fifty pounds of ice, it is not going to last much longer once it starts getting warm tomorrow. We will have some ice down there at the end of the rails when we send the crew, and we will be able to replenish your supply. You should have enough to last you through the night, but I’m sure Mister Simmons has told you that it’s a lot better to keep that stuff cold.”
Longarm said, “Mister Simmons has made his point and I’m much obliged to you. Why a burro?”
The young man smiled. “The burro is an old hand that we’ve had a long time. His name is Pedro and he is as surefooted as a mountain goat. I can assure you, Marshal, that the last thing that you want to happen when you’re carrying the kinds of things that you are carrying is for the animal to stumble with such a load. Anybody within half a mile would just as soon not have that animal stumble, and I think you will come to appreciate old Pedro before your trip is over.”
Longarm said, “I appreciate him now.”
“We should have you ready to travel in about half an hour. We’ve got a kitchen over here that is reserved for our workers. Maybe you’d like to take some supper before you set out.”
Longarm said, “That sounds like a capital idea. In fact we brought some provisions along with us, but I could use a hot meal anyway. We are going to be setting up as high as we can find a place, but I imagine it gets pretty chilly up on this high plain, even in the summer.”
“You know it. You’ll need more than one blanket.”
“Well, maybe you’ll loan us a couple, three more?”
“I’ll see that that’s tended to. Now, if you and your friend will follow me, I’ll take you over to the cookhouse, and someone else can see to your horses and when you come out, you’ll be ready to travel.”
Longarm said, “That suits me fine.”
Fisher was delighted that they were going to have a good meal before setting out across the plains of eastern New Mexico. He said, “I was beginning to figure, Longarm that hanging around with you was a quick way to ruin my health. At least we’ll have a meal before we probably get ourselves killed.”
Longarm said, “As skinny as you are, it doesn’t take that much to feed you.”
In the cookhouse they made a good meal of steak and potatoes and apple pie. By the time they were outside and mounted up, Fisher seemed content for a change. As they got ready to start out of the camp Eugene appeared, leading a small burro with a double pack on his back. He handed the lead rope to Longarm and said, “I’m sorry, Marshal, but I reckon that you’ll have to accommodate your pace to that of Pedro’s, and he is none too swift.”
Longarm said, “That’s quite all right with me, just as long as he is as surefooted as you say he is.”
“You can depend on that.”
“I take it that we just follow this set of narrow-gauge tracks?”
“Yes, sir. That’ll take you to exactly where you want to go.”
“See you in the morning.”
As they trailed slowly out of the camp and out of the town of Springer following the railroad tracks, Longarm could tell that Fisher was about to bust to know what the burro was for and what he was loaded down with. His pack was two well-secured canvas sacks that hung down on each side. The sacks were covered with canvas to hold in the cold of the ice and to keep it from melting any sooner than it had to. They had gone about a mile when Fisher said, “All right, damnit, what’s the burro for and what’s he hauling?”
Longarm answered, “Ice.”
Fisher asked, “What the hell is the burro hauling, Longarm? What’s in those big saddlebag-type canvas bags?”
“Ice.”
“Dammit, Longarm. Are you going to tell me the truth or not?”
Longarm swiveled around in his saddle to face Fisher. “I am telling you the truth. Lean down there and feel— real gentle, though—the side of that canvas and see if it ain’t cold.”
Fisher said, “I’ll do no such thing, but if it’s ice, do you mind telling me why in the hell you are carting ice with us?”
Longarm shrugged. “I thought we might make some ice tea or some lemonade.”
For a half minute, Fisher Lee swore loudly and effectively. Then he said, “All right, don’t tell me, see if I give a damn.”
Longarm said, “You don’t want to know.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
“Because after you know, you won’t want to know.”
“Then you’re saying that I don’t want to know.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, that’s a hell of a note. Here we are riding toward some kind of rendezvous with God only knows how many bad-assed characters, we’re going to be overwhelmingly outmanned and outgunned, we don’t know the terrain, and now you’re telling me there is some more bad news that I’d be better off not knowing. Hell, Longarm, you’re just a pure comfort to a body.”
After half an hour, they were well clear of the town and the moon was up good in the eastern sky. They crossed the small foothills of the mountains they had just traversed, and began entering the broad flat plains that stretched out in all directions to Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and beyond. Off in the distance they could see, here and there, the buttes rising from the flat arid land. Some of them rose up sheer to heights of five and six hundred feet. Some were rounded and some jagged and rock-strewn.
