Heading Out

Ben sat before his desk studying some documents when Hoss and Adam entered the house. "How'd it go with Brewster?" Ben greeted.

"I'd say we came out about even," Adam replied. "This year he drove a pretty hard bargain."

"That's 'cause he's taking tips from you," Hoss replied.

"Well, I'll take even," Ben replied. He noticed Hoss looked troubled. "Something wrong?"

Hoss sat on the corner of the desk. "Pa, I don't know about those friends of Little Joe. They sure don't act like his friends."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"First they're sneering, then they're snarlin'. Always making fun of him."

"You know how people tease."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say they were downright hostile. I don't know what he sees in them."

"He's still an impressionable young man. Easily influenced by the people he looks up to."

Well, I wish he'd look up to somebody else instead of the likes of a polecat like Gibbons."

"Give it a while," Adam chipped in. "They beat on him enough, his judgment will kick in."

Making his way at an easy gallop Joe heard another horse's hoofs clopping along the trail. He stopped his horse and looked back. In the distance he spotted another rider. Joe squinted. Then he headed out to meet the horseman. "Clay, what are you doing here?"

"Got relatives up in Colby, Cartwright," a dusty Gibbons replied approaching Joe. "Your brother Hoss told me you were going up this way, so I figured I'd come by. Maybe even run into you. Figured we could make the trip together."

"Yeah, well you're in luck. If my horse didn't throw a shoe I would have been miles from here," Joe replied.

"Come across a way station, did ya?" Gibbons said.

"Yeah, got it all taken care of. Listen, Clay, nice of you to look me up and all, but I was thinking of making this trip in record time. Another person just slows me down."

"Cartwright, are you crazy? You got an opportunity to enjoy the nightlife in Colby and all you can think about is beating a dusty trail?"

"Well, the idea was—"

"Forget it!" Gibbons exclaimed. "There's plenty of women in town who want nothing better than to shower us with attention while we drink and play poker. It's a time to kick up your heels and have some fun, boy! Your brothers won't be there to drag you away when things get nasty."

"You know something? You make a lot of sense. Come on, I could use the company."

"You know you're gonna be late getting' back," Gibbons pointed out. "Some people might come lookin' for you."

"That just occurred to me," Joe said thoughtfully. "I'll wire my pa about the change in plans once we get in town."

"You're not going to mention me, are you?"

"Why?"

"I don't know. I got the feeling Hoss didn't take too kindly to my hanging around with you."

"Don't worry. I'm not so sure my pa would be too keen on it either."

Coming to a fork in the road, Joe motioned to stop. "Whoa. Let's head that way."

"Why?" Gibbons said impatiently. "It'll be two more hours of sitting in this hot sun."

"There's a sacred Indian burial ground up that way. Indians post guards."

"That never stopped me. They put kids there, they're harmless. I've gone through it many times."

"Just the same. I don't want any trouble with them."

"Well, you can do what you want, chicken. I'll meet up with you in a few hours with a cold beer at Logan's station."

"Suit yourself," Joe shrugged and took off at a gallop

Hours later, dirty and sweating, Joe walked up on his horse to the three building horse town in the middle of the desert. He wearily got off his horse and tied him to a post. Then turned to see Gibbons sitting in front of a café house at an umbrella table with a beer in his hand. "Well, Clay, looks like you made good time," Joe said squinting one eye in the hot sun.

"Told you, Cartwright. Just been passing the time waiting for you," Gibbons said lazily.

"You run into anybody?"

"You mean them Injuns? Just one of them kids, like I told you. He comes out from under a rock threatening me with a bow and arrow. I chased him away in no time flat. Damn near got him."

"You took a shot at him?" Joe said incredulously.

"What'd ya think made him turn around and run? Hey, he was threatening my life."

"I thought you said it was no trouble passing through."

"It ain't. As long as you know how to handle yourself."

That night they camped out. Munching on beans, they sat before a warm fire in the cool night air.

"Did you really break out of prison?" Joe asked, shoveling in another mouthful.

"Masterminded the whole operation myself," Gibbons answered. "Would've gotten away, too, if it weren't for an off-duty guard. Earned me another five months' time.

"How much time did you have left?" Joe asked.

"Three months."

"Three months? Now wouldn't it have made more sense just to do the time?"

"Hey, I stood to do no time if I got away. It was just a touch of bad luck." Gibbons gathered the remaining beans on his fork. "You shouldn't be such a goody-goody, Cartwright. Go out there and do something daring. You shoulda went with me through the Injun cemetary."

The next day they arrived at Colby.

"I could sure use a cold beer," Gibbons said taking off his hat and wiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm. "Come on, I'll show you the Silver Star. The best watering hole in this town."

"I got business to attend to, Clay. I'll meet up with you later," Joe said removing his saddle bag and throwing it over his shoulder. "Hey, which way's the bank?"

"Over yonder," Gibbons pointed. "The Silver Star. See you later."

I won't be long," Joe smiled as he took off toward the bank.

"Take your time, Cartwright," Gibbons said under his breath. "I ain't going nowhere."

Putting the money in his inside jacket pocket, Joe stepped out of the bank to the hot dry air of the afternoon. He headed to the saloon. Once inside, he panned the area to spot Gibbons in a card game. "Barkeep, give me a beer."

From the card table, Gibbons turned to see Joe. "Hey, Joe, can you spot me a hundred? I'll just win it off you back when we get back home."

"I'd like to see you try," Joe said reaching into his jacket and pulling out his wallet. He pulled out a slew of bills and dropped them on the table.

"Come on and join us. We could use another player."

"Thanks, but I could use a bath more. I'll come join you when the place gets jumping."

"You got a few hours yet. Where're you staying?"

"The Colby Hotel up the street. You're welcome to stop by if you need a place to bunk. It's room 105."

"Sure thing, Cartwright. Just don't go throwing out the drunk that comes pounding on your door in the wee hours of the morning"

"Same goes here," Joe winked. He took a last swallow of his beer and headed for the hotel.

Gibbons motioned to a nearby saloon girl. "Gertie, he's staying at the Colby Motel, room 105. Should be easy, he'll be taking a bath. Anything goes wrong, work your magic."