Once the pair had left, Ezra tried to dissuade Vin from going. "You really should reconsider, Mr Tanner. Mr Larabee would most emphatically disapprove of your accompanying them in your present condition. ""He'd expect me to look for the boy, Ezra."
"I am certain that Messrs Wilmington and Dunne will successfully locate him."
"But not as fast as I can. Hell, Ez, the weather's turnin' damned cold and I can smell rain comin'. We don't want Billy to have to spend the night out in this."
"I suppose not. Perhaps I should go with you," he added reluctantly.
"No, Ez, ya'd best stay here. With Chris outta town, we don't wanta have too many of us away. Someone needs to look after the sheriff's office."
Ezra nodded. In truth, he was torn. He definitely did not want to venture forth on such a chilly day with rain threatening, but he felt he ought to keep an eye on Vin, as he had promised Larabee.
He watched Vin trying to struggle one-handed into his coat. "Allow me, Mr Tanner," he said. "Although it pains me to have to assist anyone to don such a disreputable piece of apparel."
Vin grinned at his expression of extreme distaste and watched with envy as Standish's nimble fingers buttoned his coat. Why could he not be that deft with such things? Even when he had two good hands, he fumbled over such tasks.
Then Ezra picked up Vin's hat and made quite a performance of holding the tattered object at arm's length. "There ain't nothin' in there that'll bite ya, Ez. Any cooties'll be in yer nice warm bed," Vin commented reassuringly.
Standish looked horrified for a moment and then realized he was being teased. Vin felt pleased with himself. It was always difficult to startle Ezra out of his habitual poker-face.
Then he was startled himself as the gambler pulled him into a brief hug. "Take care, Vin," he said and then covered himself by adding, "I most certainly do not want to face Mr Larabee's legendary wrath in the event of you suffering some mishap."
Buck and JD had their horses saddled and Peso outside by the time Vin made an appearance. Buck was holding Peso's saddle and JD was trying to keep the horse under some control. As soon as Peso spotted Vin, he got even more skittish and was clearly ready to give trouble.
JD looked at the battered Vin with some concern. He did not look well enough to be going anywhere, let alone on that devil of a horse.
In the event, it took the combined efforts of all three to get a saddle on Peso and both Buck and Vin had been bitten. "Damned beast," Buck complained, rubbing his left forearm and scowling at the tooth-marks there. "If he was mine he'd have been dog tucker long ago."
"He's okay. He just likes to play around a bit," Vin replied, deliberately ignoring the bite he had received on his left shoulder. "He only needs a bit of exercise and he'll be fine."
He swung awkwardly into the saddle. Peso immediately tossed his head and bucked, but Vin knew him of old and was ready for that. The horse rarely managed to dislodge him, but that never stopped it trying and, being Vin, he admired its unbreakable spirit.
They set off. On the way, JD quizzed Vin, trying to find out about the fight he had clearly been in. The kid had the best intentions. The thought that someone might pick a fight with Vin when he had one arm out of action made his blood boil. However, Vin dismissed the fight as unimportant and, for once, Buck was not backing JD. Normally, the pair would have ganged up on Vin to try to get the information they wanted, but Wilmington was too pissed off with Vin for betraying Chris to care who had hit him.
They rode to Billy's normal fishing spot, still expecting to find the boy there, but he was not. Ominously, his gear was on the bank, but he was nowhere in sight. "Hell, surely Billy hasn't fallen in," a worried Buck exclaimed, staring at the fast flowing river.
"I don't think so," Vin said. "His horse ain't around and there's been other horses here. I reckon he's been taken by someone."
Meanwhile, JD was rummaging in the boy's fishing bag. "There's a note here! Hell!" He thrust a tattered piece of paper at Vin. "Read this!"
Vin blushed. The squiggles meant nothing to him. However, before he had to admit his disability, Buck snatched it impatiently from him. "What's it say, Buck?" he asked.
"Says here that the kid has been grabbed 'cos of some stuff his mother's been printin' in her damned paper. It was those articles about Les Marsden and his land purchases around Eagle Bend. Seems he and his brothers have taken exception to her suggestions that people are bein' forced to sell. They want a retraction and also a payment to get Billy back. It's a ransom, but they're callin' it compensation. They're askin' for $1,000. They say they'll get a message to her about where to leave it"
"Mrs Travis wouldn't have that kind of money," JD commented.
"And even iffen she had she shouldn't pay," Vin pointed out. "Once they've got the money, Billy would be no use to them."
"What do we do?" JD asked.
"I reckon we're here sooner'n they woulda expected. Lotsa mothers wouldn't be lookin' for their kids this early. They probably won't expect her to worry till suppertime, and then, by the time anyone got out here, it'd be too dark to track. We might be able to surprise them."
"How many do ya reckon there are, Vin?" Buck queried.
"'Bout six, maybe seven."
"Two each and a bonus. No trouble!" Buck responded cheerfully.
JD grinned at his enthusiasm, but Vin shivered. The ride had not been kind to his aching ribs and he was feeling chilled and knew he had a cold coming on. He just hoped he would be able to play the part required.
Two hours had passed, cold drizzle was falling and night was setting in when they finally located the men's camp. Vin had started to worry that darkness was going to overtake them before they found their quarry, but had then smelt the fire. He had been right. The outlaws had clearly not anticipated any pursuit or they would have gone without a fire in spite of the cold. They tied up their horses and moved quietly forward to survey the scene. Billy was tied to a tree at the edge of the camp and five men were huddled around the fire. Clearly the men were on guard enough to have posted at least one lookout.
"We're gonna have to be careful," Buck opined. "We don't want them gettin' a chance to get a gun on the kid and forcin' us to give up."
"I'll go in first and cut Billy loose," Vin said. "I'll signal when I'm done and then you two distract them and I'll get off into the trees with him. We'll circle round and join ya iffen we can, but otherwise we'll go to ground. If we don't get to you fairly quickly, you take off and come back at first light with the others. Don't worry, they won't find us."
"Okay."
Vin glided noiselessly away.
"It's spooky the way he does that," JD whispered.
Vin moved as quickly as he could. He located one sentry and ghosted past him.
Soon he was directly behind Billy. He gently touched the boy's arm, while whispering "Billy, it's Vin" and praying the boy would keep quiet. Then, drawing his sheath-knife, he sawed at the ropes binding the child. That done he made a sound like a hoot owl.
Buck immediately snapped a dry branch over his knee. The outlaws all turned to look in the direction of what could just be an animal.
Vin clutched Billy's arm and drew him slowly back into the bushes. They began to inch quietly away.
Meanwhile, two of the outlaws, guns drawn, were heading in the direction of the sound.
Unfortunately, the sentry on Buck and JD's side of the camp looked across and spotted the tracker and shouted a warning. "Watch out, boys, some bastard's over the other side!"
At the cry, Buck and JD opened fire to try to distract the outlaws.
One man swung around to seize the boy and saw that he was gone. "Damned brat's gone!" he shouted. "Jonesy, get yer butt down here and help me find him!" Cursing, he fired several shots into the bushes and headed after his prey.
Alerted, the sentry that Vin had evaded earlier headed towards him, crashing through the undergrowth. Vin knew they were going to have to sacrifice stealth for speed in an effort to avoid being caught between the pair.
"Billy, we're gonna have to run for it. When I start shootin' they'll see my gun-flash and come after me. Ya stay here and when I open up, ya run and don't stop till ya know yer clear. Then hide yerself. Don't worry, I'll find ya."
"Okay, Vin." Billy had complete faith in the man and never thought to question his orders.
Vin moved away about ten feet, dragged out his mare's leg and headed to intercept the sentry. As the tracker's gun roared, Billy ran.
Buck and JD heard the familiar sound. They knew what it meant. Vin was in trouble, but they were too busy to go to his assistance.
Vin's bullets felled the sentry, but not before one of Jonesy's bullets creased his head. Blood began to run down his face, obscuring his vision.
He heard the other man approaching fast. He swivelled and fired blindly. He heard a cry of pain. Without waiting to see if the man was down, he took off after Billy.
It was dark enough in the trees, without the additional problem of the blood obscuring his vision, and he failed to see a protruding tree root. Catching his foot, he fell heavily jolting his injured arm and bruised ribs.
Breath knocked out of him, he lay gasping for a few moments, but then lurched to his feet and staggered on.
Soon after that the rain intensified and began to fair bucket down. A cold wind sprung up simultaneously. The temperature was dropping rapidly and the rain was turning to sleet.
Finally, Vin became aware that the shooting had ceased. Only then did he dare to call the boy's name. He was becoming worried. He had expected to come across Billy before this, but it seemed like the boy had panicked and run some distance.
He walked on slowly, periodically calling the boy and finally Billy replied, "Vin, I'm here!"
He headed in the direction of the voice. Billy burst from the bushes, flung himself into the tracker's arms and clung to him.
Vin could feel him shaking. "It's okay, Billy, ya safe now," he reassured him.
"I'm not scared … well, not really, just a bit cold," the boy confided. Since, his mother had been unaware of his fishing expedition there had been no one to insist on a jacket.
"Help me get my coat off, ya can wear that."
"I can't take your coat, Vin."
"Course ya can. I'm used to bein' out in all weathers. I'll be fine. I just need a hand to get it off. It's damned … I-I mean it's awkward with my arm strapped up."
Once they had effected the change, Billy asked, "What should we do now?"
"I told Buck and JD not to wait. They've probably headed back to town. They'll be back tomorrow. We need to find a place to hole up till then. We'll head for the hills due west. There's caves there."
As they walked, Billy said, "My ma'll be real worried … and real mad."
"Buck'll tell her yer okay."
"But she'll still be mad about the fishing and …" He broke off unsure if he should continue.
"And?" Vin prompted.
"About me being with you. She seems like she doesn't like you any more and she won't say why. Do you know why she's mad with you?"
Vin hesitated. He did not want to lie to the boy. "I-I guess she's a bit jealous 'cause Chris is spendin' time with me instead of her."
"Oh." He thought that over and then said, "I guess I don't blame Mr Larabee. It'd be more fun being with you than with a lady. Ladies never seem to do fun things like fishing and stuff."
Under other circumstances, Vin might have smiled at the naive comment, but he was starting to feel very bad. The adrenalin rush that had carried him along at first had gone and his head wound was making him feel sick and dizzy. The wind was cutting like a knife, slicing through his threadbare shirt and shivering body. He could barely feel his extremities and his teeth were starting to chatter uncontrollably. He hoped Billy was unaware of his distress, as he did not want to worry the child. He knew they would need to find shelter soon as he was scared of blacking out. In that weather, he would probably die of exposure and then what would happen to the boy? The others would not find it easy to track them after the rain.
+ + + + + + +
Buck and JD were indeed on their way back to town. Three of the outlaws were dead and they would collect the bodies the next day. They had captured two others and the final two had fled.
Once the firing had ceased, they had called repeatedly for Vin and Billy, but had got no response. That did not worry them. Both had absolute trust in Vin's bushcraft and knew that if anyone could keep Billy safe it would be the tracker. Anyway, they knew it would be a hopeless task to seek the pair in the dark.
They were about half way back to town when they encountered Josiah, Nathan and half a dozen other men, who had been dispatched by a semi-hysterical Mrs Travis. When they explained the situation, all agreed that the only thing to be done was to return to town and to set out again at first light.
The major problem would be breaking the news to Mrs Travis that her son would be out over night in the nasty weather. Nobody wanted to do that, but finally Josiah volunteered.
Having sobered up, he was feeling rather awkward about what he had done to Vin. It was not that he condoned the tracker's new relationship with Chris, but he realized that he had had no right to take the law into his own hands and, further, he kept thinking about all the reasons why he had counted Vin as a good friend. Did this transgression, grievous though it was, really outweigh all the positive things that Vin did in his life for his friends and the community? He really did not think so.
Well, coping with an hysterical and sharp-tongued woman could be part of his penance.
+ + + + + + +
Meanwhile Vin and Billy reached the bottom of the hill where the caves were located. It was a steep climb and Vin's legs seemed to have gone rubbery. He stumbled more than once. On one occasion, he nearly overbalanced and fell backwards, jostling against the boy as he sought to retain his footing. "Are you all right, Mr Tanner?" Billy asked, in concern.
"Yeah, fine, Billy. I just slipped is all," he lied.
"I'm getting tired."
"Keep goin', Billy. Yer doin' fine. It's not much further now."
The pair staggered on.
+ + + + + + +
The next day dawned clear and cool. A group of about ten men set out at first light, and in a couple of hours, were at the outlaws' campsite. However, that was when things became more difficult as the rain had obliterated any tracks the pair might have left. Try as they might, they could find no trace of the missing two.
"But Mr Tanner must have given you some indication as to where he intended to seek refuge," Ezra said for the third time.
An exasperated JD repeated his answer yet again. "Vin just said they'd go to ground."
"But they must have sought shelter with the weather being so inclement."
All began to rack their brains as to possible places. Then Buck recalled a cave that he and Vin had sheltered in when out hunting a few months previously. "I reckon I know where they might be. Follow me!"
Some thirty minutes later, they reached the cave, and receiving no reply to their calls, Buck moved forward carefully, motioning the others to stay back. If the two were there and sleeping, it would not do to startle Vin in case he started shooting, and if they were not, as seemed likely by the lack of response, there was always the chance that a bear might have taken over the cave for the winter.
Holding his rifle at the ready, Wilmington moved gingerly to the mouth of the cave and peered in.
The tracker was lying on his front, his left arm flung protectively over the sleeping boy and the mare's leg lying by that hand. Billy was wearing Vin's buckskin coat.
Buck grinned, put a finger to his lips, and beckoned. Relieved, the others joined him.
Ezra looked down at Vin, smiling as he saw that the damp hair had gone into ringlets and then worrying as he realized the tracker's clothing was so wet. He squatted down and reached for Vin.
"Hang on, Ezra," Buck warned, as he quickly nudged the mare's leg out of Vin's reach with his foot just in case.
Ezra gently rolled Vin onto his back and then froze at the sight. The beautiful face was a mask of blood. "Oh, hell!" he gasped.
Nathan pushed his way forward. "Let me see him, Ezra," he said.
"Ma? What's going on?" Billy questioned, as his eyes fluttered open. "Buck! You're here!" he exclaimed happily. Then he glanced at Vin and his face fell. "He didn't tell me he was hurt. I didn't know."
"That's all right, son," Josiah said, reaching for him. "Mr Tanner wouldn't have wanted you to worry. C'mon, let's go and get some breakfast and give Mr Jackson some room. He'll soon have Mr Tanner fixed up." He swung the boy into his arms and headed outside, with JD and Buck following him.
The healer touched Vin's icy face. Then he pushed his hand inside the tracker's shirt and into his armpit. There was no warmth there. His system was not generating any heat and his temperature was dangerously low. Nathan turned to the gambler. "We've got to get him warmed up. Can you help me get these wet clothes off him, Ezra?"
"Certainly, Mr Jackson, but if you will wait a moment, I will fetch my spare shirt and my blanket from my saddlebags."
"See if anyone else has spare clothing too."
Ezra returned moments later to find the healer bandaging Vin's head. "Young Mr Dunne has also contributed a shirt and socks and Will Masters had some trousers. They will be rather large for Vin, but the material is warm and of surprisingly good quality considering the source," he announced.
Nathan could not help but smile inwardly at the latter comment. It was so typical of Ezra to think of such things even in a crisis situation.
The pair stripped the oblivious tracker and lifted him onto Ezra's blanket. Then Nathan tore his own blanket into pieces and handed a rag to Ezra. "We need to try to get his circulation going," he said as he began to rub the cold limbs. The gambler followed his lead.
The bruises on his ribs and face looked worse to the gambler than they had because Vin was so pale. Nathan shook his head with worry when he saw them and carefully ran his hands over the sharpshooter's ribs, fearing broken bones, but to his relief, finding none.
The pair then dressed the tracker and wrapped Ezra's blanket around him.
"What do you propose should be our next move, Mr Jackson?" Ezra asked.
"I would prefer not to move him, but he can't stay here. We're going to have to get him back to town. I'll tell the others we're nearly ready to go."
As Nathan emerged from the cave, several men hurried to him. "How's Vin?" JD asked.
"Though that head wound was only a crease, he's lost quite a bit of blood. That in itself would be a bit of worry, but …"
"But?"
Nathan looked pointed at Billy, who was sitting head down eating. He did not want to distress the boy. Josiah squatted down and began to ask Billy about the previous day to allow the others to draw unobtrusively aside.
"I'm more worried about pneumonia," Nathan explained. "He's so cold and he's taken quite a battering by the looks of him."
"Most of that was back in town," JD blurted.
"What? Do you mean to say he came out to look for Billy in that condition?" Nathan questioned incredulously.
"H-He wanted to come," JD faltered.
"You should have stopped him," the healer insisted.
"How? He's as stubborn as Chris when he puts his mind to it," Buck pointed out, jumping in to the kid's defence.
"Speaking of Mr Larabee, how are you going to explain Vin's condition to him?"
"Oh, that ain't our worry," Buck replied airily. "Me and JD only just found out that Vin had been bashed just before we came out to look for Billy. Ezra knew long before that. It'll be him that's in the hot seat over this."
That surprised Nathan. He had come to expect irresponsible behaviour from Buck and JD, but Ezra was another matter. Further, he knew that the gambler was aware of the full extent of Vin's recent problems and so would have anticipated he would have been insistent about getting medical attention for the tracker.
They saddled up. Ezra insisted on taking Vin up before him, but about half way through the journey, he felt his arms giving out under the deadweight and was forced to relinquish his charge to Buck. Nearer the town, the gambler took the tracker back again, having seen Wilmington shifting awkwardly in the saddle as Vin slumped against his left arm.
By the time they reached Four Corners, Vin was blue around the lips and his breathing was ragged and slow. He had shown no sign of regaining consciousness.
As they rode in various townsfolk flocked out to greet them. Mary immediately swooped Billy from Josiah's horse and hustled him off without a word of inquiry as to Vin.
There was also a piece of bad news awaiting them in the form of a telegram from Chris Larabee. He had been expected to return on Thursday, which was in two days time, but his message informed them that there had been unexpected delays and he would not be back until the following week.
Nathan uncharacteristically swore when Buck read the telegram to them. It was the last thing they needed when Vin was so ill. Usually the only person the tracker wanted under those circumstances was the gunslinger and certainly Larabee was the only one who could force the sharpshooter to comply with at least some of Nathan's instructions re the behaviour necessary to help his recovery.
At the healer's suggestion, Buck tried to telegram Chris back, but the senator's party had already left the small town from which Larabee had dispatched the message.
Meanwhile, Ezra and Nathan took Vin to the clinic, stripped him and put him to bed.
Then Nathan lit the fire to warm the room before proceeding to examine his patient. He had to admit this was easier than usual, as he did not have to cope with a Vin squirming with embarrassment at having his body displayed and insisting that he was "fine" and accordingly in no need of medical attention. However, he would have gladly coped with the tracker's complaints rather than to have him so cold and still.
He commented to that effect and Ezra said, "If you can dispense with my services for a few moments, Mr Jackson, I believe I have an admirable solution for forestalling the first of Mr Tanner's usual complaints."
He hastened from the clinic and returned in a short time carrying a small package. He opened this to proudly reveal a calf-length lawn nightshirt, adorned with frills and lace at the collar and cuffs.
Nathan stared at the garment in some disbelief, while raising Vin into a sitting position so the gambler could put the garment on him. "It's … ah very nice, Ezra, but where on earth did you get it?"
"I acquired it on my recent trip to San Francisco. I thought I'd bring it as I haven't worn it yet."
"It's rather fancy, isn't it?" Nathan commented. In truth, it looked to him more like a lady's garment than the sort of serviceable nightwear sold by the local general store.
"Yes, it is a most elegant piece of attire," Ezra responded, taking the healer's comment as admiring. "Such items are most popular with the more discerning gentlemen in our larger cities and on the Continent."
Nathan could not help but wonder whether Vin would be happy to be adorned by such a garment. Far from sparing his blushes, the nightshirt might well be the cause of them. However, he decided that if the tracker raised any objection it would be fine as at least that would mean he had regained his senses. In any case, the item was surprisingly warm and that was the main thing.
The next few days were extremely tiring for both Jackson and Standish. Looking after Vin was a full-time job, and for some inexplicable reason, neither Josiah nor Buck came near to offer a hand. JD did look in, but as sheriff, his duties to the town required his presence in the law office.
Vin had developed a high temperature. One moment he would be shivering uncontrollably and the next he was overheated and trying to throw off the blankets.
His face was flushed and he tossed his head restlessly and broken words and phrases spilled from his lips.
Recurrent bouts of coughing racked his slight frame. After one of these attacks, he lay exhausted, deathly pale and barely conscious.
His breath rasped painfully in his throat and it hurt to swallow, so although dehydrated and desperately thirsty, he steadfastly resisted fluids. Nathan had to force herbal brews into him. The only saving grace was that his stuffed up nose was forcing him to breathe through his mouth and so he could not clamp this shut against the healer for long. However, several spoonfuls of medicine still ended up running down his chin in spite of Nathan's best efforts.
How the healer wished Chris was there to fix Vin with one of his deadly glares and order him to obey. Not that Vin seemed to be scared of Chris. On the contrary, he was the only person Nathan knew that not only did not quail before that frightening stare, but could actually meet it with a cheeky grin. However, in spite of this, Larabee could usually force Vin to comply with his wishes eventually, mainly because the tracker hated being offside with him. And, even when Vin was no more than semi-conscious and oblivious to others, Larabee could usually get through to him.
However, Chris was not there and there was no way to contact him, so the pair struggled on, forcing what fluids they could into Vin and periodically sponging him with hot water to open his pores and increase sweating.