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Charlie kept a steady pace, glancing to the sky for guidance off and on. The moonlight was dim, casting a ghost like glow on the ground.
He'd walked two or three miles when he took
a rest, since he'd kept a watch over his shoulder for anyone that might be coming. So far he was alone. He heard a wolf in the distance, but he didn't think the wolf would attack as long as he was alone. His biggest problem was prairie dog holes; he'd stumbled into a couple already, nearly turning his ankle. It was hard to see them. He also had no water and the creek was too far away to get any now. He could make it without water, he quickly decided. It wasn't as hot traveling by night, the temperatures dropped to reasonable.
He trudged onward getting his bearings once more.
But he did step in another prairie dog hole and this time it did turn his ankle. He realized he was going to have to hobble from here on out. He massaged his ankle for a few minutes, but it was swelling.
"Darn it!" He fussed, then looked about to see if anyone was about to hear.
So far it seemed he was undetected but he still had a far piece to go and his ankle was throbbing.
Nearly two more miles ahead, he heard a noise. Glancing about, he tried to find a dark place to hide. But the draw was quite a ways ahead of him, so he did the only thing he could, he dropped down on the ground and remained real still.
A lizard crawled up on his head and explored. Charlie swallowed hard. He glanced around and finally he saw a family of armadillo's moving about. It was a mama and she had her brood on her back. Charlie watched for a long time, making sure it was the armadillo that was making the noises.
Convinced his enemy was an animal he stood up once again and put his weight on his ankle. It was painful and he knew he was going to have a hard go of it like this.
Charlie hobbled along, but his confidence was lagging now. If they came after him now, he might be caught. He wasn't sure what they would do with him, if he was caught, and that thought kept him going.
***
Dan woke up when Butch snored too loud. He glanced around in the dark and looked for Charlie.
But Charlie wasn't there. Butch and Jason would be mad that he hadn't tended to him. He looked in all the rooms and found no one. Where had the kid gone?
He saw that Charlie's boots were gone from the floor, and knew the kid had run away. Part of Dan was glad, but part of him knew he'd be knee deep in shit if he didn't find the kid.
He put his clothes on quietly and his boots, then walked softly through the other room where Butch and Jason were sleeping. Sure enough Butch was sawing logs. Jason had gone to sleep in their Ma's old rocker. Passed out, he reckoned.
Tiptoeing he went out the back door and stared out at the expanse of country.
Which way would Charlie head? Town was closer than Cord's place, so he headed in that direction.
He had to hurry up and find the kid. If he got back to his mother's place things wouldn't go so well.
He went to the barn and saddled his horse.
The prairie was big and all around him. He couldn't be sure he was headed in the right direction either, but he'd ride a while toward town and see if he spotted him. It made sense that Charlie would go home.
Most of the land was pretty flat between here and town so he could see for a good distance if anything was moving.
Maybe he should take the road. That would be a better way, since there were few prairie dog holes on the road.
He traveled for what seemed like five or six miles and saw nothing of the kid. "Where the heck did you get off to Charlie," he muttered to himself, in exasperation.
He had to reason in his head, would Charlie go home to his mother, or find Cord? Stood to reason any boy would go home. However, he'd gone fishing with him and didn't exactly tell his mother where he was going. So he'd be in trouble with her. That's right, he'd be in trouble. And a kid in trouble wouldn't go home. That was for sure. So he must have gone to Cord's place. I gotta find that kid and fast or Jason will get me good for this.
He hated the coward in himself, but the truth was, his brothers were meaner than wild boars at times. He turned his horse around and followed the road to Cord's place.
Dan continued on the road for a bit, until he heard horses. He moved off the road and hid out behind a big rock and choya. He waited until whoever it was passed him. He stared into the moonlight, it was Cord, and some others. Well hell's bell's, if they were coming this way, and hadn't found Charlie, then he was going in the wrong direction too. Charlie must have gone back to town. He just hadn't gone far enough.
Confused by his fear of Jason waking up and finding them both gone Dan mounted up and tried to figure out what to do. He couldn't beat Cord to the ranch to warn his brothers. No the only thing he could do was find Charlie. He rubbed his chin vigorously trying to figure out what to do. Cord was headed for their place. No matter what, Jason would soon realize that Charlie wasn't there. He was in big trouble. He had to find Charlie, and quick.
Chapter Fifteen
Charlie was in trouble now. His ankle was so swollen and painful he could hardly hobble on it. It had slowed him down tremendously and Charlie stopped to think for a minute.
