PacNorWest
Veteran Member
#24b
Mark and his band of rescuers kept a punishing pace as they headed southward. A rapid trot ate up the miles and gave the riders sore and weary backs. Posting in the saddle helped some until finally Bruce and Chuck played out the second afternoon.
"I can't go any further," Chuck gasped, "my back has give out."
Secretly, Bruce was delighted that the newcomer gave in when he did. He had slightly better conditioning, but he had aches and pains on his aches and pains, and they all centered in his lower back.
"We are going to push on," Mark gave the two injured men a shuttered look, "keep to this trail and head South. We need to get there as soon as possible, and get back to the group."
Both Bruce and Chuck agreed and stood beside their horses as the rest of the band rode away. No one had mentioned to Chuck that Mark had the opportunity to have insight to future events, so he was somewhat mystified by the hurried rush.
"He's like that," Bruce had ventured his opinion. "Always in the biggest hurry to get things done. He HAS mellowed some," the doctor stressed and then laughed, "but obviously, not much. I'm gonna walk for a while, I need to stretch my back and we can talk while we get a mile or so. Frankly my backside would be very happy if we didn't get in the saddle right away."
"I say AMEN, to that," Chuck added ruefully. "Tell me how ya'all got together to be a family?" Chuck asked the magical question. that started Bruce talking for an hour.
"Pap, you gonna let us take the mule when we go huntin the scum thet kilt Rolly?" The whining tone grated on Pap's nerves.
"No," the old man snapped, "ya got feets, 'n thet mules shoes er wearing out and I ain't got any others."
"But Pap, I done got lumps on my feets on account of them three cornered thorny bushes."
"I've tole you and tole you, go around them thorny bushes, it's yer own fault if yer not smart enough to go around. You boys need to go git Rolly's gun, somebody e'll git it and use it on us."
"Oh Pap, do we have to go back there, it jest tears me up to be around where he was shot. We tole him not to be so jumpy, but he was all lathered up about a youngen woman, and he called dibs on her. That ain't fair Pap, we should get a chance too." the whiney now oldest boy was reluctant to give up on the matter of fairness.
"Yer gonna get what I say you kin get, and that's what yer gonna get," Pap thundered, causing the pathetic young man to recoil back out of hitting range.
A new thought struck the cowering man. "I'll go get Rolly's rifle, kin I have it; it shoots truer than mine."
"I'll think on thet, jest you two go get it back here where it belongs." Pap needed quiet, while he thought out a plan for coming even.
Make no bet on it, he would come even,
Mark and his band of rescuers kept a punishing pace as they headed southward. A rapid trot ate up the miles and gave the riders sore and weary backs. Posting in the saddle helped some until finally Bruce and Chuck played out the second afternoon.
"I can't go any further," Chuck gasped, "my back has give out."
Secretly, Bruce was delighted that the newcomer gave in when he did. He had slightly better conditioning, but he had aches and pains on his aches and pains, and they all centered in his lower back.
"We are going to push on," Mark gave the two injured men a shuttered look, "keep to this trail and head South. We need to get there as soon as possible, and get back to the group."
Both Bruce and Chuck agreed and stood beside their horses as the rest of the band rode away. No one had mentioned to Chuck that Mark had the opportunity to have insight to future events, so he was somewhat mystified by the hurried rush.
"He's like that," Bruce had ventured his opinion. "Always in the biggest hurry to get things done. He HAS mellowed some," the doctor stressed and then laughed, "but obviously, not much. I'm gonna walk for a while, I need to stretch my back and we can talk while we get a mile or so. Frankly my backside would be very happy if we didn't get in the saddle right away."
"I say AMEN, to that," Chuck added ruefully. "Tell me how ya'all got together to be a family?" Chuck asked the magical question. that started Bruce talking for an hour.
"Pap, you gonna let us take the mule when we go huntin the scum thet kilt Rolly?" The whining tone grated on Pap's nerves.
"No," the old man snapped, "ya got feets, 'n thet mules shoes er wearing out and I ain't got any others."
"But Pap, I done got lumps on my feets on account of them three cornered thorny bushes."
"I've tole you and tole you, go around them thorny bushes, it's yer own fault if yer not smart enough to go around. You boys need to go git Rolly's gun, somebody e'll git it and use it on us."
"Oh Pap, do we have to go back there, it jest tears me up to be around where he was shot. We tole him not to be so jumpy, but he was all lathered up about a youngen woman, and he called dibs on her. That ain't fair Pap, we should get a chance too." the whiney now oldest boy was reluctant to give up on the matter of fairness.
"Yer gonna get what I say you kin get, and that's what yer gonna get," Pap thundered, causing the pathetic young man to recoil back out of hitting range.
A new thought struck the cowering man. "I'll go get Rolly's rifle, kin I have it; it shoots truer than mine."
"I'll think on thet, jest you two go get it back here where it belongs." Pap needed quiet, while he thought out a plan for coming even.
Make no bet on it, he would come even,
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