Rawhide

Chapter 5

"That's the deal, trail boss!" The woman yelled from her position on the rocks.

Gil Favor and the drovers he had taken with him had arrived at a canyon where they had tracked the herd only moments before. Even though it was still fairly dark out, it hadn't been hard to trail about a dozen rustlers and 600 beeves. This woman, who Favor found out was the blind man's daughter Jennie Cratcher, was offering him a deal.

"Your ramrod and your scout will both have an unpleasant experience if we're not guaranteed safe passage!" She shouted again. Now the man whom Favor had hired a few miles before, Chris Yancey, stood beside the blond-haired woman. "We get the cattle, you get your boys! Now what'll it be?"

Favor pushed his hat back. Several other drovers were astride their horses behind him - ready to fight if necessary. "How do I know you've got Yates and Nolan?"

She turned to say something to Yancey and he nodded. A few moments later he came back holding two familiar articles. Rowdy's and Pete's hats. Jennie Cratcher held them up in the air. "Here are their hats, Mr. Favor!"

"How do I know you haven't done gone and killed 'em already?"

"You don't know. Do you like to gamble, trail boss?"

Favor shrugged. "Sometimes."

"Well, think of this as a poker game. And I've got the high card. Are you willing to risk your men over a few lousy cows?"

"I'm not makin' any deals 'til I see Rowdy and Pete for myself!"

Favor saw Jennie say something to Yancey, the he saw the rustler nod and walk off. "Mr. Favor, I'm sending one of my boys to bring your two men here. We've got 'em in a nice, safe place. I want you to throw down your gun belt and come up here. Then when my man comes back you can see your boys."

Joe Scarlett spurred his horse forward next to the trail boss's mount. "Boss, you can't do that, she could be-"

Favor whirled to face Scarlett, a scowl on his face. "Scarlett, don't tell me what I can or can't do." His voice and face softened. Joe was only concerned about his safety. "Now, I know it could be a set up. She could be planning a trap for me up there. Heck, we don't even know if Rowdy and Pete are still alive but I can't take the chance that she may just have them. You understand, don't you?"

Joe, who had been looking down and fingering the reins, looked back up at his boss and nodded. "Yeah, Mr. Favor. I reckon I do."

The trail boss unbuckled his belt and let the holster fall to the ground.

Quince led the way toward the last direction he had seen Gil Favor and some of the drovers heading out. Pete looked up at the sky. The first signs of light were just beginning to show in the sky. Pete was just about to ask Quince something when the drover leading the way yelled.

"There they are!" Quince shouted excitedly. They nudged their horses into a gallop and in a few minutes they were upon the group of drovers in the valley.

"Where's Mr. Favor?" Rowdy shouted over the commotion their appearance had brought on.

"Rowdy! Pete! You ain't supposed to be here!" One of the drovers said.

"What do you mean we ain't supposed to be here?" Pete asked.

"Well, that mad-woman up in them rocks said she was holdin' ya both hostages."

"She was but we got away thanks to this fella here." Pete nodded toward Ramirez.

"Where's Mr. Favor?" Rowdy asked again.

The drovers shifted uneasily and then Joe Scarlett spoke up. "He went up there."

"What?" Rowdy yelped.

"That Jennie Cratcher wants to make a deal. You two for the cattle. Mr. Favor called her bluff and went up there wanting to see you two in the flesh before he made any deal." Scarlett explained.

Rowdy ran a hand through his hair distractedly and stared up at the rocks.

"What're we gonna do when they find out we're gone, Rowdy?" Pete asked the ramrod quietly.

Rowdy shook his head. "We can't let 'em find out. No tellin' what'll happen to Mr. Favor. I'm goin' up there. Maybe I can see what they're doin'."

"Huh uh! You ain't goin' nowhere without me. Remember, the boss said for me to keep an eye on you and that's just what I intend to do." Pete said indignantly.

Rowdy felt a small smile creep on his face. "Alright, let's go."

"I'd like to go too, if it's alright." Ramirez said.

Pete shook his head. "There can't be too many of us. We'd be spotted just like that." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Thanks for the offer though. Quince, you're in charge."

Pete and Rowdy mounted up once again and headed off at a quick trot toward the rustler's lair.

They listened to the conversation going on beneath them. The two drovers had dismounted and climbed cautiously and quietly until they had a good view of Mr. Favor and Jennie Cratcher. Their voices were carried up to them so they could hear most of what was happening.

"How many are there, Pete?" Rowdy whispered.

Pete counted silently. "Let's see…not countin' Jennie and that one they said left to go get us…I'd say about 18. All of them armed with pistols and repeating rifles."

"Do you think we could-" Rowdy started to ask. He shifted his weight and his elbow sent a pebble clattering down the small slope.

"Wait! Shhh…What're they sayin'?" Pete whispered urgently.

They lay there listening…all conversation seemed to have stopped. And then Jennie Cratcher's voice was carried up to them. "Throw your guns out, if you've got any, and come out with your hands on your heads or the trail boss is dead!" There was a pause as Rowdy and Pete looked at each other. "I mean it!" They heard the hammer on her pistol click.

"I don't think she's bluffin', Pete."

"Nope." Pete tossed his .45 several feet away and slowly rose to his feet with his hands on his head. Rowdy followed suit.

Jennie Cratcher had a smug smile across her face. The muzzle of her cocked gun was pointed at Favor's head. Pete saw now that the trail boss's hands were tied behind his back. Three or four men quickly surrounded Pete and Rowdy and pointed their rifle at the two.

"Pete. Rowdy." Favor said casually.

"Hi, boss. You alright?" Pete asked.

"Oh, just dandy. I thought you two were supposed to be captives?"

"Well, yeah, about that. We got a little help and escaped." Rowdy answered, his hands still on his head.

"Ah." Favor nodded.

"Miss Jennie." Rowdy said, nodding a greeting to Jennie Cratcher.

She scowled. "Pinto. Tombstone. Search them. They may have other weapons besides their guns."

Pete and Rowdy were roughly patted down and no weapons were found. "Alright, boys. Go ahead and keep an eye on the cattle." Jennie said to her men.

"You sure you don't need one of us to-?"

"I can handle them." She snapped. "One move and I'll just pull the trigger. Now go on."

A bit hesitantly, the men moved off and headed down toward the cattle in the canyon.