Jimmy, Buck, and I had just left Tompkins, when I spotted a man in a soldier's uniform. I couldn't believe what my eyes was telling me. Could the man I was looking at really be by older brother Jed?
"Hey Mister?"
I called out to the man, walking toward him, with a curious Jimmy and Buck at my back.
The soldier turned and looked at me as I approached him, a wary expression on his face. I couldn't say I blamed him for not recognizing me after all this time apart, but it still stung a little.
"Is your name Jed?"
"We met?"
"I reckon we might have."
"I'm afraid I don't recall."
"You recall cursing a plow mule named Jeremiah who used to wallow in the creek when the heat came up?"
I watched recognition flood over my brother's face. "Kid?"
I grinned and offered Jed my hand. Jed grabbed it and pulled me into a bear hug.
"It's nice to see you finally put some meat on your skinny bones!" Jed exclaimed, breaking the hug and grinning at me.
"I finally found some honest work." I told him. " I work for the Pony Express. Pay's good and the food's even better."
Jed swung his arm around my shoulder and boisterously introduced me to his fellow soldiers. In turn, I introduced him to Jimmy and Buck, who stepped forward to greet him. I know I was grinning like a mad fool, but I didn't care.
Despite our differences in ages, Jed and I had always been close. The years apart not knowing whether he was alive or dead had been hard ones for me. Now my brother and I were together again, and there would be hell to pay for anyone you tried to separate us again.