“That’s the plan,” Kip Dalton said. They had drawn up in the middle of a meadow and all had gathered around the wagon to discuss Kip’s plan.
Kitty had not liked the plan from the beginning. She had been riding side by side with Kip all afternoon. They had both been silent for most of the trip. Obviously, they both were engrossed with thoughts of what to do. So far the gang had just been traveling aimlessly, wandering in various directions with the sole purpose of putting as much distance behind them as possible and also, leaving a confusing trail behind them.
When the silence had finally broken, it was Kip who offered a plan of action.
“What we’re doing is getting us nowhere, Kitty,” he said. “I think the best thing for you to do is hide out at my place for a while until we find out what Price is up to with this counterfeit silver. Once we find that out, maybe we can beat him at his own game. We know he wants to find you and we know he wants this phony stuff. We’ve got to hide you and it to. The best place would be my place. You could hide the wagon in my barn.”
“That would be awfully dangerous,” Kitty said. “For you as well as for us. What if they already suspect you’re in with us. You may have been identified back there at the mine.”
“I don’t think so. But I’m going to test that out by going back to Thimble Creek.”
“Why? Why would you do that? You’d be running an awful risk.” Kitty protested.
“I don’t think so. The only one at the mine who could’ve gotten a look at me was Peso Martin, but I think it was too dark and I was too far away for him to see me. If I’m wrong, they’ll come looking for you at my place, so don’t get there until you’re sure I’m there and alone. Don’t come in unless I let you know it’s safe.”
“And what are you going to be doing in town?” Kitty asked.
“I’ll be nosing around to see if I can find out what Price is up to with that phony silver.”
Kitty laughed, “You just going to walk up to Price and say, ‘Simple Simon, sir, what are you going to do with a wagon load of counterfeit silver?’”
“Go ahead and scoff, if you like, milady, but there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, I do believe Mister Price has a girl friend in town.”
“Oh yes,”Kitty said with a knowing scowl. “Flo Baxter. I believe you did say you met her, didn’t you. You were quite taken with her weren’t you? Took her to lunch.” She shifted in the saddle and tossed her hair a bit haughtily.
“Now Kitty,” Kip began to protest. “You know it wasn’t quite like that. And I believe it was her that was taken with me.”
“Same thing,” Kitty snapped. “Don’t let it go to your head, soldier boy. She’s taken with any pair of pants. You just happen to have extra wide yellow stripes down the sides of your pant legs.” She stared straight ahead guiding her pinto.
“I know that,” Kip said plaintively. “So I figure she’s both Peso’s and Simon’s girl.....”
“She’s everybody’s girl,” Kitty interrupted.
“Yes,” Kip acquiesced with annoyance and a sigh. “So she just might have heard something. Know something. If not maybe I can find out something some other way.”
Kitty just shrugged and looked away from him. She became silent.
Aware of the tension between them, Cyclone felt the uneasiness and found it necessary to break the silence.
“So we’ll meet you at your place tomorrow night after dark,” Cyclone said to Kip trying to ignore Kitty’s fit of jealousy and draw Kip’s attention away from it. .
“It’ll take you most of the day tomorrow to make it to my place with the wagon, but you should make it well before sundown. Make sure it is dark when you start in and don’t come in until I let you know it’s safe.”
“We’ll be finding a place on the trail to camp out for tonight,” Jeremy said. And I suppose you’ll be staying in town tonight then,” It was more of a question than a statement.
“Yes, he is,” Kitty said spacing each word out firmly and distinctly. Her arms were folded across her chest and her eyes held a tinge of anger.
Kip took a deep breath and looked reproachfully at Kitty. “Well, if I’m going to make Thimble Creek before dark, I better get started.” He lifted Sabre’s reins, twisted his neck, spurring inside his flanks to turn him in a tight circle. He tipped the brim of his hat and said, “Wish me lu......” He glanced at Kitty and cut it off. “Never mind,” he said. He spurred the great black stallion into a gallop and rode off to the south.
Kip Dalton had been gone less than an hour when it happened. The riders came out of the northwest behind them. There were nine of them. They had spread out, spaced evenly apart, riding side by side, filling almost the entire width of the meadow. Their horses were galloping at full speed; their iron shod hooves churning up clods of turf and spewing them helter skelter in the wake of each horse’s stride.
The riders had their pistols out and as they came within range, the valley filled with the thunder of gunfire.
The Wildcats were taken with complete surprise when the riders seemed to appear as if by magic, rising out of the horizon behind them. With the first volley, spurs went to the sides of horses, whip and leathers snapped the wagon team horses and all shot forward with sudden speed.
Lead pellets were flying around the Wildcats’ heads and a few thudded into the rambling wagon. As they instinctively rode away from their pursuers, the riders immediately had their weapons out and were firing back behind them as they fled. They were putting distance between themselves and the attackers but Jeremy and the wagon were falling behind.
Kitty and Cyclone pulled back, slowing their mounts, still firing at their pursuers, and motioned to Jeremy to circle into a cluster of rocks off to the right. He nodded and pulled hard on the leathers. The team turned sharply across and in front of Cyclone and Kitty.
Rap rode up where the wagon had just been; rifle in hand. He fired at the pack of raiders. One rider fell from the saddle. Rap levered another round and fired again. Another rider slouched in the saddle, dropping his gun and letting his arm drape uselessly downward.
The attackers slowed their pace, pulled back a bit.
Frankie and his friends kept fire power going as they all rode into the rocks behind Jeremy, the wagon, Cyclone and Kitty. Rap and Chief held cover and followed in behind.
The raiders were just about to pull up and look for cover also, when riders appeared on the ridge to the left. There were four of them. They had rifles out and were opening fire on them.
Right out of the chute, two of the attacking men fell from the saddle. Two more took a hit and slouched in their saddles. One fell out and dragging a bleeding leg, tried to climb back on his horse.
The Wildcats were still firing from their hiding place and another man fell from his horse; a big red blotch on his chest.
With firing coming from two directions and with as many casualties, the attackers gathered up what wounded or dead they could and high tailed it back the way they came. They did, however, leave two of their dead behind.
It was over as quickly as it had begun. The thunder of guns was no longer and silence had returned to the valley.
The Wildcats watched the four riders on the ridge ride slowly down into the valley. There seemed to be something familiar about these men, but at the distance it was impossible to identify them.
It took the four riders a while to reach the floor of the valley. By that time, Cyclone had decided that the attackers probably had gone for good and would not be back. It would probably be safe enough to venture out and meet these men who had saved their lives.
Nodding to the others, he led out.
“Well, I’ll be horn swoggled,” Cyclone said as they all met up. “The Beattie boys! What in tarnation are you boys doin’ in these parts?” He sat his horse, keeping both hands on the pommel and didn’t bother to offer his hand to shake.”
“I might say the same to you,” Red Beattie said forci
ng an oily smile. Then thinking the better of it and thinking it wise to offer an explanation, he said, “We was just ridin’ through and saw this ruckus and thought we’d take a hand.”
“How’d you know what side to take?” Cyclone asked. “Not that I’m complainin’ a mite, mind you. Jest wonderin’.”
“Just took one. Your lucky day, I guess.” Then looking over the young boys. “Looks like your gang’s grown a bit since last we met.”
“Yeah,” Cyclone said. “These here are, Bud Geary, Pete Garvey, Garth Pearson and the mean one there, is Frankie the Kid.” He pointed to each one in turn. They each nodded back.
“Frankie the Kid,” Red Beattie said. “You gotta be kiddin’. Whoever heard of Frankie the Kid?”
“Maybe you wanta hear about him right now.” Rap said, sidling his big gray over next to Red.
“Frankie,” Rap said, turning to the Kid. “This here blow hard is Red Beattie. These are his brothers, Kirby, Jonas and Willis. Willis is alright, but these other three, keep an eye on ‘em.”
“Now Rap,” Cyclone urged. “That’s no way to treat these fine fellas that done saved our hides here today.”
Then to Red, “Sorry about Rap, Red. He ain’t got the brains the good Lord give a rattler.”
“Aw Cy, don’t say that. I have to.”
“You’re right, Rap,” Cyclone conceded. “You do.”
“Gee, thanks, Cy.”
“So who were these guys that were after you Cyclone? The law?” Red asked.
“I don’t think so,” Cyclone said. “They left a couple of their dead behind. Let’s go take a look.”
They all lifted their reins and turned their horses to ride out to the bodies. Before going, Red nodded to Kirby.
Kirby lagged back and sidled up alongside the wagon, pulled back the front corner of the canvas.
Jeremy, still on the driver’s seat sensed him back there and whirled around quickly just as Kirby tossed the canvas back in place. “What are you doing back there?” Jeremy snapped.
“Nothin’.” Kirby answered surily, spurred his horse and rode off after the others.
By the time Kirby caught up with the others, they had all dismounted and had turned over the first body.
“Zeke Masters,” Jonas Beattie said. “He’s a bounty hunter.”
“Is there a bounty on you guys, Cy?” Red asked as if the thought was incredulous.
“Let’s see who this other one is,” Cyclone said without answering the question. He strode over to the other body. Kirby came up behind Red and whispered something in his ear.
The other man was flat on his back. His blank eyes stared straight up. “That’s Luke Somers,” Rap said, “He’s a bounty hunter too.”
“Then there is a bounty on you,” Red persisted.
“Yeah,” Rap said. “Simon Price put it on all of us. Bounty Hunters are all over the place.”
“Rap! Will you just shut up!” Cyclone shouted. His face turned white with anger.
“I don’t know how much I’m worth, but Cy says I’m not worth a hill of beans. I don’t know who’d come after me for a hill of beans, though.”
Cyclone whipped his big hat off head and slapped it back and forth across Rap’s face twice. “I told you to shut up, you big idjit. Now git away from me and git outta my sight.”
Rap’s angular face drooped long. A sadness crept over his eyes and he said. “Cy, are you mad at me?”
Cyclone checked his anger, gazed into those soulful little boy eyes, and sighed. “Nah, Rap. I was just playin’ with ya.”
Cyclone turned back to Red Beattie. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag now. You see there’s this big high muckety muck named Simon Price who doesn’t like Kitty and me much. He’s brought in bounty hunters to do away with us. We had a run in with them a couple of times already and I guess that was a bunch of them here today. We must be whittling them down a mite by now or at least discouraging them some.”
“Well, I’m glad we came along when we did and were able to help out,” Red said.
“We sure do appreciate it and we’re mighty beholdin’ to you. I just hope we haven’t held you fellas up from goin’ where you was goin’.”
“We were just driftin’ anyhow. Really weren’t goin’ anyplace in particular. You know we could stick around with you for a while, just in case more bounty hunters get on your tail.”
“We couldn’t ask you to do that. Besides we’ve got a place to hole up in for a while.” Cyclone said.
“But you need to get there first,” Red said. “Let us tag along until you’re safe, then we’ll move on. How’s that?”
Cyclone thought about it for a while. The Beatties were never this nice. He smiled broadly and offered his hand to Red. “Thank you ever so much, my friend.”
The Return of Wildcat Kitty and the Cyclone Kid Page 16