Chapter 2. The Robbery, Hostages, Wives concern
Friday morning comes along, Laura and Sylvia, Almanzo and Albert just finished breakfast as Albert says, "We need to get on the road to Sleepyeye."
Sylvia says to Albert, "I love you," and hands him a bag of sandwiches for the road.
"I love you too Sylvia," Albert they both share a kiss.
Laura also hands Almanzo a bag of sandwiches for the road and shares a kiss as Laura says, "I love you Manly, be safe out there."
Almanzo answers, "I love you too, Beth. We should be back Monday for supper."
Albert and Almanzo head on their way to Sleepyeye.
Meanwhile the outlaws are getting prepared to go into Sleepyeye to rob the Bank as Johnny says, "Today is the day!"
"Yep," Jed replies.
"Let's go." Johnny says.
The four outlaws nudge their horses in the direction of sleepyeye towards the beginning of their upcoming bank holdup.
Meanwhile at Sleepyeye, Almanzo and Albert have arrived at Garvey's Freight getting Mr. Hanson's supplies.
"Here you go Almanzo that should do it." Jonathan Garvey says finishing loading the wagon.
"Thanks Jonathan, when Albert gets back from the store we will be going back." Almanzo replies.
At the General store Albert is getting his supplies. "Let's see, Cough syrup, Sugar, Flour, Caster Oil, Beans, Rice...that should do it." Albert says.
Store Owner, Mr. Rodgers happily replies. "Your medical supplies will be here in a week Dr. Ingalls...that'll be $2.00."
Albert reaches into his pocket to get his wallet and pulls out two one dollar bills and gives them to the clerk.
"I will let Mr. Olsen know by telephone when they get here, and he'll tell you." Mr. Rodgers says.
"Thank you. Have a good day Mr. Rodgers." Albert says grabbing his box of supplies then exiting the store.
"You too Doctor." Mr. Rodgers says.
As Albert leaves two of the outlaws Dan and Candy walk past him. After a bit they stop and hang around a building a few feet at the bank.
Jed and Johnny the other two outlaws are across the street from the Bank and they see Dan and Candy. All four of them look across the street to each other and give a little nod and just then the stagecoach with the payroll of over $25,000 pulls up to the bank and takes the sacks of money into the Bank. Both Jed and Johnny walk across the street and Johnny tells Dan and Candy, "Jed and I will wait a few minutes after the stagecoach leaves to go in. You two stay out here to keep a watch out.''
Dan replies, "Sounds like a plan."
The Stagecoach driver takes in the last sack of money and leaves. 5 minutes pass and Johnny asks Jed, "Are you ready to go in?"
"Let's go." Johnny says.
The first two outlaws start their walk toward the bank.
Meanwhile back at Garvey's Freight, Albert has gotten back to Almanzo's wagon and put his supplies in the back and got back on with Almanzo. "Well, we better get on back to home." Almanzo says.
"I'll see you two, tell Charles and the family from me and Andy 'Hello' from us." Jonathan replies.
"We will." Albert says. "Bye Andy."
"Bye Albert!" Andy says.
"Heyaa!" Almanzo says starting the horses and wagon into motion.
Jonathan and Andy wave after them. Albert Looks back at them waving too.
As Albert and Almanzo have gone out of town, at the bank the outlaws Johnny and Jeb have gone in. After a few minutes their co-horts Dan and Candy enter.
"Freeze!" Johnny says pointing his gun at the teller.
The other outlaws draw their guns keeping the customers at bay. "This is a stick up, don't try anything stupid and you won't get hurt!" Jeb says.
"You!...where's the stage payroll? You got 5 seconds to get it or you'll get a bullet between your eyes! Now!" Johnny says to the bank manager.
Frightened the bank manager leads Johnny to the safe. "Open it!" Johnny demands.
The manager begins opening the safe.
Meanwhile, a young boy walking past the bank sees inside what was transpiring runs a ways heading to the Sheriffs office.
The Bank Manager hands the payroll money to the crooks and they run out of the bank and as they jump on their horses Johnny says, ''Man that was easy look at all this money. We're stinkin rich!"
"Yep!" Jed replies, "Now let's get out of here before we are caught."
As they are riding away the Sheriff rides up and sees the men riding off with the money tied onto the horses. The Sheriff yells out, "STOP!"
The outlaws look behind them and Dan says, "The Sheriff!" and they begin to ride faster. The Sheriff begins to shoot at them and hits one of the horses. Candy falls off his horse but he is able to grab the sack of money that was on his horse and jumps onto Dan's horse and they all get away.
About two miles out of Sleepyeye the outlaws stop and Johnny asks, "Ok, what went wrong how did the Sheriff know to come to the Bank?"
Jed answers, "I did see a boy at the window looking in the Bank maybe that little runt went to the Sheriff."
Candy says, "We are going to have to do something and quick! They are probably going to form a posse and come after us."
Just then Dan looks up and sees a wagon that has stopped with two men sitting on the side of the road eating some lunch and says, "Hey, look those two men up a ways. We can take them as hostages."
Johnny says, "That sounds like a plan."
All four ride up to Albert and Almanzo real friendly like at first saying, "Can we join you for a bite to eat?"
Albert and Almanzo both stand up to shake their hands and answers, "Sure."
Jeb grabs Almanzo, Johnny grabs Albert, Dan and Candy ties Almanzo and Albert's hands and throws them into the Wagon. Then the outlaws hitch up their horses to Almanzo's wagon and drives off.
Meanwhile back in Walnut Grove Laura and Sylvia are reading the newspaper that Mrs. Carter handed them from her newspaper 'The Gazette', "Bank robbery in Sleepyeye, four men has gotten away with over $25,000."
Sylvia says to Laura her sister-in-law, "Sleepyeye? That's where Albert and Almanzo are. I hope they didn't get caught up in that!"
Laura answers, "Sylvia, don't worry I'm sure they are ok."
Sylvia replies back. "Should we drive up to Sleepyeye to make sure?"
"I think we should...I'll ask Ma to look after the children. Laura says.
"Good..I'll feel a little better that my Albert is alright."
"Yeah and my Manly also" Laura replies. "I want to get Carrie's dog Bandit. He could come in handy."
Sylvia ponders. "He was YOUR dog once wasn't he?"
"Yeah, but when I moved out, I let Carrie have him." says Laura.
"Fine let's get ready to go." Sylvia says.
Meanwhile at a hideout halfway between Walnut Grove and Sleepyeye two of the outlaws Dan and Candy are sitting eating chow and sitting on two other chairs are Almanzo and Albert who both are tied up.
Then the other 2 outlaws Jeb and Johnny come in the door. "How did it go?" Dan asks.
"Piece of cake...we made it that we went the other way in case that posse of Sleepyeye cames after us. The false trail will keep em busy, and they will never track us here." Johnny says.
"Yeeehaww soon we'll be long gone and stinking rich!" Jeb replies.
"What about our two guests here?" Referring to Albert and Almanzo Johnny asks.
"We fed them."
Dan moves Johnny over to the side so Almanzo and Albert can't hear them. "They now know how we look they can identify us. We can't take a chance on em."
We'll wait for a few days before we move out then we'll kill both of em." Johnny says.
Dan nods in agreement.
Almanzo and Albert do hear some of the conversation. "They are going to kill us Albert." Manly says softly.
"I know, what can we do?" Albert softly replies.
"Don't know, but we gotta do something." Almanzo softly replies.
As Candy gets up to collect the plates he suddenly feels a sharp pain in his leg, "Arrrrghhh!" Candy shouts dropping to the floor.
"What's wrong Candy?" Johnny asks.
"Blast! My leg! It's didn't bother me before now it's beginning to hurt like the devil! "Musta happened when I fell off my horse when the sheriff shot em!" Candy exclaims.
"I'm a Doctor!" Let me take a look at it." Albert says.
"He's telling the truth!" Almanzo says.
Jeb and Johnny look at each other they nod and Johnny says "Cut em loose but NO funny stuff!"
Dan takes a knife and cuts the ropes holding Albert's hands. Albert grabs his doctor's bag and begins to look at Candy's leg.
Albert sees a small hole, not a bullet hole but seems to be a wire lodged in his leg. Candy seems to had gotten it from the ground when he fell.
"You have a piece of wire in your leg that needs to come out. You're not going nowhere until it does it will infect your leg." Albert tells Candy.
"So take it out Doc." Jed demands.
"Not until we have a deal." Albert replies.
"Ok Doc? Whatcha want?"Johnny speaks up.
"If I take that wire out, you will let me and my brother in law go. We won't tell the Sheriff anything. In other words once your friend's operation is done and you let us go it's the end of it. NO reprisals." Albert says.
Johnny thinks for a few seconds and comes to a decision. "Alright Doc!..you got a deal!"
Albert nods a yes. "Ok, let's get your man ready for surgery. I'll need Almanzo's help too."
"Dan cut the other loose, but keep a gun on them."
"Right Johnny." Dan replies as he goes over and cuts Almanzo's bonds loose.
"Almanzo let's clear this table and get him on there then I'm going to need strips of cloth for bandages and hot water to santize my instruments."
As Albert and Almanzo get things ready Jeb and Johnny speak silently. "When they are finished and Candy's ready to go. Kill em, they still know too much."
"Right" Jeb nods.
Meanwhile Albert manages to get Almanzo to himself for a brief moment to silently tell him. "I think they are going to kill us anyway Almanzo."
"What we gonna do?" Almanzo replies.
"Try to stall, I'll put Candy out with chloroform and we can think of something to escape." Albert answers.
"I wonder what Beth and Sylvia are doing, I think they must be worried about us." Almanzo says.
"Hey! No talking!" Dan says coming up to their prisoners. "Let's get the wire out of Candy!"
Dan helps Candy on the table than Albert puts some chloroform on a torn piece of cloth and puts it on Candy's face within a minute Candy is out cold.
Meanwhile, back at the Wilder Boarding House. Caroline Ingalls has brought her children over so she can watch Laura and Sylvia's children.
"We will be back as soon as we can Ma" Laura says. "We appreciate this" as Laura gets on her horse. After she does she puts Almanzo's rifle in its saddle holster.
"You girls be careful!" Caroline says.
"We will Caroline." Sylvia says as she gets on her horse and she holsters her late father's shotgun.
"Can't understand why you both are taking your husband's guns with you." Caroline says with a concerned look.
"Just for protection Ma." Let's hope we don't need to use them." Laura says.
"Ready to go Laura?" Sylvia asks.
Laura replies, "Yep Sylvia!...Let's go!...Come on Bandit find Albert and Almanzo!"
The white and black collie sniffs and picks up the trail of Almanzo's wagon and trots off. Laura and Sylvia motion their horses to go forward.
"We're coming Manly and Albert!" Laura says.
To be Continued