CHOICESCHOICES
Once they had reached the outskirts of Rock Creek, Kid, Buck, Ike and Jimmy slowed their horse to a stop at the place where all the express trails intermingled. Buck leaped off of Racing Moon’s back and began to carefully scrutinize the ground for the tracks that would tell him in which direction Lou had gone. Within a few minutes he had carefully identified each set of hoof-prints belonging to the riders favorite mounts, including Racing Moon’s. He found the set of prints that Lightning had made the day before when Lou had returned to Rock Creek from Seneca.
“Well Buck, did you find Lightning’s tracks yet?” Jimmy asked impatiently.
“I’ve found the tracks that he made when Lou rode into Rock Creek from Seneca yesterday.” Buck said, without turning his head.
“What good are those tracks to us? We want to find out where Lou went, not where she’s been!” Jimmy replied.
“Maybe if you’d shut up long enough to let him look, he’d find them!” Kid said, irritably.
“And if it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be looking for Lou in the first place!” Jimmy retorted angrily.
Kid’s face darkened with anger. “You were a part of her leaving too, Jimmy. I wasn’t the only one who drove Lou away.”
Jimmy opened his mouth to retort, but was stopped by Ike. Ike laid one hand
on Jimmy’s arm and one hand on Kid’s. When he had the attention of
both the riders, Ike drew his hands away and began to quickly sign. (Does it
really matter which one of you was at fault? Does it? Can’t either of you
put aside her petty
differences and jealousies and concentrate right now on what’s really important?
Finding Lou should be the most important thing on your minds right now. After
we find Lou and bring her home to Rock Creek, then you boys can go back to hating
each other if you like. But only after we find Lou.)
Kid looked at Ike sheepishly. “ You’re right Ike. Fighting with Jimmy isn’t going to get us anywhere. ‘Sides, I don’t hate Jimmy. I might not like him sometimes, but I don’t hate him.”
Ike shook his head at Kid’s remark, clearly thinking that Kid had put his foot in it again. To his surprise, a slow grin spread across Jimmy’s face in answer to Kid’s remark.
“That’s right, Ike. Kid and I don’t hate each other. Life wouldn’t
be as fun that way. If we hated each other, him and I would have drawn down
on each other a
long time ago and you and I wouldn’t even be having this conversation right
now. Kid wouldn’t be around to cause me any grief!” Jimmy said, sarcastically.
The startled look on Kid’s face was enough to set both Jimmy and Ike laughing.
After a moment Kid joined in and all three were still laughing as Buck remounted
Racing Moon.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, looking from each rider to the other.
“Nothing, Buck. You’d have to hear what was said to understand, and
we don’t have the time to go through it again. Did you find out what direction
Lou took?”
Kid said.
Buck shook his head. “Yeah. Lou took the northwestern trail heading toward Ft. Kearney. Whether or not she stays there, I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t matter. At least we have a lead on where to find her.” Jimmy said. “It’s better than nothing.”
As if they were one rider and one horse, the four friends kicked their mounts into motion and thundered down the express trail heading toward Ft. Kearney.
