hapter 12The sun rose slowly over the horizon, finding two desolated riders sitting on the porch of the bunkhouse. They sat in silence, now and then gazing in the direction of Sweetwater, hoping to see the wagon return. Cody was up for the next run, and he reluctantly now and then checked the other direction, to see if Kid was going to return. He hated to leave without news about Buck, but he realised that if Kid returned before Teaspoon or Ike had returned he would have to wait two more days before he could find out about Buck.
Rachel appeared on the veranda of the house to see if there were any changes. When she noticed that nobody was seen, she returned into the house where Noah was showing Wun-oan-te-mee an old picture book that Rachel had found. The girl was still pale and weak, but she looked a lot better than before. When Rachel returned, Noah looked up at her and she softly shook her head.
An hour went, and nobody moved. Then, to Cody's dismay, the sound of hooves reached them. But it was from the wrong direction and soon Kid could be seen coming in to the station at full speed. Cody throw away some stones he'd been picking with and reluctantly walked over to his horse. Soon Kid had handed over the mochilla, and as he halted Katy, he looked at the serious faces around him.
"What's happened?" he asked sternly, fearing that something was wrong with Lou.
"Buck's wounded," Jimmy explained and briefly told him the whole story.
Kid looked worried at him.
"And you don't know anything?" he asked when Jimmy finished.
"We won't know a thing until Teaspoon or Ike's back," Jimmy replied and returned to his place on the porch. "He didn't look good", he admitted slowly as if saying it could make matters worse.
"Bad enough that ---" Kid didn't finished the sentence.
Jimmy nodded.
"What about the horse thieves, the ones that did this to him?"
"Teaspoon had planned to go after them this morning. Now, I don't know."
Kid placed himself next to Jimmy. He sighed and placed his chin in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I guess we just have to wait then," he murmured.
Noah pointed out the pictures in the book and tried to understand what the girl was asking about. She was feeling a lot better, so much was obvious and the book had been a genius. She had turned and twisted it until she realised that she actually could turn the pages and see different pictures. She had chatted away in her own tongue at every picture, and he hadn't the heart to do anything else but nod at her efforts to make him understand. He couldn't concentrate anyway; he was too worried about Buck. Suddenly the girl's voice changed and he looked down at her, not aware that he had allowed himself to drift away in his own thoughts. Her face was worried and she was repeating a question that he didn't understand.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, "but I don't understand."
The girl repeated the last words again and suddenly tears formed in her eyes. Thinking that she was in pain, Noah called out to Rachel.
"What's wrong Noah?" she asked with concern.
"I ain't sure," Noah replied uncertain. "She keeps repeating something, but I haven't a clue to what she's meaning."
At the appearance of Rachel the girl hid herself as much as she could behind Noah. Rachel tried to make contact with her, but the girl refuse to do more than threw scared glances at her. Rachel couldn't help but wondering what it was about Noah that had made the girl attach to him.
"Wun-oan-te-mee," she tried, "what's wrong?"
At the mention of her name, the girl shyly looked at her and repeated the same words as before, this time eagerly.
"I've heard her say those words before," Noah said.
"Well, I don't know either," Rachel sighed, "but I don't think she's in any pain."
Noises outside made them turn to the door. Jimmy's call could be heard through the window.
"Teaspoon's back!"
Taking one look at Rachel's face, Noah quickly opened his mouth.
"I'll stay with Wun-- ."Feeling a bit lost at her name he stopped there and looked at Rachel. "Let me know as soon as you can, OK?"
Rachel nodded and rushed out.
It was a tired Teaspoon and Ike that appeared at the station. When Jimmy went around the wagon, his heart stopped for a second when he realised that Buck wasn't with them.
"How's -- where's ---" he started before his voice faltered.
"Buck's at Doc's," came the tired reply.
"What's wrong with him?" Rachel asked desperately.
"His lung collapsed." Teaspoon climbed with stiff legs out of the wagon. Ike tumbled off after him.
"What does that mean?" Rachel insisted.
"I ain't sure. Doc said it was some sort of internal wound, so he performed some sort of surgery to fix it."
"And did he?"
"We don't know yet. Doc's keeping him for observation, but he said that the worst is over, ad unless something happens--" Teaspoon threw his arms about in a gesture of despair "-- he should be somewhat all right."
"What?" Rachel insisted and stared Teaspoon in his eyes.
Teaspoon sighed.
"I ain't sure about all those medical terms Doc throws around him, but I think what he tried to tell us what that a rib had punctured Buck's lung and caused some sort of bleeding. Now he fixed the wound but he had no way of telling the size of the bleeding or how much of the lung that had been damaged. It might be just a small part and then Buck won't even know the difference. Then it might be worse, or Doc might have failed to stop the bleeding, and then the whole lung might collapse."
"The whole lung? Will he --"
"Doc said that a person can live with only one lung, but he might loose a great deal of strength. Then of course there's the risk of fever after the operation and the fact that he's lost a great deal of blood. The operation didn't exactly help there."
"So what happens now?"
"Doc said that he couldn't be moved, and he wanted him to stay for observation. So right now, he's resting in Doc's patient room. Doc told us to go home, since there was nothing we could do." Teaspoon looked around. "Cody's on his run?"
"Took off just before you came back. What do we do now, Teaspoon?" Jimmy asked. "If you want me to, I wouldn't mind going after those--"
"Hold on, Jimmy. You've got any coffee ready, Rachel? I need to think."
"I've got some in the bunkhouse. Why don't you help yourself, while I tell Noah what's happened. He's staying with Wun-oan-te-mee."
"That's fine." Teaspoon said and walked over to the bunkhouse, followed by Kid, Ike and Jimmy.
"Done thinking?" The impatience in Jimmy's voice was clear to everybody in the room. They were sitting around the table, except for Ike that was half-sitting, half-lying on his bunk.
"I know what you're thinking Jimmy," Teaspoon replied.
"You do? You know what I'm thinking after knowing that those bastards attacked Rachel, almost killed my friend and got away with our horses? Then why are you keeping us here? Damn it, Teaspoon, we should be out looking for them now! Or had you planned on letting them get away?"
"Nobody's getting away, Jimmy. We're gonna go after them. You're up for the next run aren't you?"
"You want me to take that run?"
"I wish I could say that, but I think I need you with me. If you can keep that gun of yours under control, that is. Ike's in no condition for taking the run, so why don't you head over to the house and ask Noah?"
Jimmy immediately rose and walked over to the house.
"Kid, I need you with me too. Ike, you can stay here. Get some rest and then you can head back into town if you like. Just make sure it's OK with Rachel and Lou before you head off. And if you notice anything unusual, I want you to stay with them, is that clear? Whatever happens, I want at least two people staying here on the station."
Ike nodded, although he hadn't mind being able to head into town as soon as possible.
Jimmy came striding back and pushed the door open.
"Noah's OK with it. Shall we leave?"
Teaspoon sighed and finished the last of the coffee.
"Then let's go."
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