CHAPTER 35 MAKING READY COMPANY A

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SETTING AT HIS TABLE WHEN KNOCK ON THE DOOR,.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON COME IN

CAPTAIN PAR DEE SIR CAPTAIN PAR DEE REPORTING AS DIRECTED "SIR"

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON AT EASE , SET DOWN CAPTAIN PAR DEE.

CAPTAIN SETS AT THE TABLE AND COLONEL RICHARDSON LOOKS AT HIM.

COLONEL RICHARDSON THE BATTERIES, WHAT KIND SHAPE THEY IN?

CAPTAIN PAR DEE I HAD LT JOHNSON GET EVERY GOOD WHEEL AND REPLACE THE WHEELS ON OUR 8 IF THEY NEED IT. NO RUST ON THEM, GOT GOOD HORSES TO PULL THEM. THEY AS GOOD WE CAN MAKE THEM SIR,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON THE WAGONS , HOW ARE THEY?

CAPTAIN PAR DEE I BEG AND STOLE EVERY GOOD WHEEL AT THE POST, WAGONS AS GOOD WE CAN MAKE THEM, NOW SIR

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON CHECK EACH MAN RECORD SEE IF GOT A WHEEL WRITE AND BLACK SMITH IN THE FORT ,IF DO TRANSFER HIM THE COMPANY.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE COLONEL MCAFEE IS MAKE IT RUFF TO TRANSFER MEN.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON GET WHAT YOU NEED CAPTAIN, HE GIVES YOU PROBLEMS TELL HIM PHIL SHARIDAN SAY TO,, OR SEE ME, HE BEEN TOLD STAY OUT MY WAY. CAPTAIN PAR DEE GET ALL THE CANISTER SHOT FOR YOUR BATTERYS;ALL WE CAN LOAD IN THE WAGONS.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE CANISTER SHOT THAT'S FOR INFANTRY,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON WORKS GOOD ON INDIANS AND CALVARY TOO, YOU GETTING ALL THE SUPPLIES WE REQUESTED?

CAPTAIN PAR DEE THE QUARTER MASTER HAD QUESTIONS , HE TALK TO COLONEL MC A FEE. HE TOLD HIM GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASK FOR.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON YOU GET THE MARRIED MEN OUT THE COMPANY, AND GOOD REPLACEMENTS FOR THEM.

CAPTAIN PAR DEE LOT MOVING , AND GRIPING, BUT IT IS DONE, ALL GOOD MEN TO, WE GOT FOR THEM, SERGEANT MAJOR PICK THEM,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON GOOD WE SET TO MOVE TOMORROW THEN, "WHEN YOU GO" TELL THE SERGEANT MAJOR I WANT TO SEE HIM, YOU NEED ANY THING STEEL IT TO NIGHT, NO TIME FOR PAPER WORK, THAT BE ALL CAPTAIN,

CAPTAIN PAR DEE STAND AND SOLUTE, AND SAYS ANYTHING WE NEED SIR?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY BODY FALL OFF A HORSE CAPTAIN, BUT WHAT GOOD FOR TROOP SPIRITS, I AM FOR ,,THEY NEED IT

CAPTAIN GOES OUT THE DOOR 5 MINUTES LATTER KNOCK ON DOOR.

COLONEL RICHARDSON COME IN SERGEANT MAJOR.

SERGEANT MAJOR MCDUFF SIR"" SERGEANT MAJOR MC DUFF REPORTING AS DIRECTED

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON SERGEANT MAJOR I SEE YOU WAS WITH THE QUEENS GUARD BEFORE JOINING OUR ARM FORCES, HOW GOOD WAS YOUR TRAINING.

SERGEANT MAJOR IT WAS AS TUFF AS IT GETS, LOT TRAINING IN CLOSE FIGHTING, YOU YANKS FIGHT DIFFERENT NOW, BUT GOOD,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON HOW WOULD ONE MY BEST TROOP DO AGAINST ONE THE QUEEN GUARD?

SERGEANT MAJOR HE BE A SORRY MESS SIR, MEANING THE TROOP, NO CLOSE FIGHTING TRAINING,

COLONEL RICHARDSON AFTER WE LEAVE HERE IT BE YOU DUTY TO SEE EACH MAN IS TRAIN IN CLOSE FIGHTING, WITH KNIFES ,HAND AX , AND SPEARS

START WITH THE SERGEANTS LET THEM TRAIN THEIR TROOP.

SERGEANT MAJOR WHAT ABOUT THE OFFICERS SIR? THEY MAY NEED A WEE BIT TO SIR.

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON OFFICERS TO INCLUDING ME, SERGEANT MAJOR YOU GET TO BUST MY BUT TO HEHE, IN THE LINE OF DUTY ONLY.

SERGEANT MAJOR with a smile IN THE LINE OF DUTY "SIR" MIGHT I ASK ,ARE WE GOING TO WAR SIR?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON I CAN TELL YOU IN FOUR WEEKS SERGEANT MAJOR, BUT IT FOR REAL, HOW REAL, MY GUESS MOST WANT COME BACK SIR.

SERGEANT MAJOR THAT'S REAL ENOUGH SIR, ANY THING ELSE SIR?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON THESE MEN GOT TO BE THE BEST SIR, THEY BE UP AGAINST THE BEST. AND THEY GIVE NO QUARTER, YOU MAKE THEM THE BEST SERGEANT MAJOR.

SERGEANT MAJOR ANY THING ELSE I CAN DO FOR YOU SIR?

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON NO I GUESS NOT, BUT I AM CONCERN IN MY MEN BEEN UP TO THE TASK.

SERGEANT MAJOR THEY WILL BE SIR :GOT MY WORD ON IT.

HE SOLUTES THE COLONEL AND GOES OUT THE DOOR,

LT COLONEL RICHARDSON MUMBLES GOING BE A LOT SORE ASSES AROUND THE CAMP FIRE INCLUDING MINE,

JOHN ROBERSON AND MRS. MINNIE STILL STAYING PUT LOT RAIN AND GROWN IS WET.

MRS. MINNIE JOHN THIS IS SECOND DAY OF RAIN. WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO MOVE AGAIN?

JOHN ROBERSON LET DRY ONE DAY AFTER IT STOPS., WE GOT ALL WE NEED HERE MRS. MINNIE.

MRS. MINNIE JOHN I THINK YOU ARE A NICE MAN.. YOU HAVE MINE YOUR MANNERS.

I MEAN YOU BEEN A GENT SIR.

JOHN ROBERSON MRS. MINNIE DO NOT FRET ABOUT ME.. I ONLY GO WHERE I AM INVITED.

MRS. MINNIE O IT TAKE MORE THAN A DROP OF A HANKIE.

JOHN ROBERSON LADIES CAN TALK TO, HOW I FEEL MAY NOT BE HOW SHE FEELS. I LIKE TO MAKE SURE ME AND LADY ON SAME PAGE OF THE BOOK OF LIFE.

MRS. MINNIE JOHN I LIKE YOU VERY MUCH, ONLY BEEN ONE MAN IN MY LIFE, WHEN HE DIED I THOUGHT MY LIFE HAD COME TO END. NOW YOU COME INTO MY LIFE. I LIKE IT!

JOHN RICHARDSON MRS. MINNIE I NEVER HAD A WOMAN OF MY OWN. I MEET A FEW LADIES UUUNNNNH THEY WAS NOT THE KEEPING KIND. I FINE YOU VERY MUCH A WOMAN THAT I AM INTERESTED IN, FOR A LONG TIME. I LIKE IT TOO!

MRS. MINNIE JOHN BE SURE, TAKE YOUR TIME.

JOHN ROBERSON MRS. MINNIE I AM SURE, LOOK BE FORE YOU LEAP.

THERE WAS A CLAP OF THUNDER AND LIGHTING FLASH, MRS. MINNIE SCOOTED OVER TO JOHN AND SNUGGLE UP TO HIM, AND JOHN PUT HIS ARM AROUND HER AND PULL HER CLOSE TO HIM. JOHN PUT HIS BLANKET OVER THEM AND THEY WARM THEM SELF WHILE THE RAIN CAME DOWN.

MRS. MINNIE IT CAN RAIN FOR A WEEK I DO NOT CARE! AND LAID HER HEAD ON JOHN SHOULDERS,

AT THE CAMP LIZZIE HAD CUT OUT 30 MARES AND A YOUNG STALLION TO MATCH. THEY HAD THEM ALL IN CORRAL AND OPEN THE FENCE TO THE BOX CANYON AND LET THE REST OF THE WILD MUSTANGS OUT.

CHEROKEE BILL I RODE ALL BACK THERE NO MORE HORSES THERE.

LIZZIE OK BILL ILL PUT THEM BACK IN BOX CANYON, YOU SHUT THE FENCE WHEN I RUN THEM IN.

LIZZIE SUSIE YOU TAKE THAT SACK AND WAVE IT AT THEM MAKE TURN RUN INTO CANYON ,WHEN I OPEN UP FENCE AND RUN THEM OUT,

SUSIE I GOT IT, OK I DO IT LIKE THIS WAVING THE SACK UP AND DOWN.

LIZZIE THAT'S IT THEY SPOOK AND RUN INTO CANYON.

LIZZIE ON HER MUSTANG AND CHEROKEE BILL OPEN THE FENCE UP SHE RIDES IN, OUT COMES THE HORSES AND SUSIE FLOPPING THE SACK THEY SPOOK AND RUN INTO THE CANYON, CHEROKEE PUT THE RAIL BACK INTO PLACE. AND SMILES.

SUSIE THAT'S EASY ,,HEHE

LIZZIE THERE A TRICK TO EVERY THING ,

CHEROKEE BILL NOW TOMORROW WE GO TO TRADING POST GET WHAT WE NEED FOR THE TRAIL.

SUSIE WE NEED A LOT OF ROPE, TO CONTROL THE HORSES.

LIZZIE WE HAVE 3 STRINGS OF

10 HORSES:; TWO BE TIED TO WAGON . SUSIE YOU HAVE THE THIRD STRING

CHEROKEE BILL THAT BE CLOSE TO 300 FEET OF ROPE, GET 400 MAKE SURE, ALWAYS USE ROPE,

THEY GO BACK TO CAMP AND JACK LAYING THERE WITH HIS BACK TO THE LOG.

JACK YA GOT IT DONE? THERE IS A RATTLE SNAKE OVER BY THAT BUSH POINTING ONE CLOSE TO BILL BED ROW.

CHEROKEE BILL YOU SURE JACK?

JACK HE THERE I SEEN HIM CRAW RIGHT THREW HERE, HAD MY GUN, BUT DID NOT SHOOT, I MIGHT SPOOK THE HORSES AND GOT SOME ONE HURT.

CHEROKEE BILL GOT A STICK WITH FORK ON END . CHECK HIS BED ROW, SURE ENOUGH HE WAS IN IT, CHEROKEE PINED THE HEAD DOWN WITH THE FORK ,AND PUT FOOT ON BODY, DREW HIS KNIFE AND CUT THE HEAD OFF,

CHEROKEE BILL THINKS JACK BEEN A NASTY SURPRISE GET IN BED WITH THAT. NOW GOT FRESH MEAT TO EAT,, HE HE

SUSIE YUUUM SNAKE

LIZZIE I ANT EATING NO SNAKE.

JACK WHY NOT JUST LIKE CHICKEN. WHEN I WAS LIVEN IN THE BUSH ,TRYING NOT GET KILL. WE CALL THEM LEGLESS CHICKEN. BEEN MANY RATTLE SNAKE EATEN ,DID NOT HAVE TO FIRE A SHOT GIVE AWAY WHERE WE AT.

CHEROKEE BILL ME SKIN YOU SEE LIZZIE """GOOD""