An extra man meant a little less work, or at least the work spread over more men, and Justus didn't mind that one bit! And it meant that he wouldn't be the 'new guy', so he might not pull the bad jobs!
"Been a long day!" he declared, "supper's gonna be welcome an' good!" Not only that, it was a relief to see that the herd was intact, the other men were all right, and the horses were grazing happily on the tall grass. The group had been attacked, and had come out on top, and with extra horses to boot! "Reckon a meal'll give ya chance ta see what th' outfit's like," he commented to Zane, "so ya can make a decision one way or another on stickin' it out!"
"Stick it out?" Zane asked a bit puzzled by the statement. "Just to be riding with you boys is a comfort. Bein' out there alone, well, it ain't no picnic. Yes, this herd of yours draws all the wrong attention out here away from what folks would call civila'zation. A man alone is easy pickin's for a war party, or a wild bunch like them that wanted them Morgan horses. Nope, being with a body of men is better than bein' on my own." He paused and smiled. "I'd'a rode on anyway to get where I'm goin'. Lotsa trees, I like that. No Apaches, I like that even better."
The heard came into view and the rough camp, but then when the ground is your bed, every camp was rough. The chuck wagon was set up with Nate and Danny busy with supper.
"That there's the outfit." Pythias said as they moved closer. "Reckon they wonder how we come ta be three when we was only two before." The men were standing or getting to their feet at the sight of this third man. Was he one of the rustlers that Pythias and Gibbs had captured? "Jest you ride easy, with them hands in plain sight till we get a word in, right Justus?"
"Yes, sir." Justus smiled and nodded, then suggested, "I'll ride ahead an' explain." Better that Pythias stayed back with the newcomer, he was sure the men would have better confidence in the older man's ability to control any situation that might arise.
Gigging Mule to an easy lope, he rode to camp and stopped near the picket line, then strode toward the chuck wagon, looking around for Frank. "Mr. Teal, we found us a stray." He grinned. "Mr. Zane Geraghty...lookin' maybe ta sign on, says he's headed ta Kalispell."
"Half of the men were already on their feet which included Frank Teal, who was in no mood to fool bout. "An' he was where when you run onto him? Or, did he run onto you?" Was the question that needed to be answered, but if Pythias seemed to be alright with the man, then maybe he was okay.
"On his way to Kalispell you say? Now why is that? This here's a big country, granted, but us an' him headed the same way? There better be a good story to go with it!"
"Looks to me like he an Pythias is gettin' on just fine, boss. I realize thet it shorley don't seem accidental this hombre shows up in the middle a;' dealin' with rustlers, but we oughtta hear him out." "Lorado offered.
"Maybe so Boss, maybe so. Anything's possible out here, includin' him." Will agreed.
"An' he was where when you run onto him? Or, did he run onto you?"
"Back up th' canyon," Justus explained, "shootin' it out with th' last of them men that came after th' horses." At least, that was what they'd been told! "Got us some more horses an' tack now."
"On his way to Kalispell you say? Now why is that? This here's a big country, granted, but us an' him headed the same way? There better be a good story to go with it!"
"Dunno?" He shrugged. "Said he was lookin' fer mountains an' a nice place, heard it was nice." Why was anyone going anywhere, if they weren't looking for family? But it did seem a coincidence, not that Zane could know where the drive was headed.
"Looks to me like he an Pythias is gettin' on just fine, boss. I realize thet it shorley don't seem accidental this hombre shows up in the middle a;' dealin' with rustlers, but we oughtta hear him out." "Lorado offered.
"Maybe so Boss, maybe so. Anything's possible out here, includin' him." Will agreed.
Justus chuckled. "He thought me an' Pythias were Pinkertons, now don't that beat all?"
"That's cuz he was one once, never turned in his badge." Frank said nonchalantly since it was obvious. "Took pride in that job, he did. But that's well behind him now. He's a good judge a character, a mite better'n me, so we'll see what he has ta say."
Which would not be long as the two in question rode up the two men waiting on them. "Frank, this here's Zane Geraghty, ridin' are way to find a man name'a Thornton, say's the feller was foreman on e Lazy S where they worked together, he'd like to ride along with us."
"Step down Mister Geraghty, now this fella, Thornton is it? You an' him have trouble did ya?" Teal asked pointedly.
Zane smiled, it was a likely question, and this Teal seemed a no-nonsense type. "Ty? No, no we worked together, said he had word from his cousin who owns a spread outsid'a this Kalispell town and wanted him up there. Me? I just got a burr under my saddle to go see it, so I asked for my time, and pulled my freight. Then I run onto to you an' the fracas that was goin' on. 'bout the size of it." Zane stood straight and looked Teal in the eye as he spoke. "Like I told Pythias here, I'll pull my weight if you'll have me."
Teal looked to his men, Lorado and Will, with a number of men behind them, they were nodding their approval. "Tye yer hoss to the picket line an' get in line, supper's about ready." Frank extended his hand which Zane gripped as they shook. "Welcome aboard, I'm a fair man, and I expect my men to do what's asked 'er needed."
"Mister Teal, a pleasure, and you can count on me." Zane said.
"We'll see about that. Seems I'm a stray magnet, first Justus here, and now you. But we'll be glad to have ya, I'm sure of that. Let's eat!"
And so the crew grew by one more hand to share in the work and what lay ahead for them on the trail to Kalispell, and Justus, he was no longer the 'New Man.' No sir, he was now regular hand, Geraghty replaced him.
"I surely won't mind not bein' th' new man," Justus commented with a grin as he sat to eat his supper. Of course, Zane had a good deal more experience with cows than he did, and that, along with his superior age, meant that he deserved respect, although Justus wasn't going to complain if he never had to ride drag again!
Glancing at the new man, he asked, "Ya never been ta Kalispell? Ya know of a man named Pike? That's who th' beefs are for, an' them nice horses are his wife's." He still found that a bit odd, and was curious to meet this couple.
"Pike? Can't say as I do. No, only fella I know up that way is Tyrell Thornton." Zane replied sipping coffee. If he's moved on, ain't rightly sure what I'll do. Knock around 'til I find somethin'. Always somethin' out there if a man's willin' ta work for it."
At that moment Frank Teal walked up, "Heard what you said about findin' something. Now, I can't be sure, but I'll speak to Mister Pike when we get to his place up there, and see what we can do." Teal said.
"We been asked to stay on as he has no hands hired, so probably all of us will stay, winter'll set in before you know it up in the high country already inta September. We got us maybe two more weeks to get to the ranch, maybe less, depending. By then, we'll be lookin' at the end of September."
Zane nodded his understanding of the situation. "Didn't figure it would take so long gettin' here as it has. But I'm willin' Mister Teal. 'sides if I rode on, why Justus here'd be the new man again an' we can't have that now can we?"
"Oh, I just stopped by to let Justus know he's got night hawk," Frank announced.
"If you don't mind, I'll ride with him, earn my keep." Geraghty volunteered.
"Sure thing. Glad ta have you!" The boss said nodding his approval.
At the offer to suffer with him, Justus nodded to Zane. "Thank ya." At least they'd had a good meal, and sleep would be coming soon enough. "Always good ta have someone with ya," he added as they headed to the remuda line. No sense, though, making Mule do the extra work as well, and Annie hadn't seen been out today, so he requested her.
Once they were in saddle and headed to the edge of the herd, Justus glanced at his companion. "This is my first time on a drive, but th' crew's been real good about showin' me th' ropes. I worked a time on a ranch, so I know a little'a how cows are, but honestly, they're best on a plate!" He chuckled as they headed for high ground, where they could overlook everything.
"First time is it. They say this cowboyin' ain't no life, but I'd have ta say it's a pretty good one. And, we're free out here, mindin' these critters in the open country, Not like that in the towns and cities." Zane explained. "It's hard work, sure. But look up, ain't no floor above you, nor a wood roof neither."
"Was raised up in Shakespeare, New Mexico Territory, was a rest stop that grew."He went on. "Coun't get outta there fast enough, that was when I met up with the Lazy S crowd, and moved down to the ranch and been then till I left to chase after Ty. Just to see what there was up this way."