"Heyes! Watch it!"

"Watch it yourself!"

"Head him off!"

"He's headed your way, Kid!"

Kid Curry rose from his crouched position and turned, running away from the door of the shack. He leaped over a log a short distance away and knelt behind it. He peeked over it, his blue eyes searching for his partner.

"Heyes?" No answer. Kid raised himself up a bit more, trying to see inside the cabin. "You alright in there, Heyes?"

This time he was rewarded by the muffled voice of Hannibal Heyes. "It's safe, Kid." Heyes stepped out of the darkness of the shack, holding a squirming flour sack.

Kid stood and walked toward his brown-haired partner. He put his hands on his hips and looked from the sack and back to Heyes.

"Heyes?"

"Hm?" Heyes was busy tying the sack closed.

"Why did we take this job?"

Heyes glanced at Kid as if his blonde friend had grown another head.* He spoke while tying the sack onto his saddle horn. "You know why."

"Yeah but is it really worth a bounty of $40 a skunk?"

Heyes paused a moment, considering the question. He leaned against his horse. "Look at it this way; we need the money, right?"

Kid nodded.

"And there weren't any other jobs available, right?"

Another nod.

"Well it beats getting shot at while guarding or delivering something, right?"

"But, Heyes, I'm-"-Kid stopped, trying to grasp the word he was searching for- "I'm allergic to skunks."

Heyes gave an amused look.

"I mean-" Kid made an exasperated sound.

"Yeah well you ain't the only one who doesn't wanna get sprayed." Heyes mounted his mare while Kid fetched his own mount.

"But," -Kid mounted up- "why does Kirkwood want live skunks?"

Heyes shrugged and touched his heels to the horse's sides. "I dunno. But, hey, we're makin' easy money, ain't we?"

Kid made a face but said nothing as they rode on. Easy money? Who was Heyes kidding?

Heyes chattered away about the best ways not to become the target of a skunk's reeking weapon. Kid was only half-listening. They kept riding until they sighted another line shack ahead. The two temporary skunk hunters halted their mounts in front of it.

Heyes pushed his hat back and leaned on his saddle horn. "Well, Kid…last one."

"Yep."

Heyes studied the structure. "Only one door on this one."

"Yep. Just one."

Heyes sat up in his saddle and started to pull something out of his pocket. "Kid what do you say if we flip a-"

"Nope! Huh-uh," Kid started. "It's all yours, Heyes."

Heyes looked slightly offended. "But I helped you with the last one."

"Did I ask you to help?"

"Well…no."

"No," Kid said at the same time. "So, Heyes my friend, you can just mosey on in there and I'll wait right here." It was hard to hold back the grin; so Kid didn't try.

Heyes scowled at Kid before disappearing into the shack. Kid could hear soft calls of "Here, skunky. Come 'ere, you ornery little devil" coming from inside. Then silence. There was a scuffling sound and then a bang, like a plank falling. "Heyes?" There were more noises now. An angry squeal and then Heyes-

"Augh!"

"Heyes?"

Kid's mount and Heyes' horse that he was holding snorted. "Whoa, easy." Heyes' mare rolled her eyes and pulled against the reins. That's when the smell reach Kid's nose.

He quickly backed his horse farther away from the line shack entrance. "How's the weather in there, Heyes?" He couldn't resist. He bit back a laugh.

The door opened and the putrid smell became even stronger. Heyes coughed and gagged his way out, holding another flour sack. His eyes burned like crazy. Who knew such a small animal could give off such a bad smell?

His brown eyes shot daggers at Kid who was still guffawing on his horse. "Shut up, Kid! Just shut up!"

He started closer and Kid held his nose. "Woo-ee, you stink." Kid got another glare for that remark.

Heyes horse danced in a circle as Heyes tried to mount. He finally made it, though his horse hated him for it.

"Uh, Heyes?"

"What?" Heyes said through gritted teeth.

"Maybe you oughta ride behind me. You know. Downwind? You are kinda rank."

Heyes turned his horse sharply and rode the mare about 15 feet behind the Kid.

"It's sure a smelly business, huh, Heyes?" Kid grinned goofily and the laughed, riding on ahead.

oooOOOooo

Heyes rode downwind from Kid the whole way back to the Star K Ranch. When they reached the ranch house, Heyes hung back. "Uh, Kid?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you, uh…why don't you go get our money, huh? I think I'll wait here."

Kid tried to hide another grin. Unsuccessfully, of course. "Sure, Heyes." Kid dismounted and strode up to the big ranch house. He raised his hand to knock but the door opened before he could.

"Well, well, well! Back so soon, Mr. Jones! Did you get the skunks?" Jesse Kirkwood peered around Kid, trying to see the sacks on the horses out in the ranch yard.

"Yes, sir. We got one from four of the line shacks. They're on those sacks over there." Kid motioned toward the horses.

"Why's your friend over there? Tell 'im to bring over the skunks. I'd like to see 'em."

"Uh, well, you see, Mr. Kirkwood, Joshua had a sort of accident. I'm sure you understand."

"Oh…oh, you mean-?"

Kid nodded. "Yep. Now about the money…"

"I'd like to see the skunks first."

"I'll have to go get the sacks."

"Of course, of course. I'll wait right here."

Kid left the porch and went back to the horses. "He wants to see the skunks," he explained to Heyes.

Kid untied the sacks and brought them back to the porch. He was puzzled when Kirkwood's eyes widened.

"That-that sack! It moved!"

"Well sure it did, you wanted 'em alive, didn't you?"

"Oh, no, I didn't say they had to be alive; I just said I'd gotten rather fond of the little creatures."

Kid grit his teeth. "The money, please, Mr. Kirkwood." He set the four sacks down near the porch.

"Oh! Oh yes, of course! Here you are. It was a $30 bounty for each skunk correct?"

"Forty each."

Jesse Kirkwood looked up at the steely blue eyes of Kid Curry. He gulped. "Eh, yes, forty it was." He counted out the money. "There you are. Two-hundred dollars. That's $40 for four skunks. A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Jones." He waved.

Kid glared at him and then made his way back to his horse.

"You get the money?" Heyes asked.

"Yeah. Two-hundred dollars. Got us a bonus."

"You gotta stop staring down people. C'mon. Let's get outta here, Kid." He turned his horse in the direction of the road.

When they were out on the road, Heyes still lingering behind, Kid turned in his saddle. "Hey, Heyes!" He called.

"What?"

"You need a bath!" Kid laughed and spurred his horse farther ahead.