Author's Note: Well, the wild ride begins! No, not for John, but for me to finish this story in time for another upcoming treat! Based on the updated outline, I still have a lot left to do!
Many thanks to Nillis82 and Cathy for the reviews on Drabble 9. I really appreciate your encouragement and kind words. Other comments and reviews are encouraged and appreciated, too.
Drabble 10: Ten Miles to Albuquerque
Bandits attacked on the next-to-last day of the journey.
Little did they know that they'd picked the wrong stagecoach.
Rex on shotgun shouted the warning as driver Amos cracked the whip.
The horses surged forward.
Wheels spun around.
Six masked highwaymen galloped alongside, firing and shouting to stop their prey.
Two Winchesters and four Colts protruded from the windows in response. The firing commenced.
A few seconds and twenty-eight rounds later, one, two, then three bandits fell. The remaining robbers decided to try again another day.
For once, John really liked stagecoaches.
They arrived safely in Albuquerque as darkness fell.
~HC~
Follow-up Note: I think a number of the rifles used on the show were (or were supposed to be) Henry repeating rifles based on the lack of a wood forend (also called a fore stock or hand guard). The name of the New Haven Arms Company, which produced the Henry rifle, was changed to Winchester Repeating Arms Company in 1866 with the introduction of the Winchester Model 1866, which introduced the forend. The more popular Winchester Model 1873 (and the 1876, which followed) was a step up, so I believe the men of the High Chaparral, as well as many others, would have had one of these models by the time of this story.