Chapter 7 The Meeting
The saloon was noisy, everyone was talking t the same time. Aaron and Jason could not get anyone to quiet down. Biddie stood up on top of the bar and whistled loud and long, then Joshua helped her down and everyone stood very quiet.
"Some of you have met them already, they are Doctor Mark Johnson and Josiah Green. Both from the 10th Calvary of the Buffalo Soldiers, they are both good marksmen and doctors. They will help us with our current wolf situation!" Aaron Stemple said and then when the clapping subsided, Dr. Johnson spoke first:
"Folks, Josiah, and I have seen this happen before while we served in the Army. I believe he saw it when stationed in Kansas and I saw it in Texas. There is a man who calls himself a doctor but is really someone who has committed fraud with the government as well as moving from town to town, terrorizing each place in order to extract money to save their town from wild wolves that have gone mad! The Army has finally caught up with him and we plan to take him down very soon. But we need your help in killing the wild wolves as well as the dogs and other animals that may have been infected with this terrifying disease of rabies."
"What can we do?" someone asked in the group.
"Yes, my cattle are locked in the barn, for fear that they will contract this disease as well!"
"I shot my dog, he wasn't ready to die, I just did not want him to suffer!"
Many people spoke up about someone having to shoot their dogs or cattle, or a family member went missing! Jason stood up and said:
"I know we have all suffered loss and we need to do something about it. These men say there is a way we can kill the wolves and track the man responsible for this! Now, will all of you listen please!" Dr. Green smiled and began with the strategy:
We know he is releasing the wolves near where he is hiding. I need four to a group. Each group will shoot the wolves on sight and follow the trail. I have a suspicion that the caves in Rock Canyon are where he is."
"Jason, do you think that might be where Jeremy and Candy are?" whispered Joshua. Jason looked at his brother and nodded his head.
"The next thing is to have another group of four going behind the first group following them so that if more wolves show up, they will not be attacked."
"But what about the dead bodies? Won't that bring more wolves?" Swede asked.
"Yes it will, that is why the first group moves on. The second group stays near the bodies, not too near but near enough to shoot the wolves when they come to feed! The thinking is that as the bodies pile up, the other wolves will become ravenous and want to eat as well. I think about two groups per quadrant as we make our way up to the canyon!" said Josiah
"Mr. Bolt you said there were some caves up in that canyon!"
"Yes there are!" Jason answered.
"That is possibly where we can get this man and his assistant. And perhaps find your brother and the lady as well." Dr. Johnson said.
"Now, I need a clipboard and I want to have 8 groups of four, I will tell you where your quadrant will be and how you will begin to do your work." Dr. Green said
"Doctor Green, will we burn the bodies when we are through? There will be other scavengers who may contract or carry the disease after eating the wolf bait!" said Ben. Josiah stopped for a moment and looked at Dr. Johnson, who had heard the question and he said:
"I think that would be a good idea. Do any of you know how to do a controlled burn?" No one really had done one and were not sure what to do.
"Dr. I have seen how a controlled burn works but it would mean that whoever was to start the fire would be able to start it safely. The men would have to pick up the dead bodies and place them in a particular pile away from the wooded areas. I am not sure that will be possible." Said Mr. Stemple. The doctors were conferring with each other. They turned to Ben and asked
"Mr. Perkins, could we use your wire to wire for some help for the fires?" asked Dr. Green.
"Why yes of course let's go over to the store." Ben said and led him out the door and over to the mercantile. Meanwhile Dr. Johnson remained and explained to them why they needed to use the wire.
"We are wiring for the 10th Calvary regiment C to come; they will do most of the preparation and setting of the fires. We have done things like that before and it will be a huge help." A few minutes later, they came back with a yes that the 10th Calvary Regiment C was nearby and would arrive the next day.
"While we wait, I want all of you to check your arms, you water buckets, ladies, you will be brining water buckets to the fires. There will be a fire brigade lined up. There will be soldiers lighting the fire and soldiers watching for stray wolves as well as helping with the dead wolf bodies. I suggest you all go home and get some sleep; we will be up at 4 to get started." Dr. Johnson said.
Back at the caves, Jeremy was having a nightmare as 'Candy' lay next to him. He woke up shouting:
"No! NO! I couldn't do that! I won't kill her!" Jeremy was shivering 'Candy' put a blanket over him and tried to calm him down.
"Oh, Jeremy, please wake up, it is okay, I am here! Can you tell me what happened?" 'Candy' said as she held him in her arms. He leaned into her, laying his head on her shoulder. He was crying, and the tears ran down his cheeks.
"Candy, I am so sorry, I-I-I- dreamed that I saw, saw some wolves! I knew I-I-I-I-ha-ha- had to shoot them, even the pups! The mother wolf looked at me, sh-sh-she had the same color eyes as you do, she also had a reddish kind of fur, not the gray kind that wolves usually have! I thought I was killing you!" he sobbed and said:
Oh, Oh, C-C-Cand-d-d-d-y!" He continued to sob and then fell asleep in 'Candy's' arms. She slept with him but smiled, she knew he would do her bidding the next day!