The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

Outlaws

By: Sapphire

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Chapter Three: The Wild West Lives

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"What a crowd," Jessie said, standing in the wagon, holding her father's shoulder to steady herself as she scanned the town. "And they're all in costume, just as Anne said." She shot a glance at Jonny. "Aren't you glad you 'played dress up' after all?" she asked sweetly.

"Stuff it," Jonny retorted. Jessie laughed. Marry Wallace drove right up the main street of town to the Village Common on the other end. She stopped the wagon next to a hitching post on the edge of the Common. Setting the wagon's break, she looped the reins over a bar meant to keep them from falling under the horses' feet.

"Everybody out!" she said, and they started to unload.

"Anne, let me help you," Hadji said politely, helping her down from her saddle.

"Thank you," she said with a dazzling smile for the handsome youth. Hadji smiled back and they went to hitch the horses to the rail in front of the wagon. Race lifted Jessie and Maggie out of the wagon while Dr. Quest helped Mary from the front seat. Maggie wandered over to Anne, Hadji, and the saddled horses.

"Why four saddled horses?" she asked curiously. "You only need one to race." Anne laughed.

"I'm racing my horse, June," Anne explained. "The others are for show, mostly. We figure they might attract some business at the same time."

"Business?" Hadji asked.

"Malloy Farms used to be a big business," Anne told them. "Great Grandfather used to have more than fifty horses on the farm at one time. He bred horses, as well as sold and traded. The problem was, most of the animals were bred for hard work, and as farming families died out or moved away, business went down the tubes."

"I suppose technology didn't help much, either," Maggie added.

"That too," Anne agreed. "Mom wants to put Malloy Farms back in business, only this time, she wants to stock thoroughbreds and good riding horses. It's an expensive venture, though."

"Undoubtedly," Hadji agreed.

"Fireball, here," Anne said, patting a tall horse with a bright, shiny red coat, "he isn't a thoroughbred, he's a mustang, but he's strong and fast, has a good lineage, and is desirable to breeders as a stud. Mom won't sell him for anything, but she's not opposed to, er, renting him out." Maggie and Hadji laughed.

"So that's what you meant by attracting business," Maggie smiled. She reached up and gave Fireball's nose a pat. "You're one handsome stallion, aren't you?"

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Riders were lined up at the starting line. Maggie and Jessie waved to Anne while they waited for things to get under way. There were twenty-three people racing in the main race. They'd already watched the kids race, and the buggy race. Both had been exciting, but this was the race everyone had come out to see. The Malloy horses were keyed up, feeling the excited tension of the crowd. Maggie stood with Fireball, stroking his nose and neck, speaking soothing words. Even with her calming effect, the stallion was still antsy. Mary watched her carefully, a little wary she was so close to the nervous stallion.

"The starter is taking his place," Dr. Malloy announced, his excitement evident. Maggie and Mary were instantly riveted on the starting line. The sound of the gun sent a ripple of cheers through the crowd, and the racers took off toward the outskirts of town.

The excited murmur of the crown suddenly changed to panic as a woman's shriek diverted the crowd's attention from the race. The Quest's and Malloy's turned to see what the commotion was. A sleek brown mare ran full speed through the Common, headed straight for the woods on the other side of the Common Green. On the mare's back was a small child, clinging to her mane for dear life.

"Someone stop that horse!" someone in the crowd shouted. "She's running straight for the ravine!" Maggie jumped into action. Without a second thought, she pulled the rope from the hitching post and swung up into Fireball's saddle. She kicked the stallion into a dead run, chasing after the runaway, ignoring the shouts of Race, Mary, and her uncle.

Maggie couldn't help but marvel at Fireball's speed and agility as they jumped the fence surrounding most of the Green and raced toward the woods where the mare and the boy were just disappearing. Maggie and Fireball reached the woods only seconds later, slipping between the trees. Maggie could see the runaway mare right ahead, crashing through the undergrowth. It was nothing to catch up to her. Easing Fireball up alongside the mare, Maggie reached out a hand and caught hold of the mare's loose reins. She pulled on them, then pulled harder. She had to let go to avoid some trees, then reached out and grabbed the mare's bridle and pulled hard, finally slowing the mare and bringing her to a stop. Not a moment too soon. A deep ravine, lined with all manner of rocks and debris, was only a few yards away. Maggie looked to the terrified little boy still clutching onto the mare.

"Come here," Maggie said, reaching for the boy who couldn't be more than six or seven in her estimation. "You're safe now." He grabbed onto her and she pulled him onto Fireball, sitting him in front of her. He clung to her as she tied the mare's lead to the saddle horn of her own saddle. She hugged the boy, smoothing his rust red hair in a calming manner. "Shhh," she told him, "You're safe now. I've got you."

The little boy looked up at her through tear-filled green eyes. He pushed his messy rust colored hair from his freckled face as he carefully studied her. He didn't say anything, the frightened look on his face slowly melting away. Maggie smiled as he ducked his face back into her shoulder, clinging to her as she started Fireball back toward the Common Green.

"Maggie, is he okay?" Race shouted as soon as she rode out of the trees. He was coming at her at a dead run, half the town following after him. A man with a worried expression on his face, and rusty red hair was right behind him. His eyes were glued to the little boy clinging tightly to her waist.

"Everything is fine," Maggie called to them. She reined Fireball to a stop as Race and the strange man reached them. "He's okay."

"Davy!" the man exclaimed. The little boy looked up, then reached out to the man. "Davy, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Dad," Davy said, "The nice lady saved me."

"She sure did, Davy," the man said hugging his son tight as he pulled him down off Fireball's back. "Let's go see your mom. She's worried sick about you." The man carried the boy off into the crowd.

"You nearly gave Benton a heart attack," Race scolded Maggie once Davy and his father were out of earshot. "You shouldn't have raced off like that. You could have been seriously hurt."

"But if I hadn't, that little boy…Davy, could have been killed," Maggie argued. Race sighed. She was right. She swung her leg over Fireball's back, and Race helped her down. They started back toward the other side of the Common green, townspeople staring after Maggie as they went.

"Oh, thank you," a woman holding Davy said as Maggie and Race neared the Malloy wagon. "You saved my son's life." Maggie blushed. "I don't know what I'd have done if…" The woman started to cry all over again, hugging little Davy so tight Maggie wondered if he could breathe.

"What can we ever do to thank you?" the man, Davy's father, asked. He took Maggie's hand and started shaking it profusely.

"Your appreciation is enough," Maggie said modestly. "It was the least I could do." Davy's father shook Maggie's hand again, then took his family and their horse back where they had been before the frightening incident had started.

"That was a brave thing you did. I'm proud of you," Dr. Quest said, giving his niece a hug, "but don't ever scare me like that again. That was something I usually expect from Jonny, not you." Maggie laughed.

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Anne came in second in the race. She was beaming when her family and friends found her to congratulate her. It was her moment to shine, and she sparkled.

"I didn't expect to win, not when I heard Jared Hadley was entered. He's a rodeo rider, the best I've ever seen. But to come in second, behind him…that's something to be proud of." Mary gave her daughter a congratulatory hug.

As the excited crowd began to dissipate, Jessie and Maggie took Anne, whisking her off to find a place for her to change clothes. An award ceremony, a celebration feast, and a dance were just a few scheduled events planned for that evening. Having placed in the race, Anne would be one of the guests of honor. They all would have gone anyway, but it was all the more fun because of her success.

Anne and the girls bumped into the local minister who let them into the church so Anne could change. He waited outside while Anne was laced into a corset and dressed in her new lavender dress. Maggie had curled her hair before leaving the farm, and pinned it back to protect it for the race. She let it loose and arranged the short strawberry blond curls while Jessie buttoned the dress. After packing the riding costume into the recently emptied satchel, they hurried out of the church so the minister could lock it back up.

When they arrived back at the Common green, they were met with a spectacular sight. A large yellow and white gazebo lit with strings of white lights had a band playing on it. To one side was a huge wooden dance floor that had been assembled from pre-constructed parts. Opposite the dance floor were long tables set with enormous amounts of food provided by the citizens of Holder Spring. Judging by the amounts of food weighing heavily on the tables, it would be no trouble feeding the entire town. Littered all around were picnic tables where people were already enjoying the delicious homemade dishes available. More lights were strung around the whole area, paper lanterns hanging over them glowing in bright colors.

"We need something like this back in Rockport," Jessie said.

"Yeah," Maggie agreed in awe.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat," Anne said. Maggie, and Jessie followed her to the buffet tables where they found Race, Mary, Dr. Quest, and Dr. Malloy just leaving with loaded plates.

After Holder Spring feasted, the Mayor called all the day's winners forward to the gazebo to receive their prizes. Everyone who claimed a prize received an excited cheer from the onlookers. Afterward, the band started up again, and the dance floor was opened to eager couples. Maggie was headed for some fresh-squeezed lemonade when someone grabbed hold of her hand. She looked down to find the rusty haired Davy looking up at her.

"Hello, Davy," Maggie greeted him with a smile.

"Are you Maggie?" Davy asked. "I heard that man call you Maggie." Maggie nodded.

"My name is Maggie Hardy," she said. "How on earth did you find me among all these people?"

"Oh, I saw you from over there," Davy said pointing generally behind himself. "Can I ask you something?" Maggie nodded. "I told my brother Jared about you. He's a rodeo rider. He said because you rescued me, it was my 'sponsibility to ask you for a dance 'cause girls like that stuff and feel bad if no one asks 'em." Maggie smiled, amused at his effort to be a gentleman.

"What a very nice thing for you to do," Maggie said. "I would love to dance with you." Davy took her hand and led her out into the very middle of the dance floor. Davy tugged on her hand. Maggie looked down. "Yes?"

"I forgot to tell you. I don't know how to dance with a girl," Davy confided. "I only asked 'cause Jared said to."

"That's okay," Maggie said with a smile. "I can show you how. It's easy." She instructed him to put his right hand on her waist while she put her left hand on his shoulder. Then she had him hold her right hand with his left. "Now you just step back and fourth in time to the music." After a few awkward starts, they were dancing in a simple three step pattern.

"This is easy," Davy said after a few minutes. "I don't know why my dad always says it's hard." Maggie laughed.

"Some people seem to have two left feet," she said.

"How can someone have two left feet?" Davy asked earnestly. Maggie laughed again.

"No one really has two left feet. It's just an expression that means they get all mixed up and can't keep their feet in the right places," she explained.

"Oh," Davy said, contemplating that.

"Hey Davy, who's your pretty friend?" a young man asked, weaving through the throng of dancers toward them. Maggie noticed a shock of thick hair the exact same rust color as Davy's, and matching green eyes as well.

"This is Maggie Hardy," Davy said. "She's the one that stopped Brownie from running away."

"Hi," Maggie said, dropping her handhold with Davy to hold out a hand to the youth. "You must be Davy's brother. He's told me a bit about you." Jared smiled.

"What tipped you off, the hair?" Maggie smiled and Jared laughed. "I'm Jared Hadley. Nice to meet you, Maggie." He shook her outstretched hand. Jared turned to Davy. "I've come to relieve you of your post, cowboy. Mom's looking for you."

"Okay," Davy said. "I'll be back later, Maggie." He ran off without another word.

"Would you mind giving me a dance?" Jared asked, holding out a hand to Maggie. She laughed and accepted the invitation.

"You're brother's a great kid," Maggie said as she danced with Jared Hadley. "And he absolutely adores you." Jared chuckled.

"Yeah, he does," Jared said. "You sound like you know all about little brothers."

"I have a twin brother," Maggie said. "I don't see him much, though. He's in Peru right now."

"Peru? South America?" Jared asked in surprise.

"That's the one," Maggie laughed. "He's a humanitarian. He's working on improving the living conditions in a mountain city called El Paco. It's a long way from Maine, that's for sure."

"You're one of the people staying at the Malloy farm," Jared said. "I heard they were from out east, Maine."

"That's right. My uncle, Dr. Benton Quest, is an old friend of Rueben Malloy's. The whole family came out to help Dr. Malloy with a project over at Buffalo Cave."

"Ah, he's looking for Jesse James' gold again, is he?" Jared inquired with a knowing smile. "Should've known he wouldn't give it up. He's been looking for that loot since he was Davy's age."

"If it's there to be found, then we'll find it this time," Maggie said. "You don't know my family. They can do anything."

"Judging by the way you saved my brother's life today, I wouldn't doubt it," Jared said.

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Among the crowd gathered at the edge of the dance floor was a dark, thin man of medium height. Seeming to blend in with the shadows of the night, he went unnoticed by many of the townspeople. He was carefully monitoring the conversations of the people around him, and overheard Jared and Maggie as they danced past him. His narrow eyes glinted at the mention of the hidden loot. How ironic, he thought, that he would overhear a conversation about the very legend he would help enact as the legendary Jesse James.

He casually made his way through the crowd to join another lone man standing among the crowd. As Maggie and Jared came round again, he made a small, unintelligible motion with his gloved hand in their direction.

"See that girl?" he said quietly. The second man nodded, his eyes following the couple. "She's one of the people working with Malloy." The second man nodded again, then stepped up onto the dance floor making his way toward Maggie and Jared.

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"Excuse me," a tall man with brown hair said, tapping Jared on the shoulder. "Mind if I dance with the lady a bit?" Jared shook his head and let the stranger take over. "Ma'am," he said by way of greeting Maggie. Jared waved as the stranger whirled her off amid the other dancers. "Mind if I ask your name?" the stranger said to her.

"It's Maggie Hardy," she answered him. "What's yours?"

"Frank James, at your service." Maggie's eyes lit up. "Yep, that's me," Frank said with a laugh, guessing what she was thinking. "Just remember, in the grand tradition of this festival, you aren't supposed to know I'm going to rob the train tomorrow." He winked, and Maggie laughed.

"Okay, then. Your secret's safe with me," Maggie replied merrily. "Hey," she said, a mischievous smile crossing her lips as she recalled the late night chat session she'd had with her twin the night before. "Can you do me a favor?" Frank shrugged.

"Depends," he said.

"Can you say hi to Jesse James for me? My brother back home will get a kick out of that." Frank laughed.

"So you're not from around here," Frank said. "Where are you stayin'?"

"Oh, I'm a guest out at the Malloy farm," Maggie told him.

"You mean Rueben Malloy's place?" Maggie nodded. "Say, you aren't here to find that legendary loot, are ya?" Frank laughed. "I heard some rumor he was going to try and find it again. He hasn't actually found it this time, has he?"

"We haven't found anything, no," Maggie said. "We just started looking yesterday." Frank James laughed.

"Malloy started looking fifty years ago, I swear." He whirled Maggie toward the middle of the floor. "Lots of other people have looked, too. I don't think it's even there, but Malloy's been looking since he was a kid. He's convinced it's down in that cave somewhere. His 'expeditions' are local legends in themselves."

"Well, this time he has a team of experienced treasure hunters to help him. My uncle, Benton Quest, specializes in the impossible and extraordinary," Maggie defended. She didn't like the way Frank James talked about Dr. Malloy. He may seem a bit eccentric, but he was a renowned historian, and he knew what he was doing.

"Benton Quest? You mean Dr. Benton Quest?" Frank asked. Maggie nodded.

"Whoo-hee!" Frank exclaimed. "I guess I underestimated Malloy's latest undertaking. He's downright serious this time." Maggie was satisfied that he sounded more respectful now. Before anything else could be said, Hadji interrupted their dance and asked to cut in on Frank James. "Sure," Frank said. "Hey, Maggie, are you going to be there tomorrow for the train robbery?"

"Of course," she said.

"Good, maybe I'll see you then. And I'll be sure to say howdy to Jesse for that brother of yours." With a wave, Frank disappeared into the crowd.

"What made you leave Anne to come dance with me?" Maggie asked as Hadji swung her into the waltz that was playing.

"It seemed to me you were not entirely enjoying that man's company," Hadji said.

"You were right," Maggie replied. "He was kind of rude, talking the way he did about Dr. Malloy. Do you know who he is? He's playing Frank James tomorrow in the train robbery enactment."

"Is he really?" Hadji said thoughtfully. "Jessie said she danced with Cole Younger earlier this evening. Anne said the actors do not attend the festivities as their characters. She thinks it is a new twist to this year's events."

"Hmm, that is something to think about," Maggie said. "Oh well. He may have been a little rude, but it was kind of exciting dancing with a famous outlaw."

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To be continued…

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