DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
Ike saddled his horse and led him out of the barn, not surprised to find Jimmy and Cody leaning against the corral fence waiting for him.
'You're sure something's wrong Ike?' Cody questioned
"Good enough for me" Cody spoke
'You want us to come too" Jimmy spoke
'Good Luck Ike" he stated knowing that Ike would not rest until the others were home.
'Bring em back safe Ike' Jimmy spoke as he gently hit Ike on the thigh, watching him sign okay.
Ike mounted up and slowly walked his horses across the waystation yards in the direction of St Jo. He was startled when Teaspoon walked towards him from the end of the bunkhouse. Ike frowned expecting teaspoon to tell him that he wasn't going to allow him to search for his friends after all and steeled himself for another fight.
'Ike be careful, if you think that you need help I want you to come home and we will all go.' he spoke as if in explanation. ' I'm not saying that you can't do this on your own, but I want you to know that I do trust your intuition.' he paused 'but I don't want the other two going off half cocked. Don't be a hero, whatever it is we can help.'
"Ride safe Ike" Teaspoon urged as Ike reigned in his horse and rode out of the way station.
Ike rode the trail towards St Joseph, more worried then he cared to admit. For three days now he had been having a bad feeling about his friends. Teaspoon and the boys hadn't believed him when he had tried to tell them that something was wrong. He had no idea how he knew but somehow he knew that Buck and the others were in some type of serious trouble, and the longer they waited the more serious their predicament. He knew that until today Teaspoon and the others hadn't believed him and even now they were probably only humouring him, but Buck was closer than a brother to him and he would not let the others down either, so if that made him look foolish in front of the others so be it.
Ike rode slowly and carefully surveying the landscape he knew so well for any signs of his friends. He was starting to think that maybe he was imagining things and that Teaspoon was right they were only held up. Stopping his horse for a drink at the edge of creek about halfway between St Jo and Sweetwater, the glint of sunshine on metal caught his eye further up the creek bed. A sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach got worse as he realised that the glint was light shining off the metal springs of a buckboard. Checking carefully he was chagrined to realise that it was indeed the Express Station vehicle, one wheel broken, laying on its side at the edge of a river crossing, half submerged in the setting mud. Scanning closely the surrounding banks of the river, he found signs that his friends had been indeed been there. Bucks badly trampled hat lay in the mud and in various locations around the same vicinity, he found a piece of Emma's skirt, Lous glasses and what he felt sure was some fringing from Kid's buckskin jacket.
Now certain that all of his friends had been involved in this struggle he began to track in earnest as Buck had taught him. Realising that he was close to the Miller's Crossing way station he rode for there before he did anything else. He knew that his other friends would be concerned and wanted to get word to them, to stop the impatience of his friends getting the better of their good judgement if he could. As he rode into the way station Jim the station manager walked out to meet him.
'Ike you're not due here today?' he questioned
'Sure, I'll send Tommy' he indicated to another of his riders who had walked outside immediately going to saddle his horse.
Ike took a notepad from his pocket and wrote a quick note to Teaspoon. handing it to Jim he signed his thanks and turned his horse away from the station eager to start trying to find his friends.
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