Dinosaurs! by Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois

Author:Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois [Dann, Jack & Dozois, Gardner]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Ace Books
Published: 1990-06-21T04:00:00+00:00

Meanwhile back at the Doppler ranch, the wagon had arrived. While Red-Eye Dave and his wife held a noisy and acrimonious reunion inside their sod dugout, Marsh held forth for the dozen or so Savage children.

"Indians believe fossilized bones to be the remnant of an extinct race of giants. They consider me a man of great wisdom, and call me 'Bone Medicine Man' and 'Big Bone Chief.' Chief Red Cloud is my personal friend, as is Buffalo Bill." He paused, waiting.

The oldest Savage daughter spoke. "Cousin Johnny says Buffalo Bill's a long-hair baby-face sissy."

"He does? Well . . ."

"I do," Johnny said, relishing the shiver which his voice brought.

"Of course, he only scouted for us for one day," Big Bone Chief added hastily. "I really didn't get to know him very well, and first impressions may be deceiving." The Prairie Traveller advised one to humor frontier roughs.

Dave Savage emerged, shaken, from his house. His wife, pregnant as usual, stood in the doorway and scowled after him. "Howdy, Johnny. Yuh met Perfesser Marsh here? He shoots like a bushwhacker. We coulda used him in the war. He wants that critter of Charley's."

"I'm sick of Charley's critter."

"I am prepared to purchase it."

Johnny smiled a thin-lipped, narrow smile that made the scientist feel like a goose in a store window. "That sounds more like it. That other feller didn't offer nothing."

"Other . . . ? About so tall—beard—that blaggart! Gad! God damn it! (Begging your pardon, ma'am.) I wish the Lord would take him! He's insane, you know. I doubted his sanity the first time I met him. Berlin in '63; he was in Europe to escape the draft." After his diatribe had run its course, Marsh and Red-Eye Dave headed towards the valley, pausing at Doc Watson's for directions. As he rode, Marsh kept up a constant stream of comments and instructions for his horse, a habit which had earned him yet another Indian nickname, "Heap Whoa Man."

Doc Watson offered some medicine. Marsh replied, "The Prairie Traveller says the West's fresh air is the best medicine."

"Can't sell fresh air."

"On the other hand," Marsh decided, "it would be a fine addition to my collection of Western memorabilia," and he purchased two bottles at stiff prices. The pleased physician then pointed the way down the creek, to the paddock.

Joe was in his hut, but Dave shied him out with rocks. Marsh rubbed his hands. "It's better than I'd hoped. A class of beast unknown to modern man."

"Don't look like much to me." Red-Eye suspected that education destroyed a man's sense of values.

After a short gloat, Marsh and Red-Eye remounted. "I believe a celebration might be in order, Red-Eye."

Red-Eye held out an almost full bottle of Essence of Frankincense.

"No thank you."

"There's the hotel in Coyote." Red-Eye led the way. The town of Coyote was, basically, the hotel. Cope and Charley were already standing at the bar of Lowland Larry's, alleviating their thirsts with draft beer. Chokecherry Sairie was seconding their toasts with the local whiskey.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.