Jordy said, “It won’t matter for a spell. Where we are headed, there are wide open spaces. Room for everybody in the creek if you can find one. While you are waiting, do you want to talk about the crew and wagons?”
“Might as well.”
They went into the library and sat down at the table. Jordy pulled a folded sheet of parchment from his shirt pocket and spread it out on the table for Jack to examine. “I have started a list of supplies we will need. I’ll check with Rudy about food for the chuckwagon. Pots and pans would already be stashed in it. I thought I would talk to Bram, and if he’s willing to go, he and Rudy can take the wagon into town today and get supplied up.”
Jack said, “Tell him we’re going to use two or three mule teams on each wagon and will be moving fast, so they will need to anchor the load.”
“Three teams?”
“I’ll leave the number to Tige Marshall. We’ve lost enough time as it is. I would like to do twenty-five miles a day if we can. I’m going into town to visit the Lucky Five Freighting station today to be sure they can round up enough mules for the wagons we’re taking. I hope we have two of the long Studebakers available, especially the one with the false bottom. I’m going to hide some extra weaponry in the storage space.”
“You don’t see much chance of just cutting out the herd and making a run?”
“Can’t be done.”
“What do we need the Studebakers for? They will slow us.”
“Trade goods. We’re going to be traders, maybe Comancheros ourselves if we need to.”
“I’ll take your word for it. I’ve been thinking about the men. I’d like to recruit Tige Marshall and let him pick two or three of his ex-buffalo soldiers. I will leave it to Tige, but I would like to have Abel Burke and Nick Iverson with us—maybe Roper Hawley. He was in Tige’s outfit, and in a fight he’s the equal of two or three men.”
“I like that idea. But Juana might object, and they have the two kids to think about.” Tige was a former Army Sergeant and natural leader who, with his wife, Juana, managed the freight business. Not yet thirty, the handsome mulatto, born a slave, was hard working and ambitious.
“He’s itching to get out of the office, and we couldn’t have a better man riding with us. The handsome devil will sweet talk Juana and get cut loose for the mission.”
Jack said, “Okay, who else?”
“Swede Larsen as a mule skinner for one of the Studebakers and Irish O’Toole for the other. For wranglers and night-hawks: Possum Crowell and Mitch Eagle Eyes. Mitch could do some scouting for us. If a wagon breaks down, Swede can fix about anything.”
“Good choices.” The wranglers worked mostly in the ranching enterprises, as did O’Toole and Larsen, and their absences would leave Rusty Dobbs short-handed. Spring round up was past, however, and Jack figured Rusty should be able handle the day-to-day essentials for several weeks with the two hands that remained.
“I’m going to check in with Tess on the way to town. If she invites me to stay over tonight, I’ll likely take her up on it. If I don’t show up, Thor will want to sleep with you.”
“I don’t have any better offers. Is he coming with us?”
“Yep. He couldn’t keep up afoot these days, but he can ride on the wagon seat of one of the wagons. You take care of things on this end. I’ll arrange the wagons and talk to Tige and the town folks. Meet me at the station in San Angelo about eight o’clock tomorrow morning with the chuckwagon and the ranch crew. Have everybody toss their personal gear in the chuckwagon for now.”
Jordy asked, “Are you going to explain to Rudy about your granddaughter?”
“I’d take it as a favor if you would do that. You can tell him anything I told you.”
“Thanks for nothing. And what about Sierra? You’re just leaving her here?”
“Yep. I’m not up to talking to either her or Rudy today. Let her help you put the parade together.”
“Jack,” Jordy said, “when I was a kid, you would have told me I was running from my responsibilities.”
“I ain’t no kid. And I’m not running. I’m just delegating.”
Chapter Eleven
Jack, astride his bay gelding, passed the turnoff to San Angelo and continued along the wagon path south toward Tess Wyman’s place. He wanted to be in town by ten-thirty, so this would be a quick stop, just long enough to wangle an invitation to return later. He and Tess had been whatever they were for over ten years now. He still could not put a tag on their relationship. Friends and comfortable companions, always. Lovers, sometimes. Jack thought they were too old for him to call Tess his girlfriend, and lady friend sounded too stuffy. He guessed it didn’t matter. They would just stay good neighbors.
He had never formally proposed marriage to her, but he had suggested it, testing the waters two or three times over the years. The last time, a few years back, Tess had laughed and said, “There’s not room for both of us and Thor in the bed. Let’s not spoil a good thing.” There was some truth to what she said. If Jack were in the bedroom, Thor would whine outside the door all night until he got in. It would be damned hard to relegate his canine partner to a rug, and the dog would not sleep with Jordy if Jack was in the house. But they would have figured out something.
When he rode onto the imaginary line that separated Tess’s little six hundred acre spread, he caught sight of twenty-five or thirty Lucky Five cows grazing there. They did not require fences between their places, since Tess’s property, except the garden near her house, was all grassland, and the Lucky Five leased her acres. The tract
