Aug 2023 Higgledy Piggledy

Well folks,
Later this morning I am off to Shrewsbury for a couple of nights break from the old spreadsheets...
I will be watching 'The Lord Chamberlains Men' perform Romeo and Juliet - in the open air, in the grounds of Shrewsbury Castle

Now, there is something for you Anglophiles across the pond to google

According to the town website, Shrewsbury has

HIGGLEDY PIGGLEDY STREETS WITH NAMES YOU WANT TO SAY OUT LOUD.

SO....
A little more random and non western than usual, BUT - your challenge for August is

Higgledy Piggledy    

You can do it!

Type

Higgledy Piggledy

Heyes had, had a good time at the poker table that night he had won enough money for both of them for a few months. He headed home to the hotel and Kid and his dog Soldier. He walked passed a young man who had been in the saloon that night.

He was a young man about eighteen or so with fair hair and blue eyes Heyes wondered whether he was getting enough to eat for he was so thin. He went into the hotel and up to his room he shared with Kid and Soldier.

Kid lifted his head from the pillow as Heyes came in

“Oh, it’s you Heyes have a good night?”

“I have had a very good night, Kid”

Soldier came over and licked Heyes’s hand he patted the black and white head of Kid’s border collie. Heyes got undressed and got into bed it was a hot night so they left the window open.

In the middle of the night a figure entered their room via the open window he searched around for the money Heyes had won at the poker table that night. He was doing well creeping around the room when he accidently walked into the hat stand by the door.

Soldier woke up and shook himself then he noticed the figure in the room he started to growl and then bark the figure tried to shut him up. Then Heyes said,

“Kid will you keep him quite I’m trying to sleep”

“Soldier shut up,” said Kid.

Kid sat up and then saw why Soldier was barking.

“Joshua there’s someone in here other than us”

Heyes sat up just as the figure found what he had been looking for and was heading out of the door,

“Kid, he’s got my wallet therefore all the money we own”

Heyes got out of bed and went after him he caught him on the stairs, he saw it was the same young man he had noticed on the way into the hotel. He struggled with him but he was younger and him and he wriggled free and pushed Heyes down the stairs to get away from him.

Kid arrived after putting his pants on to see his cousin in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs. The Sheriff came in just as the young man ran out the desk clerk said,

“Matt, that young man has just robbed Mr Smith”

“I saw who it was one of the McKinley clan I get after him”

Heyes was in a lot of pain holding his right arm Juanita one of the waitresses brough a blanket to cover him to help him retain his modesty for he was laid there in nothing but his underwear. The Doctor was sent for. He arrived and went over to Heyes.

“Oh, my arm it hurts my leg doesn’t feel too good either” said Heyes as the Doctor came down to him.

“Now son let me look at you,” said the Doctor

“Mmm, now I think it will be better if we get you up from here and back to your room” he said.

“Ok, Doc I am in a lot of pain”

He turned to Kid

“Thaddeus, will you carry me back upstairs please”

“Sure thing”

Soldier was waiting at the top of the stairs Kid saw him

“Go on in the room Soldier good boy”

Kid laid Heyes on the bed it was then he noticed the blood on Heyes’s long johns.

“Josh you’re bleedin’”

“I know I am from my head”

“No, that’s not what I meant there’s a blood stain on your leg”

“Oh, is there?”

The doctor examined Heyes and then said,

“Well, Joshua, you’ve done yourself some real damage you’ve broken your right arm, cracked some ribs, cut your head open and to cap it all you have what we call a greenstick fracture of your left leg that’s where the bloods come from for the bone has come through the skin so I will knock you out and then I will proceed to pull the bone back into place ok”.

“Oh, ok thanks Doc, Oh Thaddeus what have I done”

“No, it’s not what you did it’s what that young tear away did”.

The Doc knocked Heyes out with the chloroform and ether mixture and then set to work. Kid and Soldier went to see the Sheriff.

“Sheriff did you catch him?”

“No, little runt got away from me don’t worry I know where he’s gone, he’s gone back to mamma they all go back to mamma”

So, Kid, the Sheriff and Soldier went out to the McKinley ranch Mrs McKinley was sitting on the porch when they came through the gate.

“Sheriff what do you want here?”

“Now Marge, I think you know why I am here where’s Ethan I want to talk to him about his whereabouts last night”

“Why?”

“Someone got robbed and I think it was your Ethan that did it”

“Who says that about my boy?”

“I do ma’am name Thadeus Jones this here is my dog Soldier, and Soldier got a good look at the man who robbed my friend Joshua”

“Well, you’re outta luck Sheriff, Mr Jones my Ethan ain’t here he’s gone to Galveston to see a man about a job”

While she was talking Soldier’s keen ears heard something in the barn, he started to sniff the ground and walk towards the barn.

“Mr Jones kindly call your dog back he’s got no right goin’ near my barn he could frighten my cattle”

Kid looked at him he could tell he was on to something.

“Soldier, what you got there what is it boy”

Mrs McKinley was getting more and more agitated with Soldier

“I mean it Mr Jones get him away from that barn or I’ll tell one of my boys to shoot it”

With those words Kid drew his own gun

“No one harms this dog” he said gruffly

Soldier started to bark so the Sheriff went over and opened the door he couldn’t see anything of significance in there just the cattle. Soldier, could he went under the cows and found Ethan McKinley trying to hide in amongst them.

He started to bark and Kid came in and found Ethan.

“Sheriff he’s in here”
The sheriff came in and took Ethan by the arm when they got outside, he turned to Mrs McKinley and said,

“Galveston ma really don’t you know it’s against the law to lie to an officer of the law”

“Ethan don’t worry I’ll get Mr Chumley he’ll get you out of this mess.”

He was placed under arrest and taken back to town he was searched and the Sheriff found Heyes’s wallet on him still full of his money.

Kid went back up to the hotel to see how Heyes was doing he arrived at the door just as the doc came out.

“Ah, Mr Jones he’s awake and asking for you”

“Thanks doc how is he?”

“Considering what he’s gone through he’s in remarkably good health you go on in mind the dog I don’t want him jumping all over him”

“He won’t Doc”

He went in and there sat Heyes with a plaster cast on his arm and one on his leg and a bandage on his head.

Kid looked at him and said,

“Heyes what have you got on your arm and your leg?”

“It’s a plaster cast it’s holding my broken bones in place so they heal right”

“Oh, I see you mean they don’t put bits of wood there anymore?”

“No Kid they don’t”

“Oh, ok so how long you like that?”

“It’s going to be a while I’m afraid”

“Oh, I see well I have some good news the Sheriff found your wallet with the money inside”

“Oh, that’s a relief”

A few days after Heyes and Kid heard that young Ethan had been found guilty of the theft of Heyes’s wallet.

It was decided that Heyes and Kid would go to see Soapy in San Francsico Heyes realised that Kid would have to do his packing.

“Kid, will you not do your usual with my clothes please”

“What do ya mean?”

“Kid, you just throw them in all Higgledy Piggledy it’s a wonder you can find anything in there”

Kid looked at him and said,

“You don’t”

“No, I don’t I fold things”

“Even when we’re in a rush”

“Yes, they’re not as perfect as when I do them calmly but they are folded”

So, Kid packed his own things as usual Heyes shook his head
Then Kid advanced towards the draws with Heyes’s shirts Heyes issued a warning

“Kid, now you be careful”

“Heyes will you just sit there and relax I know what I’m doin’”

Heyes sighed as he watched Kid fold his shirts if you could call folding.

Once he’d finished, they went to the train to San Francisco. Heyes sat in his first-class compartment with his leg up waiting for Kid to come with his dinner.

When his dinner arrived, Kid said that he’s leave things pack ready to get off in a few hours. They enjoyed the journey and when they arrived in San Francisco Soapy met them at the station.

“Hi soapy” said Kid as he helped Heyes off the train.
“Oh, merciful heavens Heyes let’s get you to my house and then you can stay as long as you like.”

“Thanks, Soapy”

So, they went to Soapy’s house and the boys were given separate room which was a good thing for when Heyes opened his saddle bags his worst fears had been realised that his things were as he predicted all Higgledy Piggledy.

Challenge prompted the return of Sheriff Jones and Deputy Smith for another one of their adventures guarding the town of Russell Gulch, CO.  


Hundred Black Hens

“HELP!  HELP!  I’ve been robbed!  SHERIFF!  Where's the sheriff?  I need the SHERIFF!”

Sheriff Jones, aka Kid Curry, quickly dropped his pen and stood up and came around his desk.  Deputy Smith, aka Hannibal Heyes, slammed his book closed and got up from the cot where he was laying down.  Both hurried to the door.

“Where’s Logan?”  Deputy Smith put on his black hat.

Sheriff Jones checked his gun chamber and twirled his gun as he holstered it.  “He’s doin’ the rounds.  Maybe he saw somethin’.”

They rushed out of the door and towards the Gold Nugget Saloon, where a man with a bowler hat was shouting and gesturing wildly, his arms flailing the air.  He stood near a wagon full of empty large crates.

Curry stopped and put his hands on the man’s shoulders, trying to get him to focus.  “What happened?”

“My chickens!”  He pointed to the empty crates.  “My chickens are gone!”

At that moment, a black hen ran over Heyes’ boots.  Quickly, he bent and picked it up before it got away.  “Here’s one,” he said, as he handed the chicken over to the owner.

The man looked at the star pinned on the rescuer's shirt, his words rushing out of his mouth.  “Oh, thank you, Deputy!  I was so surprised to come out here and see that they were loose and running around all over the place!  I've never had anything like this ever happen before!  These chickens are how I earn my living and...”

“Okay, calm down,” Curry broke in.  “We’ll get your chickens, don't worry,” assured the sheriff.  “First, what’s your name?”

“Mr. Haney.  Mr. Everett Haney.”  The man took a deep breath, put the one chicken into a crate and hurried on.  “I just went into the saloon for a drink or two and when I returned, they were all gone – every last one of them!  As you can imagine, it was quite a shock.  Why, I felt like I was poleaxed!  If only I hadn't gone into the saloon those chickens would still...”

Holding a hand up to forestall Mr. Haney as he interrupted the talkative man, the Kid asked, “How many chickens did you have in the crates?”

“A hundred.”

“A hundred?” Heyes questioned, cocking his brow at the man.  “You had one hundred chickens?  Why?”

Mr. Haney nodded.  “I bring them to mining towns alive so folks can buy them for eggs or for fresh chicken dinners.  And they’re gone – all gone – except for this one.”  He stared at the lone bird, a forlorn expression on his face.

Milton Grove, the honorary mayor and town’s mortician, strode purposely towards the wagon.  “Sheriff, what are you going to do about all these chickens!?” he demanded, gesturing towards the poultry dashing around.  “They’ve taken over the town!”

Deputy Logan came running from the McGregor’s Mercantile.  “Sheriff, Mr. McGregor has live chickens in his store causing a big disruption!”

“Okay, Joshua and Logan, this is what we have to do; we have to gather up the chickens and bring them to Mr. Haney.  Encourage folks to help catch and bring them to the wagon.  Don’t let anyone shoot one!”  The Kid glanced around Russell Gulch and saw black chickens running all over the place in every direction he looked.  “Mr. Haney, stay here and keep count of the chickens brought back to you.”

Haney nodded.  “Someone had to have let them out.  Like I told you earlier, this has never happened before.  I've never had even one chicken escape in the whole time I've been doing this and...”

“Don’t worry,” Sheriff Jones broke in. “We’ll capture and return your chickens.  If anyone kills one, they get to keep it and pay Mr. Haney…”  He looked at him, enquiringly.  “How much does one cost?”

“Three dollars.”

Curry whistled.  “That’s a lot for a bird.”

“But think of the eggs and a chicken dinner,” Mr. Haney's tone rose as he defended his price.  “And don't you forget, I’m delivering them to you.  You don't have to do anything else 'cept take one home.  I'm the one doing all the work and...”

A scream was heard inside the El Dorado Saloon.

“I’ll start rounding up chickens,” Heyes spoke quickly.  “Why don’t you two check out the scream.”  He went down an alley where he spotted two chickens.

Sheriff Jones and Deputy Logan rushed into the saloon with their right hands hovering over their guns.  In a corner, Elsie, a saloon girl, had two chickens around her.  “Shoo!”

The Kid and Logan walked over and each grabbed a chicken.

“You saved me – thank you so much!  I’m scared to death of chickens since one pecked at me when I was a child.”

Curry tipped his hat.  “Our pleasure, ma’am.”

“Why, Sheriff, why don’t you come and see me sometime?”

Kid Curry blushed.  “I’ve been awful busy, ma’am.”

“And Loco Logan, you sure do clean up nice.”  Elsie ran a finger down the side of his face.  “You should come see me, too.”

Deputy Logan reddened.  “Let us know if you see any more chickens in the saloon, ma’am.”

Curry gave Logan his chicken.  “You take these two back while I go to McGregor’s.”  

The sheriff entered McGregor’s Mercantile just as Earl pulled out a gun.

“Stop, don’t shoot!” shouted the Kid.

“There’s chickens everywhere and they're getting into everything!  What a mess!” exclaimed the mercantile owner as he put the gun down.  “Where’d they all come from?”

“A merchant had a hundred chickens in crates in his wagon and they somehow got out.”  Curry cornered one and captured it.  “Help me get the ones in your store.”

Earl, along with the help of a few young customers, a female shopper, and the sheriff captured seven chickens and took them to Haney’s wagon.

“That’s 25.  Only 75 more left,” Haney informed them, still looking upset as he secured them in the crates.  “That's a lot of chickens running around.  Let me tell you...”

“Here’s 15 more we caught at the school.”  Miss Blackwell and her students helped put them back in their cages.  “So, students, if there were 75 missing and we brought back 15, how many are left to find?”

A few children raised their hands.  

“Benjamin?”

“Sixty more, Miss Blackwell.”

“That’s correct!”

“Ma’am, can we help the sheriff and deputies catch the chickens?” asked Bobby, one of the boys who had been rescued from the mine shaft.

The teacher raised a brow as she looked at the sheriff.

“We sure could use their help, ma’am,” admitted the Kid.

“Well, I think we can spare thirty minutes.  When I ring the bell, everyone needs to come back to the school.”

“YAY!”  Children went in all directions chasing down black hens.

“Now to find out where those Potter boys are off to,” mumbled Miss Blackwell as she walked away.

Heyes met up with Kid Curry in the middle of the road a while later.

“Only about 20 more to go.”  Heyes pushed his hat back.

“I’d like to know how they all got out in the first place,” Curry growled.

“I think I might know that answer.”  Heyes motioned with his head towards the livery where up in the loft window sat two identical, red-headed boys laughing and pointing at the folks trying to catch the black hens.

Kid Curry swaggered over towards the livery and put his hands on his hips as he looked up.  The twins stopped laughing and gulped.

“Get down here right now!” he demanded.

A minute later, two young teens stood in front of the sheriff.

“What are your names?”

“Fred...”

“And George Potter.”

“Deputy Smith, take Fred and George and put them in jail until their parents can be located.”

Heyes smiled.  “Yes, sir, Sheriff Jones.”

“Jail?”  The twins looked at each other anxiously.

“You heard the sheriff.  Let’s go, you two.”

“Boy, are we in trouble!” George groaned.  Fred nodded, agreeing with his brother.

“Sheriff, there are two of them in my assay office!” shouted a gentleman.

“I got one in the telegraph office!” another voice cried out.

“Can’t you help and capture them?” asked the Kid.

“I suppose,” grumbled the assay man.

“I can’t leave the telegraph,” whined the operator.  “What if an important message comes in?”

“I’m comin’,” Curry huffed in resignation and hurried towards the office.

The Kid and Logan brought four more birds to the wagon.  “How many is that, Mr. Haney?”

“I sold ten already and have 85 in the cages.  Still missing five more.”

Gus, the bartender, stuck his head out of the Gold Nugget Saloon holding two squawking, struggling birds, one under each arm.  “Hey, there’s two more in here, besides the two I have.”

“Thanks, Gus, let me take those and Logan can get the other two.”  Kid Curry went and took the hens from Gus.

A few moments later Logan joined the two men at the wagon, a black chicken tucked under each of his arms.

Mr. Haney put the hens into his wagon and secured the latch.  “Just one more, Sheriff.  That shouldn't be too hard.  You've been catching chickens all afternoon.  I bet you're ready to get back to your office and...”

His back to the man, Kid Curry rolled his eyes before he looked up and down the main street of Russell Gulch.  Up in the livery loft window, a black rooster crowed.  “I’ll go get it.”

When the Kid handed the last bird to Mr. Haney, there were several people gathered around buying the chickens.

“Are you good now?  Have all your birds, Mr. Haney?”

“I do, Sheriff.  Thank you for getting them all back.  You'll never know how much I appreciate it.  And you did it so quickly!  Why, this reminds me of the time...”

“You're welcome,” Curry interrupted.  “You'll have to excuse me, but I need to get back to the jail.  I have a couple prisoners to take care of.”  

Mr. Haney nodded as he took a hen out of the crate and handed it to a woman standing next to the wagon.  “That’ll be three dollars, ma'am.”

Curry walked back to the jail and was joined by his deputy.  “You know Fred and George’s parents, Logan?”

“I sure do.  Want me to go get them and bring them to the jail?”

“Yeah, I’d appreciate that.”

Heyes watched from the front of the jail.  “Is that all of them?”

“Yep.  The boys give you any trouble?”

“No more trouble than two young boys I remember in Kansas.”  Heyes grinned.

“We weren’t that bad, were we?”

“We were.”  Heyes put his arm around his partner’s shoulders, and they walked into the jail’s office.

Curry took off his hat and hung it up before making his way over to the cell.  “What do you boys have to say for yourself?”

“We’re sorry, Sheriff!” they answered in unison.

“Why would you do that?”

“We was bored,” confessed Fred.

“What’s gonna happen to us?” asked George.

“We’ll decide when your folks get here.”

A short time later, a couple hurried into the jail.

“George and Fred, what did you do?” demanded their father.

“You are in big trouble!” said their mother, looking concerned seeing their sons behind bars.

“We’re sorry, Pa!”
“We won’t do nothing like that again, Ma!”

“I should hope not!”  Mr. Potter turned.  “Sheriff, what kind of punishment were you thinking?”

Heyes grinned.  “I have an idea…”




“Bird poop!  We have to clean up all the bird poop and feathers from the black hens AND from the pigeons that hang around town for a month?” George lamented.

“Don’t forget the horse dung in the street.  Come on.”  Fred handed his twin a pail and a rag.  “Let’s get this over with.”

“And don’t forget to apologize to the townsfolk for the mess,” added Mr. Potter, giving both boys a stern look.




“Well, that was a nice break.”  Kid Curry sighed, sat down, and pulled over a pile of papers a day later.  “But it created more paperwork.”

Milton Grove walked into the office.  “Another good job, Sheriff Jones.  You captured all the black hens with no casualties.”

“Thank you, Mr. Grove.”

The mayor left just as Heyes came in and sat down.  “What’d he want?”

“Just to tell us we did a good job.  What you got there?”

“Got the latest copy of the Russell Gulch Gazette.”  He held up a single piece of paper with print on both sides.

“Anything about the boys in the mine shaft that you rescued?  Bobby and Joe?”  Curry stood up and poured two cups of coffee, handing one to his partner.

“Yep, it made the front page, along with…” Heyes silently read and then laughed.

“What’s so funny?” The Kid asked, looking over Heyes’ shoulder.

“This one.”  Heyes pointed and began to read:




Kid Curry chuckled.  

“Very clever how he changed that nursery rhyme to fit that day,” Heyes commented.  “Oh, and guess what we’re having for dinner?

“What?” Curry asked.

“Chicken!”

The Kid groaned.


Note - I tried to find the cost of a live chicken in 1880s with no success.  I did find out that "in the United States in the 1800s, chicken was more expensive than other meats and it was "sought by the rich because [it is] so costly as to be an uncommon dish." Chicken consumption in the U.S. increased during World War II due to a shortage of beef and pork."  Who knew?  Not me.

Challenge August 2023
Higgledy Piggledy
Years of Farmboy Youth

“Now Han, watch your cousin Jed. Stand straight. Relax your arms. Learning to shoot a gun is serious business and you must concentrate,” said Horatio Heyes to his only son. With his brother-in-law, Thomas Curry, they were attempting to teach their young sons how to shoot guns. Both boys had used rifles for hunting, but handguns and gun belts were a different matter. The men had argued with their wives for days about this. But the last group of ragtag soldiers that stopped at the Heyes farm demanding food and more were desperate. Good thing that Peggy Curry Heyes knew how to use both guns and rifles. She had given them a sack of food then run them off the property while her husband and brother were working off in their combined farm fields.

That decided it. The boys would learn how to shoot a gun properly. This was their first lesson. Nine-year-old Jed Curry had dreamed about this day. His older brothers, Hugh and Sean, had already shown him the basics when their parents weren’t around. Letting him wear their holsters and handle their guns. And he had loved the feel of the gun in his hand and the power he imagined the weapon gave him.

On the other hand, his cousin, eleven almost twelve-year-old Hannibal Heyes, was only mildly interested in learning how to shoot. His head was full of adventures and his younger cousin willingly accompanied him, helping Han to recreate scenes from his favorite books. Han dreamed big, of traveling the United States and the world, especially visiting his father’s homeland, England. He pictured himself a gentleman with no need of a gun but hearing about what had happened to his ma with the soldiers, he was coming around to using a gun. Feeling it on his hip did make him feel grownup.

“Okay, Jeddie, shoot at those six cans on the fence,” his uncle instructed him. “Take your time. Draw slowly. It’s more important that you hit the cans than go too quickly and miss them.”

“Yes, Uncle Horatio.”

His pa and uncle observed as Jed stood up straight, put his shoulders back, and took a deep breath and held it for a calming moment. Drawing too quickly, according to his uncle, Jed fired six evenly spaced bullets and hit each can somewhere.

His pa smiled. “Jeddie, your brothers already show you how to do this?”

“Yes, sir. A little.”

“Well, you seem to have picked it up quickly. I’ll see that you get time to practice. Would you like that?”

“Oh, yes, sir.”

Thomas Curry turned to his nephew. “You been practicing too, Han?”

“No, sir. But I made myself a wooden sword and been teaching myself to fight with it like a pirate.”


His uncle tried to hide a smile. This boy always had his head in a book and his dreams in the sky. “Well, let’s see what you can do, Han. Remember what your pa showed Jeddie?”

Han hadn’t really been listening, but still answered, “Yes, sir.”

“Okay, the cans have been replaced. Let’s see how you do.”

Han pretended he was a famous gunfighter. This learning to shoot was going to be fun. “Yes, sir.”

The boy suddenly drew the gun from its holster and pulled the trigger six times as fast as he could. It felt good. It felt like he was a grownup. But his uncle and pa were angry.

“Shooting helter skelter like that you missed every can and sent bullets everywhere,” his Uncle Thomas scolded him.

Han looked at the six cans still standing, unharmed on the fence.

“Thomas, you say helter skelter? In England I would say those shots of his were higgledy piggledy…scattered every which way,” said Han’s pa looking ashamed of his son’s performance.

“Jeddie, try again. This time look at the center of the can where the words are. That’s where I want your next bullets to hit,” his pa told him.

The boy did as he asked, remembering all the instructions he’d been given. Again, six evenly spaced bullets flew. All the cans danced on the fence before they fell, three with a hole right through the letters.

‘Good. Very good. Now set up cans so Han can try again.”

Watching his younger cousin hit the cans, Han’s competitive streak came out. This time he took his time before pulling the gun. Still shooting quickly, four cans moved on the fence, two falling off.

“You two come here after school tomorrow and practice with our guns. We’ll try and join you,” Han’s pa said. “Guns are serious business, and you may need to use them to protect our families one day soon.”

ASJ*****ASJ

The boys practiced as told for the next few days. But soon it was only Jed that practiced while Han took the time to lay in the grass and read Moby Dick. But one day taught Han the value of knowing how to shoot. Jed was reloading his gun for the fourth time after resetting all the cans when screaming broke Han’s concentration on Captain Ahab.

Jed was already running toward the Heyes home knowing the person in distress was Han’s sister Beatrice. Han stumbled behind his cousin, fastening the thigh strap on his holster. It was easy to follow the screams. Two soldiers, their uniforms so worn and torn that you couldn’t tell which side they fought for, had the young girl backed against the hay bales in the barn. Her dress was torn, and they were pushing it up to get at her.

“Leave her alone!” Jed’s voice sounded older to Han, meaner, determined.

The two soldiers turned at the sudden interruption and laughed. The smaller soldier said, “He’s just a kid.”

“A kid with a gun pointed at us,” said the other.

“He won’t use it. Will you, kid?”

“Leave her alone!” This time it was Han standing tall ordering the soldiers. “Bea, come over here behind me,” he said forcefully.

Attempting to slip out of the soldiers’ grasp, Bea felt her arm sharply grabbed and yanked back.

When Han looked at his younger cousin, he saw a look of determination that he could picture on Captain Ahab’s face as he chased the white whale. But Jed’s enemy was in front of him. And Han knew that Jed would fire if pushed.

The soldier pulled Beatrice and held her to his side, feeling her breasts with his other hand. “Now easy, mister, don’t doubt that my partner there looks like a kid, but he doesn’t miss what he’s aiming at. And right now, he’s aiming just below your belt buckle.”

The soldier glanced down at his pants before pulling the girl in front of him.

Han took a conciliatory tone. “Of course, if you let the girl go, I could talk the kid into holstering that Colt and you could leave before that girl’s pa comes barging in here with his shotgun.”

The man took a step back, taking Beatrice with him.

Han heard Jed take the calming breath he was taught. “Last chance friend,” Han said, trying to use his voice as his weapon to get the soldier to leave.

Looking from Han to Jed and back again, the man did not move. Instead, Jed saw defiance in his eyes, and he fixed his gaze on them. With Beatrice in his left arm, the man’s gun hand was free. From his eyes, Jed saw when the man decided to draw. The boy shot his gun at the man’s elbow, hitting his target. Dropping his hold on Beatrice, the soldier stared at the blood spreading down his arm.

Han yanked his sister out of the way just as his pa and uncle rushed into the barn with shotguns. And it was over. The soldiers put up their hands trembling at the shotguns the senior Heyes and Curry men were holding on them and intimidated by the steely looks on their faces.

“Who shot this man?” Han’s pa asked.

“I did, Uncle Horatio,” Jed spoke up. There was little emotion in his voice. “I needed to protect Beatrice.

Understanding the situation, Thomas Curry took the gun from his son’s hand. He was surprised that his hand was so steady after firing at a man for the first time. “Jed…Jed?”

Slowly, Jed let his eyes move from the soldier to his cousin, Beatrice, to his father. His pa saw the look in his eyes soften.

“Pa, he was hurting Beatrice. I needed to stop him.”

“Yes, boy, you did good.”

ASJ*****ASJ

Thomas Curry and Horatio Heyes talked late into the night about their boys.

“Han tried to do what he does with his teachers, talk them out of doing things.”

“In England, we called that a silver tongue.”

“Well, your boy is certainly developing that and the confidence to try it. Jed was the surprise to me.”

Thomas Curry leaned back in his chair. “Yes, he’s growing up fast. I need to talk to him. He has a gift for using a gun…and that comes with a lot of responsibility.

“But he handled it well today. He could have killed the soldier but instead wounded him. That’s pretty mature for a nine-year-old kid.”

The two men nodded to each other at the glimpses they saw today of what their fearless sons would be when they got older. And they smiled.

Penski: That was fun. What a mess those boys caused just because they were bored. The punishment fits the crime. Were our boys that bad when they were young, I guess if Heyes says yes, they must have been. I wonder why the chickens were all black?