Chapter 8: Ships, Trips, and Tips

The Chinese freighter that departed the pier with the outgoing tide was a large, four-masted wooden junk with a stack for its steam engine that powered a single propeller. Due to the amount of fuel that it used, the engine was primarily operated when the wind wasn't optimal and conditions restricted the ship's movements. Departing the harbor was a good example of this so the engine was fired up and the ship started on its way.

It had gone less than a mile toward the Golden Gate that marks the entrance to the Pacific Ocean when observers a short distance away on land heard a loud clanging noise coming from the bowels of the ship and saw a puff of thick black smoke belching forth from the stack. Smoke also started coming out of a couple of deck level exhaust vents that led down to the engine room. The ship slowly came to a halt as Chinese sailors were seen swarming the deck apparently attempting to secure the ship and assist with repairs.

On the open bridge, the Chinese captain issued sharp orders but was secretly peeking at his Swiss-made pocket watch, awaiting the time for the next step to begin. As he did, he was wondering why he had let his fifth cousin once-removed talk him into this scheme and whether the American professor with the strange name and wild eyes would have enough of his chemicals to keep up the charade until that time came.

At fifteen minutes to sunset, the captain gave the order to run up a flag requesting assistance from one of the tugboats that plied the harbor. He had to turn away the first two, speaking rapid Chinese and flailing his arms angrily as he pretended to object to the exorbitant price demanded by the tugboat captains for towing his ship in for repairs. Twilight was starting to fade as the third tug, the one with the special mark, arrived. With lines connecting the vessels, the tug slowly started pulling the larger ship toward the repair facility.

Looking toward the lights on the piers and in the city beyond, the captain turned to the man who had approached him as darkness fell. Speaking in Chinese he said, "Revered cousin, I believe your target is in sight. Please confirm that it is time."

Lee Pow rubbed his chin slowly before turning to Captain Pin. "Favored cousin, I agree with your assessment. The Scarred Foot Clan thanks you for your assistance."

The captain smiled as he picked up the striker. While he wasn't sure why he'd agreed with Cousin Lee's request, he found himself becoming excited at the prospect of what was to come this night and the marker from the Scarred Foot that he would hold for the future.

~ABCJ~

On hearing the gong being struck repeatedly, the captain of the tugboat gave the order to his fireman to increase speed as he turned the wheel to steer toward the nearest dock. That was actually Pier 17 but with the currents, he made sure that when they pulled in a little later, they were docking at Pier 19, directly across from a mostly dark steamship carrying only a lantern at each end.

Pushing the Chinese ship against the pier, the tugboat captain watched for the signal and then cut power. With the propeller stopping, he reversed course and backed away. As he did, he saw more gouts of black smoke billowing up from the ship and heard screaming and shouting as the Chinese sailors fled their ship. Not wanting to be caught by the harbormaster as being involved, he quickly steered his tug away into the darkness.

~ABCJ~

With the ship secured to the pier and the gangplanks down, Chinese sailors started fleeing down the ramps carrying boxes and crates. Instructed in advance by their captain and the captain's cousin, the head of a powerful San Francisco tong, the sailors did their best to scream and shout at the top of their lungs to cause as much confusion as possible.

Coming up on deck, Professor Albert Wickwire grinned as he moved quickly to pour pre-measured chemicals into five strategically placed bowls along the ship. Smoke started billowing up immediately as he finished pouring a vial and he moved on to the next. He was quite happy he'd gotten back into town in time to assist his friends with their operation.

On the pier, two of the sailors were uncharacteristically wearing large, traditional Chinese hats as they each carried long narrow boxes away from the Chinese ship to the opposite side of the pier. With a number of other sailors carrying and dropping large crates near them, Brisco and Bowler pulled the cords to make their boxes fall open to reveal two of the Professor's newest devices.

"Brisco, this better work," muttered Bowler as he set the device up as the professor had shown them. "You 'bout ready?"

Brisco, just finishing his setup, agreed. Looking back up at the Chinese ship, he saw Lee Pow standing by the rail. Giving the signal, he said to Bowler, "On three. One, two, three!"

The loud explosion aboard the Chinese ship actually occurred a second or two before the two fired their devices, but the noise was so loud, it was doubtful that anyone heard the much smaller blasts as the padded grapnels were fired. Each of the hooks, which disappeared over the top of the steamer's upper rail, trailed a pair of thin steel ropes.

"Mine's caught," said Brisco, looking at Bowler.

"Yeah, mine, too. See ya' at the top." Bowler grabbed the top bar, stepped onto the one below, and said, "Here goes!"

The big bounty hunter started scooting up the side of the ship at a quick pace as his spring-operated device started climbing up the ropes. Brisco did the same and was right behind Bowler, catching up with him as he neared the top. As they became even, Brisco said, "Bowler, it looks like the Professor's Wall Up-Climber Device works pretty well."

"I don't know, Brisco. Mine's slowin' down. Ah, ah, it's stoppin'!"

"Bowler, you're heavier so the spring had to work harder and ran out of tension quicker."

"Unh, unh, Brisco, it's goin' back down! There ain't no brakes!"

Brisco quickly swung over the rail and dropped a line to Bowler. The big man grabbed it and swung away as the up-climber device continued to gain speed sliding downward, until it crashed onto the pier below and broke into pieces. Brisco's improved prototype, now unloaded but with its spring exhausted, too, followed a few seconds later.

With all the commotion on the dock and the adjacent ship, no one even noticed.

~ABCJ~

Locked in her stateroom, Dixie heard the noise and commotion outside and the approaching hand-cranked sirens, but the guard posted inside the room wouldn't let her open her portal to look out to see what was going on.

"You know, I'm getting awfully hot in here," breathed Dixie as she fanned herself. She went to her trunk and randomly threw a few items out before picking up a thin, white nightgown. "Ah! This will cool me off!" She pitched it on top of the dressing divider and then stepped behind the screen. A few moments later, she tossed her top over the divider, only to see the nightgown shift and fall to the floor just outside the screen.

"Well if that don't beat all!" she exclaimed. "Excuse me? Can you be a good boy and bring me my nightgown. It fell off!"

The guard approached and picked up the nightgown, admiring the thin, practically see-through material. He then glanced back at the door. Convinced that no one would be coming in and that he'd hear a knock or a key in the lock, he decided to deliver the gown personally. He had a wicked grin on his face as he peeked around the edge of the screen. Dixie Cousins stood with her bare back to him, her arm apparently covering herself, but looking over her shoulder as she batted her eyes. His eyes were wide as she turned toward him, dropping her arm away when she brought the clothing iron around with a roundhouse blow with her other hand.

Moments later, she was tying him up with the nightgown he had just been admiring.

~ABCJ~

Brisco and Bowler quickly made their way to the upper passenger suites. Peeking in the window of the door that provided access to the central corridor serving the first class suites, they saw a bored guard standing outside a door about half way down the corridor.

"That's either Dixie's or Huffeld's," whispered Brisco as they ducked down. "I'm guessing Huffeld is supervising the operation at the Mint—"

"So it's Dixie," agreed Bowler. "How are we gonna' get to her?"

Brisco looked down the corridor again but was surprised to see the guard was gone. "He may have seen us. Let's go."

Into and down the corridor they went, but were surprised to see an open door with the guard inside.

"If you come a step closer, I'll let you have it," said Dixie sternly.

The guard, seeing his partner tied up and lying on the ground, said, "Oh, I'll be glad—" but he didn't get any further as Bowler slammed him from behind with his sawed off shotgun.

"Brisco! Bowler! It's about time you showed up," said Dixie huskily. "I was beginning to think I'd made a mistake and all that commotion wasn't for little ole' me after all." She batted her eyes with a grin.

"We'll have time for that later, Dix. Right now—"

"Right now, you'll drop those guns," said Baron Manfred von Huffeld from right outside the door, "or the first bullet will be Miss Cousins' last."

"I thought you said he'd be at the Mint!" growled Bowler.

"I did say I was guessing," countered Brisco.

Huffeld shook his head. "No, my Number Two is handling that."

Bowler turned up his nose and said, "Pee-ew!"

The baron frowned at Bowler questioningly and continued. "If they run into an army of your Treasury Agents as I suspect, I will be sorry to lose him. For now, though, we have changed our plans. When your distraction began, I gave the captain orders to cast off as quickly as possible. Number Two will divert to Plan B if the Mint robbery is successful. If not, then, as those abominable French say, 'C'est la vie.' Now, drop those guns. I won't tell you again."

Brisco gave Bowler a look of frustration that was more than matched by Bowler's own angry glare.

"Okay, Huff-n-Puff, you win," said Brisco with a sigh as he slowly pulled his gun and dropped it on the floor in front of him. Bowler was starting to do the same when Brisco made his move, hitting the door which swung to and caught the wrist of Huffeld's gun hand between the door and the jamb.

Bowler grabbed the gun and ripped it from Huffeld's grip as the heavyset man cried out in pain for his henchmen to do something. They slammed themselves against the door against Brisco's resistance, pushing it open just enough for the baron to pull his hand out and the door to slam.

"Dixie, get behind that trunk!"called Brisco as both bounty hunters pushed against the door, hoping those outside wouldn't attempt to fire through the thick wood into the room.

Just a second later, gunfire did erupt in the corridor, sounding as if it was coming from outside the door and down the hall, but no bullets hit the door. There was thump outside and then the firing ended as quickly as it had started.

Knowing that they were still trapped and that the ship's departure could result in their deaths, Bowler growled, "Let's do this!" Brisco opened the door and he and Bowler covered opposite directions from behind the jambs.

Huffeld's two thugs were on the floor, with one slumped and the other clutching his bleeding arm. The sound of approaching footsteps left Brisco searching but before he could see those coming, a voice called out, "Mr. County? Lord Bowler? U.S. Secret Service! Are you okay?"

Brisco leaned out for a moment and then relaxed, giving Bowler and Dixie a sign that it was okay. "Mr. Borden and Mr. East! Thanks for joining us. We appreciate the help."

"And thank you, young fellow, for the tip," replied Borden as East secured the surviving outlaw in the hall and wrapped a bandage around his wound. "We had a tip that von Huffeld had something planned with a San Francisco contact, but he disappeared early this week and we hadn't been able to put the pieces together until Washington forwarded your telegram message to us."

East nodded, "With your initial information and what you were able to pass along through Mr. Emerson to Mr. Daggett, the head of the Mint, we were able to stop the robbery tonight at the Mint and capture those involved there. Unfortunately, von Huffeld used his henchmen like shields and was able to get out of this corridor. Our guys down on the pier, like young Agent Hendrix here, will capture him and the rest of his gang before they get away."

Agent Hendrix nodded and he and two others led the prisoners away as Borden turned his attention to the lovely Miss Dixie, leaving East and Brisco to finally make overdue introductions.

~ABCJ~

A couple hours later at the Horseshoe Club:

"It's a shame your friends couldn't join us," whispered Dixie to Brisco. "That smooth Mr. Borden, Jordan, or whatever his name was might have given you a run for your money." Seeing Brisco's startled expression, she smiled and added, "Got ya', big boy."

Brisco laughed but was quickly distracted to other pursuits as Dixie's finger traced his jaw past his little scar, turning his face back toward her where her lips met his.

Bowler was debating with Socrates about the size of the upcoming reward for preventing the Mint robbery and his planned capture of Lon Laney and a number of other outlaws. Professor Wickwire was also involved, but he was thinking more about possible improvements to his wall up-climber device and his hitherto unseen need for brakes. Seeing his glass empty, he looked to Ellie and called, "Ellie, dear, another round!"

With a nod, she smiled at him and started to pour.

Their kiss finally ending, Brisco said, "Dix, I'm not concerned about Laney. Bowler will get him, but I am concerned about Baron Huffeld escaping. The secret service agents on the pier said he didn't come by them, so they're probably still searching the ship for him. He won't be taking our country's gold with him when, I suspect, he returns to Europe by whatever means, but mark my words, that man will cause more trouble in the future."

Dixie, looking into Brisco's eyes, agreed, but added, "But not for us, Brisco."

"No, maybe not for us."

Ellie arrived and passed out drinks and smiles. Dixie said, "Oh, thank you, Ellie," and then watched her friend and occasional employer as she moved on to give the others theirs. Ellie handed Socrates his glass last and said something to him that caused both of them to smile. He reached into his pocket and was handing her a gold piece but she smiled, closed his hand, and patted it before taking an empty seat next to him. Dixie raised a brow, not only for the declined tip, but also when she saw how close together those chairs were and the two people sitting in them.

Dixie turned back toward Brisco but she had to keep from chuckling when she saw that her man was watching the same thing she'd just seen. She winked at Brisco and said, "Perhaps there's hope yet."

Brisco laughed, too, but then stifled a yawn. "Sorry, I haven't had much sleep these last few days. I think it's about time to go up to bed."

Moving close to his ear, her lips brushed his neck as she whispered, "Brisco County, Jr., I like—no, I love your plan. I just hope you don't think you're going to fall asleep anytime soon."

"No," agreed Brisco slowly as he started to grin. "When you put it that way, I really wouldn't object one bit to changing it." Rising up from the table, he took Dixie's hand to help her up as he whispered, "In fact, you might just call it a general idea. Calling it an actual plan is giving it far more credit than it deserves."

~ABCJ~

Epilogue:

Lord Bowler captured Lon Laney and several of his men on the following Monday. Bankrupt, Laney's assets were seized to pay creditors and Laney's industrial empire and his name faded from history.

Brisco spent parts of the next few days searching for Baron Huffeld, but never heard of or saw the man again. He visited the offices of the shipping lines a number of times in the two weeks that followed, scanning down through the passenger lists, wondering if he might get lucky and catch Huffeld that way. On his last visit, his finger paused on one line for a passenger who'd booked passage to Rio de Janeiro. Without any proof, Brisco figured that passenger "Blowfeld, M." would probably continue on to his destination.

The rest of Brisco's time was spent with Dixie.

The End

Author's Notes:

Thanks for reading this story. Any feedback received will be greatly appreciated and may encourage me to start another Brisco (and Dixie?) story sooner rather than later.

John Daggett served as head of the San Francisco Mint from 1893 to 1897.

Ellie, played by Yvette Nipar (pronounced like Piper, according to her website), was portrayed as a waitress or manager at the Horseshoe Club in three episodes. In the final episode, there seemed to be a little spark between her and Socrates, but, sadly, she wasn't brought back for another episode to let it kindle and grow. Thank goodness for the lack of constraints in fanfiction!

Brisco's final line in the story is paraphrase of what his father's ghost told him in the episode "Senior Spirit."

Whether Baron Manfred von Huffeld might have been the grandfather of a later leader of a vast criminal empire is anyone's guess.

Finally, as promised in the first chapter, the original prompts that had to be incorporated into this story were:

Chapter 1: Flamingo (Name of the hotel)
Chapter 2: Pineapple (the bedposts)
Chapter 3: Pet(s) (the cat)
Chapter 4: Illness (Dixie's ongoing allergy and Brisco's illness on waking from being clubbed)
Chapter 5: Sailing (Brisco's recollection leading to "sea sickness")
Chapter 6: Pasta (the baron's penne)
Chapter 7: No Prompt (and Chapter 7 was split in two parts due to length).