he last heard the foreboding voice.

  As Black Jack turned immediately back towards the other direction, he accidentally walked straight into an enraged Charlie, who was now standing, smack in his way.

  Charlie bent way down, by folding his two front forelegs together, under his heaving chest, placing his long forehead, to not more than six inches away, from Black Jack's ugly face.

  Black Jack upon seeing Charlie this close was just thunderstruck.

  Charlie after staring straight into Black Jack eyes (which seemed like an eternity) now reared way up on his hindquarters, took a mighty leap in the air, landing boldly on the earth again, throwing out snow in all directions. He let out an almighty whinny, proclaiming in a loud thundering voice that rang out into snowy heavens above.

  "My uncle was, "Bocephous the Mighty" who lead Alexander the Greats armies into battles in ancient Greece! My cousin was Benedetto the Good who lead Marco Polo into the New World, and I am "Charlie the Barnyard Horse Who Delivers the Ice! I command you to, "LET MY LOUIS GO!"

  Upon this thunderous announcement by Charlie, Black Jack became instantly frozen in place with fear.

  He went daft for a moment.

  Charlie focused his mighty stare completely on Black Jack, shooting fear straight into his black soul.

  Black Jack dropped the bag with Louis in it off his shoulder, shook from side to side fanatically, his round beady eyes rolled back into his bald fat head, then he understandably fainted, and fell backwards right in place, right where he had just stood.

 
Charlie let out a triumphant, high whinny at seeing Black Jack lying flat on his back in the snow, passed out cold.

  Then another high whinny!

  Charlie was quick to act, pulling with his teeth at the top of the bag that was now lying in the snow nearby. With one hard tug of the string holding the bag closed, the bag burst open, and out popped Louis.

  "Charlie!!"

  "You found me!!

  "And just like that?there you are...my...Louis!"

  "The bell worked just as you said it would. I knew you could do it Charlie.

  "The bell?wha-t?a...bell?"

  "I just knew you would come for me, you're the best friend a boy ever had ever in the whole wide world Charlie. Yep the bell Charlie..."

  "Bell?say wha-t??"

  Louis gave Charlie the biggest hug ever around his neck. It was so tight, and so true that Charlie thought he was going to faint into the snow right next to Black Jack. Charlie was so happy to see Louis safe that he let out another big whinny. Charlie's whinny: rung out high over the tops of the snow-filled trees, elsewhere through the blowing snow, cut into the driving wind and reached deep into the valley below.

  Chug who was back at the train station, and standing out on the loading dock waiting for the Chief of Police to arrive, heard a mighty triumphant whinny echoing off the valley floor. He knew from that point on, that Louis and Charlie were safe, and that all were well.

  "Louis, there's one small thing that I forgot to tell you," said Charlie as he gave Louis a loving nudge with his long nose "it's something about that bell."

  "Wha-t, Charlie," said Louis with a quizzical look on his face?"wha-t about the bell?"

  "Well you see Louis?I never knew if the story was true?or not?ah?about the bell. I mean the bell had?er?has...never been tested, or ever used ever before."

  "What did you say Charlie?" Wha-t? Wha-t??"

  "Ah?Louis?"

  "You mean to tell me, that I believed that story about the bell all this time, and you didn't even know yourself, if the story was true or not, or if that bell even worked?" yelled out Louis as he started to get mad at the idea of it all.

  "Well Louis don't be getting mad at me. Mr. Beamer told me the story about that magic bell, and that Santa Claus had given it to him at the North Pole?and I just? ah?er...just wasn't sure?if I believed him or not.

  "Charlie?you?!"

  "So Louis I told you that my family owned the bell, because I knew you wouldn't believe it to be magical?if I said I got it from Mr. Beamer."

  "Man?oh?man Charlie?it?I?"

  "Louis I just followed Black Jack's tracks in the snow. That's how I found you. I didn't even think about a bell. I was just confused. I thought I heard a bell but I wasn't sure Louis. There was just so much wind, and snow blowing...and you were gone and I'm kind of "old and hard of hearing myself", like that old man at the train station. Sorry Louis."

  Both Louis and Charlie locked eyes for a moment. Both took a deep breath together and then just stood there in the falling snow to think about all they had just been through.

  "Well how about that?a real magic bell?huh Louis?"

  "Worked great didn't it? Charlie you're really gonna to get it someday."

  They then both started to laugh as loud, and as hard, as they ever have before.

  "Well, I couldn't tell you before about the bell Louis. It was just a great story and I thought you'd believe it, so how could I let you down after that. I never thought you'd try, and use the darned thing."

  "Charlie..."

  "Louis..."

  "Well let's get Black Jack back to the train station before he wakes up. The Mayor or the Chief of Police has got to be there by now."

  "You're right Louis. Let's get going before we freeze to death out here."

  Charlie wrapped up the un-conscience Black Jack in the same old seed bag that had held Louis just minutes before. Louis tied it at the top extra tight to make sure he wouldn't escape again. Charlie grabbed the top of the bag with his teeth and both he and Louis started back through the snow towards the train station.

  When they finally arrived with Black Jack, the Mayor, Chug, the Chief of Police, Mr. Wrinkleman, and Turk the Blacksmith were all there waiting for them on the loading dock.

  "Louis you're alright!!...I just knew it..." yelled out Chug.

  "Of course I am alright. I've got Charlie to watch out for me."

  "Of course I do Louis. You're "my master". I was sent here to watch out for you."

  "What Charlie?what was that?"

  "Never mind that now Louis?," said Charlie.

  "We caught this wet, cold, smelly rat out in the snow. Think there's room for one more low down rat in the back of that wagon?" asked Louis, as they finally were completely visible, in the lights of the train station.

  Charlie was holding the old sac in his teeth when they walked up. With a mighty heave, he threw the gunny-sac up onto the loading dock.

  "Louis. Charlie. You're both OK", blurted out Turk with relief in his eyes at seeing his two old friends again.

  "I heard you call out Charlie, about a half hour ago or so," said Chug as he walked over and gave Charlie and Louis, a reassuring, and friendly hug "and I was just positive you both were OK. Glad to see you Louis."

  "Glad to see you as well Chug. I was almost a goner?a real goner?for sure."

  Mr. Wrinkleman stepped forward.

  "After I finally got a hold of someone over at the telegraph station, I turned and whack! I was out like a bear hibernating in winter. We were all so worried about you Louis. I'm so sorry. Black Jack got the drop on me when I wasn't looking, and hit me right in the back of my head. When I woke up you both were gone. It was just awful", said the old man as he went about rubbing the back of head again.

  "Well, we got Louis back, and that's all that matters," said Charlie as he turned and gave another loving look at his best friend.

  "That's right?we have both kids with us safely and that's all that truly matters," said Turk.

  "Well Louis you should have found me earlier today. I was at the fair all day?right over by the main stage, oh well," said the police chief.

  The Chief of Police and Turk advanced over to untie the bag with Black Jack in it. When the bag dropped around Black Jack's feet, Turk reached out one of his large muscled forearms over the top of the bag, reached overhead, and grabbed the scruff of Black Jack's shirt. He lifted Black Jack straight up into the air, giving him a violent shaking.

  "Everybody out", said a laughing Turk.

  "Yes?everybody?show yourself," said a smiling Chug.

  "There ain't no flees on him. Flees don't like the smell of wet rats either" said Louis laughing right along with Turk and Chug.

  All present joined in at this remark, having a good, long, hard laugh.

  As Black Jack was corralled into the back of the waiting wagon, Turk asked him in that deep voice of his "Black Jack Tilly, that's an odd and unusual name. How'd you get it anyway?"

  "Well, you see I was named after my daddy that's how I got Black Jack, and my mom always wanted a girl. That's how I got the name Tilly."

  Everyone just busted up in laughter again at the image of Black Jack being all dressed up like a girl.

  Rags Martin and Cool Joe were startled at the sight of Black Jack hog-tied and thrown into the back of wagon with them.

  "We thought you left us to fend for ourselves?yeah?ya double-crossed us," said Cool Joe as he grinned threateningly at Black Jack "when we saw you run off with that bag on your shoulder."

  "I wasn't double-crossing or ditchin you guys. I was just goin to git more help?ya know?to bust ya-s?both out later", said Black Jack while he started backing up into the far corner of the wagon, as far away as he could get from Cool Joe. Cool Joe just grinned wildly at Black Jack, took off
his jacket, and pulled up his t-shirt, to show his "ice casket tattoo" off again.

  He spoke directly to Black Jack.

  "As I said before if any of you dirty rats out there every double-crosses me. I puts?em on ice... and I mean?fer good!"

  "Cool?Joe?ah?Joe?now..."

  As the milk-truck pulled away from the train station, with Turk, the Chief of Police, and the Mayor in the front seat, you could hear all manner of strange noises coming from the back of the wagon.

  Heard were thuds and thumps, punches, slaps, shrieks and wild laughter. Then all heard, a faint lively song coming from the back of the wagon, as it proceeded on farther and farther down away from view.

  WE LOVE TO BE BAD...WE LOVE TO BE BAD...WE LOVE TO BE BAD.

  The story of "The Thieves in the Night" and how Louis, Chug, and Charlie spoiled the horse napping was sure to travel fast, and get out soon. The whole county, and maybe even the whole state, would be talking about it.

  The train station, the water tower, the molasses barrels, Jupiter all tied up, Louis being kidnapped, and the snowstorm. It all sounded so fantastic, that a grand celebration was certainly in order?in the very near future.