Back on the Trail
Chapter 15: Luke's Missed–Misadventure
Chris smiled as he watched the group coming toward him, "It's about time Charlie got you moving Bill, I was beginning to starve right at this table."
"Ya well, some of us have had a long morning, but I'm here now and I'm starving so let's eat!" laughed Bill pulling out a chair.
"Barney, good to see you boy, couldn't you find anything to do in this town that was more tempting than a nap?" asked Chris.
Barney felt his ears turning red hot as he answered, "Yes sir, I... a... we...that's kinda the problem we found too much temptation..." stammered Barney.
"I see," said Chris with a raised eyebrow, as he watched Barney and Mark wince as that sat down on the wooden seats. " Luke, judging by the way you are smiling, I'd say you were not so easily tempted,"observed Chris turning his attention the smiling young boy.
"Yes sir, I mean no sir. I was tempted alright, but at the last minute I decided to go play ball," answered Luke flashing Bill a smile before sliding into his chair. "Uncle Bill, can we have pie after we eat it looks so good sitting over on the sideboard," asked Luke with wide eyes.
"I don't see why not, so long as you eat your vegetables," answered Bill.
The food arrived and the men started discussing the plans for their departure in the morning. Mr. Chris was taking the early stage east to visit his sister, and of course Bill Charlie and the boys were headed home to the Trails End Ranch.
The three boys were crowded around the side of the table they were talking quietly.
"Barney what was it like upstairs?" Whispered Luke.
"I can't tell you here," Barney whispered back.
"You cannot tell him period!" came Bill's low deep command.
Barney jumped sending a fiery pain across his seat as if to remind him not to disobey his Pa in this. All three boys dropped their eyes to their plates.
Before long the lady was bringing them pie. She looked at Mr. Chris and smiled before she spoke.
"I know you folks a just passing through, but once a month we all gather out on the front porch and have ourselves a street dance and fiddle show. If you care to join us just wonder on out."
Thank you ma'am we just might do that," replied Mr. Chris politely.
"Will we have to dance, Uncle Charlie?" questioned Mark.
"No I don't reckon you have to, but you might just find some pretty little filly that you would like to dance with," answered Charlie with a big laugh.
" I don't like to dance. Can't we just go on down to the school and see if we can play some ball?" grumbled Mark.
"No Sir, you may not; you will stay right here where I can keep my eye on you all three of you!" answered Bill in that tone that all three knew meant, his patience was growing thin.
"But, that's not fair. I won't get to have any fun," whined Mark. Slumping back in his chair and crossing his arms in a huff.
"Fair or not you will do as I say, or you can take yourself right back upstairs to bed this minute," admonished Bill glaring across the table at Mark.
Mark gulped. "Sorry Bill, on second thought maybe a dance could be fun." Barney and Luke quickly nodded they agreement.
The night was clear and the stars shone brightly, before long the three men were sitting on the porch watching Barney and Mark square dance. Luke was on his knees in front of the hotel playing marbles with some of the other young boys. The music was fun and lively.
"Well Bill, I think I'll call it a night, that stage leaves at sun up. You and Charlie don' t let ole Barney run you too hard and don't go signing with some other outfit. I want all three of you rested and ready to go come spring," rumbled Chris.
"Chris, we'll try, but those boys they are right good at keeping us hopping, answered Bill with a smile.
"Bill you know they're just keepn' ya young, and you like having them underfoot," teased Charlie.
"You right, but I don't mind handing the watch over to Flint for next week and taking a rest. Speaking of rest; we better turn in too if we want to get an early start tomorrow," suggested Bill.
"Why don't we get the boys upstairs and go on down to the saloon for a drink," suggested Charlie as he stood and stretched.
"I'm with you. Luke, time for bed," boomed Bill.
"Aught, Uncle Bill it was just getting fun," whined Luke.
"Boy, you get on around there and take care of business, before I follow around and dust your hide," answered Bill with a sinister laugh.
"Barney, Mark, come on over here," called Bill as the music stopped.
"Boys, I am going to go down and have a beer with Charlie. When I get back I expect to find all three of you stretched out on a bedroll. So say your good nights and take care of business, cause I don't want any of you out of the room any more tonight."
"Yes, sir. Is Luke already upstairs?" asked Barney.
"He will be by the time I leave this porch," answered Bill.
"I'll just say good night to Sally and go hurry him along," said Mark as he turned and headed for the smiling red-haired girl he had been dancing with all night.
Bill watched Luke round the corner towards the front door stopping him just long enough to remind him to stay put and then he was gone.
~oOo~
Luke was getting mad, both Mark and Barney refused to tell him what they had seen. "That's not fair you promised," whined Luke.
"Sorry Luke, but I don't think Pa would look on my telling you things like that too kindly. You heard him down at the table. I'm gonna have enough trouble sitting for that long trip home as it is," complained Barney.
"Mark, what about your promise to sneak me in to watch Ms. Opal dance?" said Luke turning a piercing eye on his brother.
"Look little brother, I am sorry, but I am not risking, any more attention from Uncle Bill even if you're mad at me for a month. Now pipe down and go to sleep," hissed Mark.
Luke woke as he turned over. He looked across the room to the window and noticed it was still dark. He could hear Bill snoring and Mark and Barney were fast asleep next to him. Luke quietly crawled over to the small table by the bed. Carefully he reached up and found the matches and Bill's watch. Crouching low he opened the watch and struck a match, one quick look at the time and he blew out the match and put the watch back before crawling back to his bedroll. Three am, all at once he got an idea...
~oOo~
Meanwhile inside the stagecoach to Cumberland...
It was the last leg of the long stage ride home. Flint and Mary sat together on one seat and Matt lay stretched across the other as they were the only passengers. It had been three long days of sitting and though Matthew's backside did not burn every time he sat, he still felt it some if he sat for long periods so time. So, when at the last stop, Flint had suggested he stretch out he did not argue.
He propped himself up on his elbow and smiled.
"Dad, Mr. Cartwright said that he bet that there was not one thing that I did or will do that you didn't do when you were young. Did you ever take off without permission?"
"Yes, son; not that I'm proud of it, but yes. I remember it was the last lickn' I got. An old trapper friend of papa Jim's was going to check his traps on Saturday and I wanted to go. Well when I asked Papa Jim he said no. I took to asking why, papa. He said; he didn't have time to explain, but that I was not to go. When I kept arguing, that he had let me lots of times before, he promised to give me a good hiding if I disobeyed him. Come Saturday, Papa Jim left early to meet with some of the other men of Fort Bridger. I was to stay home and clean the storeroom while he was gone. Well, I reasoned that I could go trapping with Mike and get back in time to do my chores and Papa would never know I was gone. Old Mike and I were just bating and resetting his last trap when all at once a crazy mad wolf jumped old Mike. I was without a gun. I grabbed a stick and started hitting with all I had. Somehow old Mike managed to get to his gun and kill the wolf. Old Mike he was hurt really bad, so I went running for help; just my luck the help I found was Papa Jim. As I lead him back to trapper Mike he didn't say a word. We loaded Mike onto the travois and made the long trek to the doctor's office, but Papa Jim still said not one word.
When Old Mike was safely in the Doctor's hands he turned to me and in a low disappointed voice he said, "Get home boy, I'll be along soon," then he turned and walked away. I walked away toward home. When I got there, I sat on the edge of my bed wondering about my fate. Now I fancied myself way too old for that hiding Papa had threatened me with, so I wasn't sure what was to come.
It was about six that evening when the door to my room opened and Papa growled, get ready for bed boy, I'll be right back. I quickly did as I was told I slipped into my night shirt and into bed. An early bed time wasn't that bad and I considered myself lucky... Then the door opened and Papa Jim stepped in; his right hand held a short leather strap, it was the razor strap he used to sharpen his razor.
I remember pleading, 'Papa Jim you can't I'm too old for a lickn'He looked down at me and says, "You weren't too old to disobey me and I told you what I would do if you did, didn't I ?"
"Yes sir...But..."
"But nothing Papa barked now get up and bend over that bed."
I didn't move I just lay frozen as I stared up at that strap. Then he says; "Now Flint I'll not be asking you again, so unless you want it on the bare, you get up now!" I threw back the covers and stood facing papa.
"Turn around and bend over boy," papa ordered pointing to the bed with the strap.
Without a word he cracked that strap across my backside again and again. Every lick was like exploding fire on my behind. The cotton nightshirt provide protection against my embarrassment; nothing more. I remember even the worst switchn' didn't burn as bad as that lickn'.
When it was over he dropped the strap and turned me around to face him. He looked me right in the eye, I remember seeing tears in his eyes as he spoke."Son, I do not like having to do that, but, I would rather take a strap to you every night than face having you hurt. That wolf was rabid, if it had bitten you could be really sick or even dead. The doctor says all we can do for Old Mike is wait and see. I want you to understand something. I told you not to go, because I knew that the mad wolf was in the area. I don't want you to question my direction ever again. I do what I think best." He pulled me into a hug, then said; "now get into bed."
As I crawled on to my stomach papa covered me and left the room. I lay there thinking how close I had come to getting really hurt. I carefully threw off the blanket and pulled the nightshirt up around my waist, letting the air cool the fire on my backside, as I considered how lucky I was that only my behind had paid a high price. That was the last time I questioned Papa Jim's reasons." Flint pulled Mary to him and kissed her nose as he laughed at the tears brimming in her eye.
"Did, old Mike die?"asked Matt after letting things sink in.
"Yes son he did" answered Flint.
There was a long silence when Mary spoke,
"I am so ready to get home to Sammy, and the boys."
"Me too. I hope Bill and Charlie have an easy trip home." grinned Flint.
Meanwhile back in Red field...
The next morning around six Charlie came marching into the room, "You two gonna sleep the day away? Come on, up and at it!" boomed Charlie as he tugged the blanket away, uncovering Barney and Mark. "Hurry and get dressed and stow these bed rolls in the wagon before you get down to the table. Make it snappy or Bill will eat all the bacon and we will have to eat oatmeal," said Charlie with a loud 'gwagh' as he watched both boys slowly come to life.
Charlie rounded the corner into the dining room just in time to hear Bill growl. "We'll finish our discussion later," before giving Luke a sharp smack and planting him in a chair.
"At it early?" scoffed Charlie as he took the chair across from Luke.
"Might too early, if you're asking me!" barked Bill reaching for his coffee.
Barney and Mark choose that minute to make their appearance."Morning, sorry you all had to wait on us," apologized Barney.
"Bout time you got down here," groused Bill.
Noticing the ill mood in the air, Mark glanced around the table. Luke had obviously been crying, and he looked to be having a bit of trouble sitting. "Way to go; sore seat and Uncle Bill in a bad mood before breakfast, little Brother. Wha..." started Mark.
"Boys mind your own business," scolded Charlie.
Barney decided that this morning silence was golden. With Bill's patience thin, he didn't want to risk adding to the sting he could still recall.
Half an hour later they had all just climbed into the wagon and started pulling out, when Mrs. Opal came running down the boardwalk waving and shouting. "Hold up! Stop that wagon!"
Now as they were in the only wagon around at that time, Bill climbed down and walked toward the anxious lady.
Barney, noticed that Luke began to pale and look like he might be sick just as he was about to ask what he had done Bill bellowed.
"Lucas Andrew Spence! Come over here, son."
Luke looked about to burst into tears, as he climbed down from the wagon and made his way to Bill. Nodding at Charlie, Bill, Luke and Miss Opal stepped around to the back of the hotel.
"Young man, Mrs. Opel here says you have something that belongs to her! That true?" thundered Bill.
"Yes, sir," mumbled Luke.
"Hand it over," said Bill fighting his temper as he held out his hand palm up.
Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out the small gun that was in his pocket. As he placed it in Bill's hand he stole a glance at Bill's face; 'yap this was bad,' he thought to himself.
"Ma'am, I am sorry for Luke's behavior. I'm certain he would like to apologize as well, Wouldn't you Luke! prompted Bill, through grit teeth as he pushed Luke forward.
"Y-e-s Ma-am... I'm sorry. I had no business in your room and I know better than to take things that don't belong to me..." responded Luke trying not to cry.
"Ma'am, would you care to give the boy any punishment, seeing as it was you he wronged?" asked Bill.
"No Mr. Hawks, I believe I will leave that up to you, though I do believe that he deserves to have his britches warmed," answered Miss. Opal.
Luke blushed and scooted his boot in the dirt. He knew uncle Bill would agree. Then Luke paled and his eyes went wide at Bill's next statement.
"Yes ma'am I quiet agree. if you would care to witness I can put him over my knee here and now," answered Bill giving Luke a stern look.
"That won't be necessary, Mr. Hawks I would not have even come and told you of his little excursion, if it had not been for the derringer missing. I was concerned for the boys safety." She turned and kneeled down in front of Luke. "Saloons are very dangerous places and guns are not to play with. I hate having to come to your pa. I know that mostly you were just curious, but maybe by making sure that you are punished, I will be doing my part in keeping you safe." With that Miss Opal stood and walked back toward the saloon.
Bill placed his hand on Luke's shoulder and walked him toward the wood pile nearby. "You know what you did was wrong, and you know what to expect," he said.
"Yes sir," answered Luke quietly.
Bill sat down on the chopping block and pulled Luke over his knee. The without a word he went to work on the upturned backside, in front of him.
Luke kicked and yelped all the time, wishing he hadn't been so curious about what his brother and Barney had seen. The sting in his backside was not worth the trouble or the embarrassment and he could no longer hold back his wailing.
Bill added the last two swats of near a dozen, slow and hard with his large open palm. By that time, Luke was sobbing. Bill stood the small boy up. "Luke, you still got that bullet around your neck?"
"Yes… sa… sa … sir," sniffed and hiccupped Luke, pulling it out and showing it to Bill.
"Do you remember the promise I made you the day you shot that gun, and the reason I painted the back of your medallion red?"
"Yes, sir you promised to blister me real good if I ever touched another gun, and you painted it red to remind me how red my behind was or would be again,." Luke mumbled as he looked at Bill with understanding eyes as Bill stood and cut a short switch and stripped it of all its limbs.
When Bill returned to the chopping block Luke unfastened his britches and pushed them down as he lowered himself over Bill's lap. Bill didn't lecture as he brought the switch down six times and threw it on the ground, before helping Luke right his clothing and pulling him into a hug. There Luke sobbed and sobbed in between 'M'sorry's and never again's.'
Luke took some time to settle, and Bill was in no hurry to rush the boy. He really wanted this lesson to sink in this time. He knew when he made that promise that the boy would most likely slip up, boys get curious and then something in their young foolish heads just forgets to caution them. So as much as the punishment was a promise fulfilled and a reminder of the danger, so was the hug and the closeness a reminder of how much he is loved and forgiven.
After a good twenty minutes Bill and Luke started around the building and toward the wagon where everyone waited. Luke had scrubbed the tears away, though his face still glowed pink. He grimaced as he climbed into the wagon and sprawled out on his stomach and gave way to now quieter tears.
Receiving a stern look from Bill, Barney and Mark knew not to ask any question, even though they were dying to know, exactly what Luke had done to deserve the thrashing they'd just heard.
"Oh well maybe, Luke had the right idea," thought Barney. He nudge Mark and then they both sprawled out on their stomachs next to Luke. Mark flung his arm around his little brother but strayed silent.
Bill and Charlie gave a big laugh, as Bill shook his head then slapped the reins and said, "Let's get home."
TBC...