Ch 3
The following week came and Cody was out repairing a fence. Teaspoon watched as he walked through the station yard. He went over to check on Rachel to see how her leg was feeling. He had just sat down when they heard Cody yelling. Teaspoon ran back over to where he was working to see him laying on the ground.
"Cody? What the hell?"
"I stepped in that hole over there. I twisted my ankle." Cody said whining.
Jimmy was walking over with Jesse after filling the water troughs. He saw Cody laying on the ground with Rachel bent over him.
"What's wrong now?" Jimmy asked.
"He fell and looks to have hurt his ankle. Can you help me get him inside Teaspoon?" Asked Rachel.
"Yeah, come on." Teaspoon said pulling Cody up as he wobbled on one foot.
"Jimmy, Jesse, finish that fence. I'm going to help Rachel with Cody."
"He ain't hurt! He just doesn't want to finish this!" Yelled Jimmy behind them.
Jesse walked over as Jimmy put his hands on his hips and looked at the dirt.
"Want me to get some nails?"
"Sure, Jesse. Whatever."
Jesse went in the barn to get the nails. He came back outside to see Jimmy talking with Noah. He stopped and listened.
"He did it again. I'm tellin you. I bet he'll end up going out tonight." Said Jimmy.
"This is getting to be too much. Now you got to finish the fence."
"Yeah and I'll have Jesse stuck up under me. If he goes out, I'm gonna fix him." Jimmy looked up to see Jesse so he changed the subject.
Jesse walked back over with the pail of nails. He watched as Noah walked off.
"What were y'all talking about?" Asked Jesse.
"Nothing. Just work."
"Can I come?"
"No. Let's just hurry and get this done, ok."
Jesse looked over at the bunkhouse. Something was going on and he was gonna find out.
Sure enough as the afternoon went on, Jimmy finished the fence. He walked over to get his clothes so he could wash up. Cody was digging through his things.
"Thought you were dying in here Cody?" Asked Jimmy.
"What?"
"Your ankle?"
"Oh yeah. It feels better now. Thanks for asking." Cody said as he pulled out a clean shirt.
"Going somewhere?"
"Since I can't do my chores, I have another date with Pam tonight."
"Really. Thought you couldn't walk but yet you feel up to a night on the town."
"I'm just going to take her on an afternoon picnic. That don't require walking."
Jimmy frowned and walked outside to go wash up. Cody kept plundering. Cody came out to clean up just as Jimmy was walking back over. Jimmy watched him go to the wash house. He met Noah on the porch as they walked in the bunkhouse. Cody had a nice basket all packed for his little afternoon out.
"Got it?" Asked Jimmy.
"Here ya go." Noah said as he handed Jimmy a brown sack.
Jimmy opened the sack and dumped it in. He looked at Noah and smiled.
Cody picked up Pam right on time. He drove the buckboard to the pond where he had a spot picked out. He jumped down and helped her out. He spread the blanket out next to the water. She walked over and spread her skirts as she sat. He brought his basket of goodies over. They sat and chatted.
Jesse saw Jimmy and Noah ride out not too long after Cody left. He watched them go.
Jimmy and Noah eased up to watch the show just as Cody was getting ready to open his basket of food.
"I brought us some fruit and baked goods. I thought you would like them." Smiled Cody.
"That sounds delightful. My stomach is grumbling." Laughed Pam.
Cody put his basket between them and opened it up. Pam flew back screaming as about a dozen frogs jumped out.
"William!" She shrieked as she tried to crawl away.
"Pam! I don't know where these came from!" Yelled Cody trying to gather up the frogs and keep them off her.
Jimmy and Noah laughed as they watched Cody snatching frogs left and right while throwing them into the pond. Pam screamed as she got to her feet. Cody crawled around until he grabbed the last frog.
"Take me home! I'm sick of all your stupid jokes! You are just trying to make fun of me!"
"Pam, I swear I'm not! I wouldn't do that! I don't know how they got in there!"
Jimmy and Noah rolled around laughing as Cody helped her back into the wagon to take her home.
"Serves him right." Laughed Jimmy.
"That was good." Laughed Noah.
The two laughed all the way back to the station. Jesse was in the barn when the two came back. He watched them snicker as they untacked their horses.
"Shhhh, here he comes." Said Noah getting a straight face.
Cody pulled to a stop and brought the horse in frowning.
"How do it go this time Cody? Better?" Asked Jimmy.
"No. Go away."
Jimmy looked to Noah. They walked over to the bunkhouse. Jesse sidled over to Cody.
"What happened?" Asked Jesse.
"I took Pam on a picnic but my basket was full of frogs and the other night, the perfume I bought her wasn't what I bought. It reeked. It's like the world has turned against me."
"That's odd."
"Very. I'm doomed."
"What if I told you that I knew something?"
"Like what?"
"If I tell you, then you can't say you heard it from me."
"Sure, whatever you say."
"I know who has been ruining your dates."
"Who is it Jesse?"
"Hickok and Noah."
Cody made a deep growling sound.
"Noah was in town that first time. Makes sense. Jimmy was in the bunkhouse before I left. Makes sense." Cody mumbled thinking.
"What are you gonna do?"
"Get even."