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"Buck! Is there anything there for me? demanded Cody.
"Nope. Just a letter for Teaspoon is all. Buck leapt the stairs two at a time and entered the Marshall's office, where as usual he found the Marshal with feet on the desk, coffee in one hand and book in the other. "Teaspoon, this letter came in from St Jo for you."
"Thank you Buck. Teaspoon opened the letter and read the contents quickly. "Well I'll be... he laughed to himself.
"What'd it say? asked Buck trying to see over his shoulder.
"That ... ain't none of your business! replied Teaspoon raising one eyebrow.
Buck smiled and looked down to hide his amusement.
"If ya must know its from a young boy I once knew but he's all grown up now and it says he is coming to visit with his wife.
"This ..Matthew fella, how do you know him? asked Jimmy still chewing a piece of meat.
"He and his brother were a couple of young hot heads I came across, not unlike some others that I know! He stared meaningfully at Jimmy and Cody who glanced at each other and grinned. "They got themselves in a fair bit of trouble and I helped them sort themselves out
"So that's how you know what to do with us!" exclaimed Noah.
"Yep! In fact they was the reason I got this here job.
"How come? asked Lou preparing herself for one of Teaspoon's long and somewhat dubious stories of his past.
"Well boys, it happened like this. One day I rode into Nester ...
"Nester, Missouri? asked Noah.
"The very one.
"What were you doin, in Missouri? Noah challenged.
"I was keepin' out of a jealous husband's way! Now be quiet so I can tell you the
rest! Cody continued to snigger quietly "Cody!
Cody swallowed hard to regain control "Sorry Teaspoon."
"Now as I was sayin, I was in Nester. I had just come out of the store when I heard gun shots and riding on horses too big for their behinds came two young bucks firing their colts in the air. They was looking for trouble and they knew where to find it. Fancied themselves as gunfighters but they'd have dirtied their britches in a real gunfight! They rode up to the crowd that had gathered outside the saloon. The eldest one got off his horse and grabbed a woman, he knew she was Cole Wilson's girl, as I said they was spoiling for a fight. Cole Wilson and his brothers fought those two hothead and blow me if the two of them didn't give shiners to all four of the Wilson boys! The Wilson boys had a gang and most sensible folk just kept well clear of them, they were an angry bunch and they were even angrier when they had been beaten up by those two ratbags. Those two high tailed out of town with the Wilson's vowing revenge.
Bout two weeks later I was riding back from Cambells Creek when I saw the two of them in a canyon. The older one was shot and hurt real bad, the younger had a graze on his arm and was trying to pull the other up onto his horse........"
"Need a hand boys?
"Get lost old timer or I'll put a bullet through you!"
"You'll have to drop your friend on his head first! Those Wilson boys tracked you down huh! You were lucky they left you alive."
"What d'ya want?
"Nothin, but I figure with that wound you might need some help getting him on a horse.
The young man looked puzzled "Why ya helpin us?
"Let's say to help ease my soul The young man looked even more confused.
"Alright then but don't you tell nobody about us! You hear!
"Sure I do. I may be old but I ain't deaf! Teaspoon helped the injured youth onto the horse then climbed back on his own horse still holding the other horses reins.
"Let go of the reins!
"Can't do that."
"Why not? the younger one threatened.
"Cos if I let these reins go you are goin to head straight back to town to pay back the favour and if you don't get this friend of yours comfortable you are goin to lose him. He's lost a lot of blood!
"He ain't my friend, he's my brother and we ain't got nowhere to go.
"I figured that, which is why I'm takin you boys home with me
"You're crazy!
"Pr'haps I am. But I'd be careful if I were you cos you sure remind me a lot of myself when I was your age and if I gone mad then there's a good chance you will too!
The boy shook his head.
"Come on." Teaspoon headed off through the canyon leading the injured rider with the other one reluctantly following. "What's ya name?
"Matthew. His name is Jacob."
"Where are your folks?
"They died a year back - cholera."
"I'm real sorry to hear that Son.
"What's your name?
"Folks call me Teaspoon.
Matthew raised his eyebrows "How come?
"They just does! replied Teaspoon. "How old are you?"
"19. Jacob's 21."
"Fancy that! Me and Jacob are the same age!" Teaspoon said sarcastically. "How old are you boys really?"
"16 and 18."
"That... I can believe."
"Here we are. Mrs Roberts had a large family so I'm sure we can find you boys a room.
"You live here?
"Yep. Mr Roberts died a year back, his wife is old and their children have moved away. I help her look after the place.
"Humph. Only someone hiding would do a thing like that! Who you hidin from?"
Teaspoon looked at the boy then said "Help me get Jacob down......"
He never gave up on finding out who I was hiding from, I think it amused him that an old fella like me was on the run! Matthew's wound healed quickly, too quickly! Before I could stop him he was back on his horse heading for Nester. He got beat up, I brought him back, he got better, he headed for town and found more trouble. In the end I told the Marshal to lock him up next time he came into town, I warned Matthew too, not that it stopped him! He just didn't believe there was anything more to it than fighting, getting hurt and getting better. Marshal locked him up and I left him in therefor a day before I collected him. He was a shivering mess by then.
Back at the farm I told him that if I caught him in town again I'd kick him out. Jacob was still too weak to leave the house so if Matthew ended up out he'd be on his own and he knew it. I gave him that many chores on the farm that by nightfall he was too tired to even scratch himself. Jacob got better slowly and thought the better of trying to find trouble after his brush with death, besides I think he was worried that he'd have to work the farm like Matthew. Jacob didn't mind getting blood on his hands but getting dirt on them was a whole different story.
About a year after they moved in Jacob married the bankers daughter and moved to Savannah. Matthew stayed with me and worked the land, turned into quite a farmer! A while later Mrs Roberts died and her son asked me to stay on to look after the farm but I was beginning to get itchy feet and besides I hadn't seen the jealous husband so I figured I'd be safe to leave.
Only problem was I still had a hotheaded 18 year old to keep in line. Andrew Roberts came to sort out the property and decided to stay on, he was a Northerner and didn't want slaves so he offered Matthew the job of working the farm. Matthew was thrilled and took it immediately, I suspect Miss Amelia Roberts helped to make up his mind. Pretty little thing she was and took a shine to Matthew too - says here in this letter he married her!
Anyways, I was looking for something new with lots of relaxing and a place to settle. Then I got a letter from Russell Majors and Waddell offering me a job of Way Station Manager for something called the Pony Express, I had to organise and employ six hotheaded boys. I wrote back saying I knew nothing about kids and declined the job.
Then I got a letter from Jacob, his father-in-law now worked for the company and Jacob had given them my name. He told me that I had sorted him and his brother out real good and I owed it to myself to turn hotheaded young boys, like myself in younger days, into decent young men." Teaspoon stretched "So there you have it boys, that there is the reason you have to put up with me today!"
"When does Matthew arrive? asked Jimmy
"Day after tomorrow. I spects the two of you will get on quite well Jimmy!"
"Two of a kind! said Noah.
Cody laughed "Can't ever imagine Jimmy farming - he'd probably shoot holes in the ground to plant the seeds in!"
"One never knows! said Teaspoon " Five years ago I didn't expect to have a houseful of boys that I'd think of as my sons ..er and daughters," he nodded at Lou.
The stage rattled into town and Teaspoon spat on his boots one last time and rubbed them with his sleeve. He left the Marshal's Office and was quickly joined by the group of curious riders. A tall dark man stepped down from the stage and offered his hand to his young female companion.
"Matthew?
"Teaspoon, you old coot, you haven't changed at all!" laughed Matthew, giving the older man a hug.
"You have - those boots you're wearing must be higher.
"Teaspoon this here is my wife Amelia.
"Welcome to Rock Creek Amelia he turned to face the riders " these are my boys. Buck, Lou, Ike, Noah, Jimmy and Cody. You'll meet Kid when he gets back from his ride.
"Your boys? Matthew grinned "Told you you'd be good at it didn't we!"
"I learnt a lot of things about myself from you and Jacob."
"Not half as much as we learnt from you! Including how to hide from a jealous husband."
"That again! growled Teaspoon in mock annoyance as he herded his guests towards the house for some of Rachel's home cooking.
'The Young Riders' is an Ogden/Kane Production. No breach of copyright is intended.
