Chapter 12

Goodbye and Don't Hurry Back

It had been a typical day so far at Fort Courage. In the morning Dobbs had blown what he called reveille, the cannon wheel had fallen off, the lookout tower had fallen down, and Vanderbilt had lost his glasses. By the time afternoon rolled around lunch had been eaten, the tower had been put back up, the glasses found; and now the men were leisurely performing small tasks about the compound, snoozing in the warm sun, or playing horseshoes.

As for O'Rourke and Agarn, things couldn't have been going better. At the moment they stood on the porch of headquarters along with Captain Parmenter who was discussing something with them about possible field maneuvers in place of the medical ones. He was interrupted by the approaching gallop of hooves. They turned to see a chestnut with a blond girl in buckskins in the saddle. They skidded to a stop before headquarters and a cloud of fine dust blew across the porch. The three soldiers coughed and sputtered as they tried to clear it from their lungs. Wrangler Jane dismounted and stepped up on the porch.

"Hi ya' fellas," she greeted pleasantly.

"J– cough– Janie," Parmenter choked out.

"Hi– cough– Wr– cough– Wrangler– cough-cough," Agarn wheezed.

Jane looked at the three for a moment. She frowned disapprovingly at the captain. "Wilton, I told you to do something about that cough of yours. Now you've given it to O'Rourke and Agarn."

"Yes, Janie – cough – I will," Parmenter said, finally getting his wind back. "What was it you needed?"

She took an envelope from her pocket. "This letter just came for you. I saw it was from Washington so I figured I'd better bring it over right away."

"Washington, huh?" Parmenter mumbled curiously as he took it and looked at the front. "I wonder what they want."

Agarn leaned in close to O'Rourke. "If it's anything like the last one, I don't want to know."

Parmenter continued to gaze at the envelope. "I've sent in all my reports on time, so it couldn't be about that." He thought a moment. "And I haven't heard anything about any trouble. I wonder what they could be writing me about."

"Captain," O'Rourke interrupted. "Maybe it would help if you opened the letter and found out."

"Good idea, Sergeant." Parmenter ripped the top open and pulled out the folded paper inside. He opened it and his brows went up in pleasant surprise. "Oh! Well what do you know? It's from Major Chase."

"Just what I needed to make my day," Agarn mumbled.

Parmenter quickly scanned over the letter. "He's back in Washington and just wanted to let us know how things were going. He says his trip went smoothly and that they're loving the gifts Wild Eagle gave him and that are even going to put some of them on permanent display in the Smithsonian Institute Museum."

"Golly! How excitin'!" Jane smiled. "I bet Chief Wild Eagle will be mighty proud to hear that."

Parmenter nodded with boyish enthusiasm. "I'm sure he will. That's a high honor you know." He looked back at the letter. "Oh, he also says here that he wants us to give the chief a message for him."

"Oh? What's that, sir?" O'Rourke asked.

Parmenter read aloud. "…'Tell Chief Wild Eagle thanks for the genuine Indian teepee he gave me. I've had it set up in my front lawn for only a week and already made quite a profit from the reservations people have made for overnight stays in it.' He also says that the Secretary of War was quite fascinated with it as well."

"I'm sure the Secretary was one of the first ones to make an overnight reservation," Agarn surmised.

Parmenter shook his head. "No, the president got the first reservation. The Secretary got one of his own and then the treasurer sent out for one as well. He says that teepees are popping up all over." He looked thoughtfully at the paper. "Well, what do you know? Wild Eagle was right. They are catching."

O'Rourke held back a snicker. "Well, I'm glad he's enjoying it."

The captain nodded. "He says that he also enjoyed his stay so much that if he gets some leave time, he'd like to come back."

"That's all we need," Agarn muttered so only O'Rourke could hear him.

Parmenter continued. "But he says that he's been on such a busy schedule since he got back, that he may not be able to get back out for some time."

Agarn pretended to be disappointed. "Aww, that's too bad. Ain't it, Sarge?"

"Yeah. A real shame." O'Rourke winked at his friend.

Parmenter gestured to the letter. "The rest this is just routine complements about the fort and to tell everyone hello for him." He smiled at the letter as he folded it back up and stuffed it back in the envelope. "Well, I think that was very nice of the major to write us. I'll have to write him back sometime."

O'Rourke nodded. "Good idea, sir. I'm sure he'd like that."

Jane took Parmenter's arm. "How 'bout me helpin' you write it, Wilton. And while we're doing it, we can have us another picnic up at Kissin' Rock."

The captain side-glanced at the smirking noncoms. He leaned close as he whispered, "Janie, I've told you, not in front of the men."

"Why don't you go ahead, Captain? Agarn and I can take care of things here," O'Rourke offered.

Parmenter thought a moment and looked into Jane's eager eyes. He grinned. "Well… alright."

Jane smiled wide. "Good, because I already got a big picnic basket all packed back at the store. And it's full of all your favorites, Wilton."

Parmenter felt his mouth water. He licked his lips. "Oh, I can taste them already!"

"But I did leave out those blackberry cookies like you asked me too cause I know you said they make you talk in your sleep."

"Thanks, Janie. Oh! That reminds me." He turned to Agarn. "I've been meaning to ask you about something, Corporal."

"Yes, Sir?"

"I was wondering how the sleepwalking situation was. Have you still been having any problems?"

"Oh that!" Agarn hooked his thumbs in his belt as he said proudly, "Completely gone, Sir. I haven't budged from that bunk for a single night. Been sleeping like a little baby."

"And snoring like a bear," O'Rourke smirked to himself.

"Really? That's wonderful!" the captain said.

O'Rourke nodded as he patted the corporal on the back. "Yes sir, Captain. Thanks to your help, I can safely say that Agarn is completely cured from his troublesome habit."

Parmenter smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear it, Agarn. And I'm glad I was able to help." He turned to Jane. "Well, Janie. My duty is done here. Let's not keep that picnic basket waiting."

Arm in arm the two walked off towards the fort gates leading to town. The noncoms watched them go off with large grins.

"Like two little lovebirds. Isn't it cute?" Randel said grinning fondly after them.

O'Rourke nodded. "Yeah, sure is. But we promised the captain we'd take care of things here while he's gone and that's what we're going to do. So let's start by taking care of some of the inventory that needs to be done around here. Say … at the N.C.O. club?"

An understanding grin spread across the corporal's face. "Right with you, Sarge!" He pointed after the captain. "At least this letter won't interfere with our counting like the last one did."

The two started across the compound and Agarn took a deep breath of the air. "Sure is nice to have the fort back to its normal sloppy self. Not to mention having O'Rourke Enterprises back in business."

O'Rourke nodded. "You said it buddy! And doing better than ever. When I last checked up at the Hekawi camp it was in full swing and we've got a whole new line of products lined up that are sure to be big hits with the tourist. Plus our souvenirs we got now are selling like hotcakes and sales in the saloon are up twenty percent."

"Music, Sarge. Muuusic!"

Just then there was a patter of boots and bugler Dobbs cam striding by, a tin bucket in one hand.

"Hi, Dobbs," O'Rourke greeted.

Dobbs paused. "Hey, Sarge. Agarn."

"Where you off to? You seem in a bit of a hurry," Agarn said.

"I guess I kinda am. I was going to the woods just outside the fort here."

"What's so special about that place?" Agarn asked.

"Oh I've been going there almost every day for the past few weeks. That's where I see Mary Bella."

O'Rourke cocked his head, puzzled. "Mary Bella?"

Dobbs nodded. "Yes, sir. She's kinda' my pet. Sweet little thing too."

"I didn't know that," Agarn said in surprise. He grinned wide. "Is she … pretty?"

Dobbs nodded as he gazed off fondly. "Yeah, she sure is. Big brown eyes, friendly personality, and the cutest little face and nose ya' ever did see."

O'Rourke chuckled as he ribbed Agarn. "Sounds a little like love, don't you think?"

Agarn ribbed him back. "Sure does. Guess it's contagious today."

"Well, I'd best be getting along." Dobbs started to walk by. "I gotta take her these table scraps and she gets upset if I'm late."

"Sure thing, Do–" O'Rourke's words cut off and his brow creased. He quickly reached out and caught the privet by the shirt sleeve. "Table scraps?"

The bugler paused again. "Yes. She likes it when I bring her little leftovers from the mess hall."

O'Rourke and Agarn's blinked in befuddlement as the sentence sank in.

Agarn rattled a finger in his ear then peered closely at the privet. "Not that I'm trying to make a parrot out of you, but … say that again."

"I said she likes it when I bring her scraps from the mess hall," Dobbs repeated. He held up the bucket he was carrying. "That's what I got here." He tipped it slightly and they could see bits and crumbs from that morning's breakfast and the afternoon's lunch in the bottom.

"And she … likes it when you do that?" O'Rourke asked a bit incredulously.

"Why wouldn't she?" Dobbs asked innocently, looking from one to another in confusion.

Agarn tried to shrug casually. "Well, personally I've never heard of any man bringing his girl table crumbs as a gift and her loving him for it. Especially crumbs from our mess hall." He shook his head with a flip of his arms. "But, I guess it takes all kinds to make a world – or a fort!"

Understanding suddenly crossed Dobbs face. "Ooohh! No, you fellas got it all wrong. Mary Bella ain't a girl. She's ah' baby raccoon."

"You're kidding," O'Rourke mumbled.

"No, Sarge. Her momma accidently left her behind and now she lives in an old stump just outside the post. So I bring leftover scraps to give to her so she won't go hungry. So if you'll excuse me now, I gotta go give Mary Bella her dinner." With that, the bugler happily trotted off with his bucket.

O'Rourke watched him go. "Well, at least we can honestly tell the captain that Dobbs is over his 'complex'." He began to chuckle. "Can you beat that?"

Agarn snorted as he answered emphatically, "After what we've just been through – YES!"

The End

And there you have the entire story! I hop you enjoyed and had a few laughs on the way! - ThePhoenix ;-)