The Floating Outfit 56 - The Rio Hondo War by J. T. Edson

Author:J. T. Edson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

We're Having No Fuss With Them

"You met up with Cousin Dusty in Quiet Town, didn't you?" Betty asked as they let the horses water at a small stream close to where the cougar fell before her carbine.

"Sure. Doc Leroy and Rusty Willis were his deputies and we tied on in to help them out at the end."

They came riding down towards the O.D. Connected's main buildings before either of them really noticed where they were. It came as something of a surprise to look up and see the corrals ahead. And a disappointment to Johnny. He would soon be in the bunkhouse among his friends, but he would also be no more than another cowhand passing through and receiving traditional hospitality.

"I'll expect you up the house for dinner," Betty said. "You needn't worry about dressing, we don't."

A blush came to Johnny's face. "Gee thanks, Betty." "I'm only doing it to have somebody on hand to tell how I got the cougar," she replied. "The Kid never believes I ran one down but I've got proof this time."

At that moment Mark Counter came walking from the main house with Waco at his side. He looked down to the corral and spoke in a tone which carried to the new arrivals.

"Hey, Waco, you'd best go and warn Jimmo to lock up all the food, Johnny Raybold's here."

"I'll do just that," agreed Waco.

Betty glared at the two men as they advanced to the corral. "You pair of sheep," she bellowed. "That's no way to treat a guest."

"He's not a guest," Mark objected. "He's a pest."

The handshakes which greeted Johnny showed that his greeting so far had been far from sincere.

"If you pair were anything like gentlemen, you'd take care of the horses for us," Betty remarked, then she looked at the buggy standing before the house. "See we've got callers. Uncle Hondo come out with Aunt Betsy?"

"Sure," Mark agreed.

"We'd best tell him about you, Johnny," she remarked. "Shucks, old Johnny don't want jailing, he'd lower the tone of the place," put in Waco.

"How'd you like bouncing all around the corral on your lil pumpkin head?" Betty asked coldly. "It'd lower your tone some."

"Come on, boy," drawled Mark. "She's getting all uppy again. Take hold of the brown. Man, this's a better boss than you usually fork, Johnny."

At that moment a considerable racket arose from the bunkhouse, drawing Betty's and her three companions' attention to it. First a cowhand sailed through the open door, lighting down bouncing on his rump, then a struggling cluster of figures followed him. Half-a-dozen of the spread's younger workers milled around Dusty Fog in an attempt to teach him the error of his ways. Suddenly strange things began to happen. Dusty's hands or feet stabbed out, taking hold, hooking and pushing at his assailants, at which one after another would flip through the air or tumble to the ground.

"Damned if that mean ole Dusty ain't abusing them poor fellers again," Waco remarked, throwing a suggestive look at Johnny as he remembered hearing something about the visitor.

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