Wind That Spins

Amy spotted the waterhole first and whooped with delight. The other twofollowed her gaze.

"That’s more like it" Cody grinned. "Race you in" he slid from the saddle but Amy was already on the ground and running.

She had swapped her dress for a pair of trousers from her trunk back at the hotel but she still had to figure out how to remove them fast enough to beat Cody into the water.

Jimmy saw his sister fumbling with the belt as she ran and groaned in exasperation, "so much for trying to be a lady" he thought.

"Amy! Stop! You are not going in!"

"What!" she bellowed back but stopped.

Cody had also stopped still. "You can’t go getting undressed like that Amy. You’re not a kid anymore"

"Then stop treating me like one!" she retorted "Besides I still got another layer on"she lifted part of her shirt to reveal men’s underwear.

Jimmy knew she was going to be difficult so he turned to Cody" Give her a chance to swim and we’ll go in when she’s finished"

Cody had been enjoying the spectacle of the two fighting ,but he followed Jimmy to some nearby trees that obscured their view of the swimming hole.

After a few minutes Jimmy moved slightly so he could see Amy splashing in the water as he turned away, satisfied that she was in no trouble, he caught site of Cody’s shoulders shaking.

Worried at first he then realised that his friend was laughing."What is it?"

"You and Amy. She sure matches you real fine don’t she!"

Hickok sighed "You got sisters Cody?"

"Yep, two. But neither one breathes fire like that one! "

"Does she remind you of anyone?"

"Other than you?"

Jimmy winced and nodded "I’d say her and Lou will probably get on like a house on fire" remarked Cody.

"Mmm. One filled with gunpowder probably!"

"You gotta admit Jimmy, she’s fun to be around. You can’t help but like her!"

"I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that Cody!"

"Hurry up Amy!" she ducked under the water to hide her brother’s cry, blowing bubbles as she returned to the surface, she realised this was the most fun she had had in ages.

If only Jimmy wasn’t such a prude she could stay in here longer while he and Cody swam, but she knew he’d go berserk if she suggested it. "Okay, I’m coming out" she turned to look to where the others were sitting

"Hope you’ve got your eyes closed William" she said with mock coyness. The peel of laughter from the young man told her that it had been said with the right amount of volume.

She smiled to herself envisaging Jimmy’s scowl from the other side of the tree.

He was worse than she remembered him. He had always been bossy and interfering, but now he was behaving like a right mother hen! Even Celinda would laugh to see him carrying on like this!

"Yankee Doodle went to town ...." Cody and Amy had been singing the song repeatedly for almost half an hour.

Jimmy had started off singing with them but hadgrown tired on the third repeat and now rode a little ahead of the others.

He glanced at the sky, if they didn’t get a move on it would be dark before they got to Sweetwater.

Just then Amy’s horse reared and threw its rider to the ground, before Hickok fully realised what had happened a rattle snake bounced into the air from the force of Cody’s shot and landed in the tundra.

Cody was already checking the fallen rider bythe time Jimmy reached her.

"You alright?" he asked. "My rump’s a bit sore, but I’m otherwise fine thank you gentlemen" she grinned brushing off the dirt.

"He didn’t like me did he?" she nodded at the dead snake.

"I’d say he liked you a bit much, was starting to sidle up to you. Expect I’m the one he doesn’t like much right now!"

"Stop singing and watch where you are going!" Jimmy turned his horse back around in the direction they were heading

" We better get moving, its getting late" "You take a lot of looking after!" stated Cody.

Amy replied by pulling a face at himand gingerly mounted the horse.

"There it is" Cody pointed into the sunset "Sweetwater."

Amy glanced at her brother then turned to Cody "Race you there!" she cried spurringher horse on, Cody reacted to the challenge immediately.

"Not again" muttered Jimmy under his breathe as he too spurred his Palomino on. This was one battle she wasn’t going to win!