Slocum 421 Read Online Free PDF Page A

them.
    â€œWe’ve got to count.”
    Murty had handed him a paper that said, “706.” She’d already added both lists up, and she was good at math.
    â€œSix ninety-two,” the yard man said.
    â€œCount them again. You are fourteen short. Want to restack them?”
    â€œNo.” He wrote Slocum’s number on his report, and the Portuguese signed it for Stowe. He shook hands with Slocum. “I like you. Every time you sell your hides you have the numbers right.”
    â€œTell Stowe we will be ready for him to pay us in the morning.”
    â€œHe’ll be there.”

3
    From the yard, Slocum went to Vanwinkle’s Trading Post and bought four used Winchesters. He was well versed on how to examine them. The rifles’ breeches were made of brass and wore out fast; well-used ones were worthless. These guns were all right, in almost new condition, and he took them back to camp. Before he left, he’d told the boys to get two gunnysacks of old bottles together and they’d have target practice for everyone when he got back, and if their rifles were not clean, he said, they should clean them. Each man’s weapon would be tested. If he couldn’t shoot it, he might be fired. Slocum’s rules having been set down, he ex-pected the men would be ready for their rifle practice when he returned.
    Escatar had shown the new boys how to use a Winchester, so when Slocum issued them their new rifles, they were ready. Belly down, they each had a shot at the bottles.
    â€œI will have to etch your name on the receiver today,” Slocum said. “You lose yours, you pay for it. You steal another man’s gun, I will shoot you with it. When we get through, clean them. You don’t do a good job cleaning it each time, the rifle will jam, and that endangers all of us. So don’t let that happen. You shoot a man for no good reason, we will hang you. If you fight with another man working for me, you can walk home unarmed.”
    The new men shot well and acted pleased to have their weapons. Escatar made them shoot again and again, one at a time. All but one man busted the bottles. He said he could not see them. Slocum remembered him and decided that he must need glasses, but he worked hard, so Slocum excused him. The man thanked him gratefully.
    They ate Murty’s lunch, then sat around and cleaned their rifles. It still stunk like hides around the place to Slocum, who etched the names of the new men on their guns. When Stowe came to pay them, he had two men armed with Greener shotguns. Cayman was one of them. Stowe introduced Slocum to the other man, named Holt.
    They paid every man fifty dollars, and the men repaid Slocum his two-dollar advance. Then Stowe thanked the men in Spanish. That over, Slocum issued the order that two men must stay sober and guard the camp. Meanwhile his boss paid Murty one hundred and fifty for her three months. Then he paid Slocum three hundred.
    â€œI appreciate all you do,” Stowe said, seated behind the table with Slocum beside him. “I can buy some two-pint crock jugs of firewater. Could you trade it to the Indians out there for hides? They cost me a dollar and a half apiece. If we can trade ’em for a good buff hide, I could make some real money.”
    Slocum nodded.
    â€œThe deal is the U.S. marshal could fine us all if we get caught. This stuff has no tax stamp on it. What do you think?”
    â€œHide it under some trade blankets. What do the jugs cost?”
    â€œThree dollars. Your idea is a good one. You’ve been swapping blankets for hides too, huh?”
    â€œYeah. You know drunk Indians can be tough customers to deal with.”
    â€œOh yeah. I’ll cut you in for fifty cents apiece on both of the jugs.”
    â€œSounds good. How bad is that stuff?”
    â€œHorse piss, but it will make them drunk.”
    â€œOf course they will want to taste it. So we will use some for that