05 Slim

Chapter 05 Slim “ We’re not horse thieves! ” said Annie. “ Well then, what are you doing with my horse here?” he said. “ Some bad guys came through town with his mother, ” said Annie. “ They left him behind because he was too slow. ” “ Yup, must be the rustlers that stole my last five mustangs, ” the cowboy said. “ Who are you?” said Jack. “ I’m a mustang herder, ” the cowboy said.

“ They rode through town. Then Sunset showed up all alone, ” said Annie. “ We’re taking him to his mother. ” “ Sunset?” the cowboy said. “ Yup, ” Annie smiled. “ I named him. ” The cowboy put away his six-shooter. “ Well, you’re pretty brave to try and rescue him, Smiley, ” he said. “ Thanks, ” said Annie. Jack cleared his throat. “ A mustang needs his family, ” he said. “ The bond between a mare and her young is very strong. ” The cowboy looked at Jack. “ Whoa, you’re pretty smart to know that, Shorty. ” “ Shorty?” said Jack. “ Every cowpoke’s got to have a nickname, ” said the cowboy. “ What’s yours?” said Annie.

“ Slim, ” said the cowboy. “ My name is Slim Cooley. And this is Dusty. ” He patted his horse. “ That fits, ” said Annie. Jack agreed. Slim was slim. And Dusty was dusty. “ So tell me, ” Slim said. “ How did you two brave, smart young’uns end up in Rattlesnake Flats?” Jack caught his breath. He didn’t know how to explain it. “ Um … the stagecoach, ” said Annie. “ We begged the driver to let us off. But I think we made a mistake. ” Slim looked around. “ I’ll say, ” he said. “ When the next stage comes through, we’re leaving, ” said Annie.

“ I see, ” said Slim. “ Well, I’m going to take my colt now and find those rustlers. You didn’t hear where they were headed, did you?” “ They said they were going to camp over the rise, ” said Jack. “ Hmm, must be over yonder, ” said Slim. He looked at a low rise in the distance. The sun was a red ball above it. “ Better get going before dark, ” he said. “ Can we go with you?” said Annie. “ No, we have to stay here, ” Jack said quickly. Now that Slim could help Sunset, Jack wanted to look for the answer to the riddle. Plus, he still wanted to take off his boots. “ Shorty’s right to be scared, ” Slim said to Annie. “ This is no job for young’uns. ” “ Scared?” said Jack. “ Oh, please! I want to go, ” said Annie.

Slim looked at Jack. “ And what do you want, Shorty?” For starters, he wanted Slim to stop calling him Shorty. And he wanted Slim to think he was brave. “ Sure, I want to go, ” said Jack. “ What about your stagecoach?” asked Slim. “ It’s not coming until tomorrow, ” Annie said quickly. “ Well … ” Slim scratched his chin. “ I reckon I could use some brave, smart help. But you have to do everything I say. ” “ We will! ” said Annie. “ Can I ride Sunset?” “ I wouldn’t say ‘yes’ to many kids, Smiley, but you seem to have a knack with horses, ” said Slim. “ Now, hang on tight to his mane, I’ll just pull him along behind me. ”

Slim slipped the rope off the post. Then he held his hand out to Jack. “ Put your foot in the stirrup, Shorty. And grab my hand, ” said Slim. Jack did as Slim said. Slim pulled him onto the front of his saddle. Jack held on to the saddle horn. “ Sit tight, ” said Slim. “ It’s not far. ” Slim snapped his reins. Dusty took off with Sunset right behind him. Jack bounced up and down. His boots hurt. The sunlight blinded him. “ Giddy-up! ” said Slim. “ Giddy-up! ” said Annie. The horses galloped across the prairie, dust flying from their hooves. “ Ah-choo! ” Jack sneezed as he bounced along into the setting sun.