Chapter Twenty-Six

"So where's this pie you were tellin' me about?" Jess asked as he followed Cam and Mike.

"It seems to me that it's at that table over there," Cam replied pointing at the table set up for the pie eating contest. Isn't that right Mike?" She winked at her co-conspirator.

"Yeah, that's what they told us. They said there would be free pie right after lunch."

A group of about a dozen men, of all ages, shapes and sizes, were standing around a table large enough for twenty. Cam's eyes lit up when she saw Hank Russell - the man in charge of the pie eating contest.

"Mr. Russell! My friend is here."

"Just in time, Cam," the short, man with brown hair, green eyes that sparkled and a mustache said. "Find a place at the table. Mr. Harper. The pie eating contest starts as soon as soon as everyone is lined up and has a pie in front of them."

Jess stood there with his mouth wide open in shock, then turned to the two youngsters.

"You set me up. You signed me up for a pie eating contest!" The Texan's face was a study in shock, dismay and maybe a hint of stubbornness. "I won't do it!"

Cam had coached Mike on what to do if Jess balked when they got him there. The boy turned a pleading face to his hero.

"Please Jess? I've been tellin' all the kids at the fair that you'd win. Please?"

Cam turned on Jess. 'You wouldn't want those other kids to think he's a liar would you?"

Jess was torn between not wanting to disappoint Mike and not wanting to look like a fool Another look at Mike's sweet innocent "don't let me down" expression cinched it.

"Okay. I'll enter the contest, but you two are gonna pay for this," he growled.

"It didn't scare either one of them. The teen took one arm and the boy the other and they propelled him toward an empty spot at the table.

Jess' eyes widened when he saw pies but no plates or utensils to eat them with.

"Hey, wait a minute," he said. "Where are the forks to eat them with?" Looking at his young friends he was confused. Not for long though.

"No forks, Jess," Cam told him while she and Mike backed up out of his reach just in case he forgot his credo about not hurting women, girls or children. "This is strictly a no hands situation."

He stared at her in disbelief.

"It's okay, Jess. Aunt Daisy's not here to yell at you."

"Thanks a heap."

Eight inch blackberry pies were placed in front of each contestant. With one more sour look at Cam and Mike, Jess stepped up to the table. The contestant on his left nodded pleasantly. The contestant on his right scowled. Jess ignored him.

"Okay gentlemen. Hands behind your back," Hank Russell was ready to start the contest. "Ready, set GO!"

Twenty men, including Slim Sherman's best friend and partner, dove - almost literally - into their pies. Juice and crust clung to faces. Juice dribbled down their chins and dropped onto their shirts and the table. Shouts of encouragement rang in the air as onlookers cheered for their favorites.

"Come on, Mart. Faster!"

"Jeff! Faster, faster!"

"Come on Pa! You can beat these fellas!"

Mart Riley's brother, Jim was taking bets on the outcome. When Ken Russell's assistant found out, Jim was promptly escorted off the fairgrounds and Mart was immediately disqualified for having put him up to it.

The cheers and catcalls went on for ten minutes as each contestant took a bite and swallowed, trying to be the first one to finish.

"Come on Jess!" Mike yelled.

"Do it for Mike, Jess! Do it for me and Slim and Mrs. Cooper and the McAllisters. We know you can win!" Cam called.

Back at the greased pig contest, Slim and Gordon, as well as the other contestants, were having a very difficult time. Whoever had greased the pig had done an exceptionally good job. None of them had been able to hold onto it long enough to pin it down for ten seconds let alone the required thirty seconds for the win.

"Oof!" Slim reacted to a pig's foot in his stomach.

"Ow!" Gordon exclaimed when one made contact with his knee.

A large cloud of dust rose over the pen as ten men and a pig raced from one end of it to the other.

Anybody who had gotten hold of the pig was finding themselves covered in grease and dirt and no closer to pinning it down than when they had started and that included Messrs. Sherman and McAllister.

Cheers arose every time one of them got their hands on the prize and groans were heard when it got away.

Slim had just gotten a fair grip on the pig's hind legs when he felt a blow to his ribs on the left side.

"Ow!" the rancher let go in order to put a hand on his sore side. He didn't feel anything broken but figured he'd probably have a nasty bruise later on.

Looking around he saw that one of his fellow contestants was grinning nastily at him. Slim's eyes narrowed as he looked at him. A moment later he was taken by surprise when the man went sailing out of the enclosure landing with a thud in the dirt a good three feet beyond. Before the man could get to his feet Sheriff Markure had him by the arm and was escorting him to the edge of the fairgrounds.

Turning his attention to the contest again Slim made one last attempt to get his hands on the prize pig. This time he managed to get his arms around it and wrestle it to the ground and keep it there.