Not surprisingly, Uncle Dan was awake and alert despite the hour. The old-timer responded from the thick shadows, “Come ahead, Preacher.”
Just before Preacher heeled Horse into motion again, he heard a quiet clicking noise that he recognized as Uncle Dan lowering the hammer on his old flintlock rifle. If he had been anybody else, Preacher knew that Uncle Dan probably would have blasted him right out of the saddle.
When Preacher reached the camp deep in the trees and swung down from Horse’s back, Jessie and Casey practically swarmed him.
“Are you all right?” Jessie asked.
“You’re not hurt?” Casey said.
“No, I’m fine,” Preacher told them. “And I got this stallion of mine back, too.”
Uncle Dan grunted. “But not the pack horse you rode into town, I see.”
“I didn’t really want to take the time to go back where I left him,” Preacher explained. “He’ll be fine. I made sure he could get loose. Somebody will find him and get a good horse out of the deal.”
“Yeah, I expect you’re right.”
“Any trouble out here?”
“Nary a bit,” Uncle Dan said. “It’s been mighty quiet ever since you left . . . ’cept for these here ladies frettin’ their pretty heads off over you and wonderin’ when you was gonna get back.”
“We weren’t worried,” Jessie said, although the sound of her voice didn’t convince Preacher of that claim.
“That’s right,” Casey added. “We know you can take care of yourself, Preacher.”
“And the rest of us, too,” Jessie said.
As Preacher unsaddled Horse, Uncle Dan asked, “What’s the plan now?”
“I figure that first thing in the mornin’, you and the gals will head on up the Missouri. There’s a Mandan village about fifty miles upstream.”
“I know the place,” Uncle Dan said, and from the sound of his voice, Preacher knew the old-timer was nodding. “Chief name of Otter’s Tail, or somethin’ like that, is the boss of the village.”
“Otter’s Tail is right,” Preacher said. “Him and me are old amigos. I don’t reckon Beaumont would ever think to look for you there, and even if he did, he’d have a hard time gettin’ you away from that bunch. The Mandan are plumb peaceful, but that’s because they choose to be. I wouldn’t want to tangle with ’em.”
“Me, neither,” Uncle Dan agreed. “Sounds like a good plan . . . ’cept for the fact that it means you’ll be takin’ on Beaumont all by your lonesome.”
“That’s the way I want it. I can go after him better if I’m not havin’ to worry about the three of you.”
“What about
“No need for you to do that. I’ll be fine. I don’t plan on takin’ any foolish chances. I’m gonna lead Beaumont out west where the odds will all be on my side.”
“If he cooperates and chases you his own self,” Uncle Dan said.
Preacher chuckled. “After the salt I rubbed in his wounds tonight, I got a hunch that’s exactly what he’ll do.”
He told them about his raid at Beaumont’s estate to reclaim Horse, then went on, “If that don’t do the trick, I’ll gig him again.”
“You mean you’ll go back to St. Louis?” Jessie asked.
“That’s right.”
“You’ll be taking a terrible chance every time you do,” Casey pointed out.
“That’s a risk I’m willin’ to take.” Preacher had finished tending to Horse, so he continued, “You ladies better turn in and get some shut-eye. It ain’t but a few hours until dawn. You need to be on the trail by the time the sun comes up, so you can get a good start.”
“What about you?” Jessie said. “You need some sleep, too, don’t you?”
“I figured I’d stand guard while Uncle Dan caught a few winks.”
“Forget it, boy,” the old-timer said. “The more decrepit I get, the less sleep it seems like I need. You get the shut-eye, Preacher, while I stand guard.”
It was true that Preacher was mighty weary. The day had been a long, violent one. He thought about arguing with Uncle Dan but then shrugged and said, “All right. I reckon it wouldn’t hurt for me to get a couple hours of sleep. But then you need to wake me up, so you can rest awhile, too. You’ll be on the trail for a long time tomorrow, and you don’t need to be tryin’ that without any sleep at all.”
Uncle Dan grunted. “Deal.”
Preacher had left his bedroll here at the camp along with his buckskins. He crawled into his blankets now, fully expecting to fall asleep instantly as soon as he stretched out and closed his eyes, which was a knack that most mountain men had picked up.
He didn’t doze off right away, though, because he realized that Jessie was spreading a blanket she had gotten from their supplies on the ground next to him. Not only that, but as Casey brought over another blanket, it appeared that she intended to bed down on his other side. The idea of having a beautiful woman lying within a foot or two of him on either side had a definite effect on Preacher. He was as human as the next fella, and Jessie and Casey were both mighty pretty.
Usually, though, when two gals set their cap for the same man, it was a recipe for trouble. Preacher couldn’t
