“Tomorrow. Tomorrow I get clean.”

He lied. By tomorrow he intended to be a long way from here.

CHAPTER

FIFTEEN

Badger Boy ate hardly any supper. His stomach was in a turmoil. He watched the evening shadows lengthen and wished darkness would hurry.

Tanner noticed, for he could put away a prodigious amount of food himself. “You ain’t eatin’, boy. Sick?”

Preacher Webb said, “Probably excited. He seemed awful surprised when I told him about his uncle.”

Rusty had said little. Mostly he had stared at his plate, picking at his food. “I know it’s the right thing, sendin’ him back amongst his own. But I’d like to know they’ll take good care of him. What did you think of his uncle, Preacher?”

“It’s hard to tell about a man the first time you see him. I noticed a family Bible on the table, and it was not dusty. That speaks well for him, I think.”

Tanner declared, “I’ve seen some Bible thumpers you couldn’t turn your back on. Present company not included, Preacher.”

Rusty said, “I’ve gotten used to havin’ Andy here. Place’ll seem different when he leaves.”

Badger Boy wished they would quit talking and go to bed.

They did, eventually Badger Boy made all the motions of bedding down, but when the room was dark he sat on the edge of the bunk, staring into darkness. He listened for snoring. It seemed forever in coming. When it came he recognized it as Tanner’s.

He knew he should wait a little longer, to be safe, but anxiety gnawed at him like a wolf gnawing a bone. Before dark he tried to find his breech-cloth and moccasins without arousing suspicion, but Rusty had put them away too well, or perhaps had even destroyed them. He had to content himself with wearing the long shirt. He was used to riding almost naked anyway. The question was whether he could ride, or even mount, with the splints on his leg. He knew he must try.

He moved slowly lest the crutches make a noise and awaken someone. He moved out of the room and onto the dog run, stopping often to listen. He could still hear Tanner’s snoring. Shanty had been sleeping in the dog run, and Badger Boy circled around him carefully. He reached the barn, wondering which horse had been kept penned for the night. It was Rusty’s habit to keep one up so he would not be afoot the first thing in the morning. Badger Boy hoped it would be Alamo.

He was disappointed. He found Tanner’s long-legged bay instead. Well, the bay would have to do. At least those legs ought to carry him a good distance in a hurry. The main problem would be getting on him, for his back was a long way from the ground.

Badger Boy did not bother with a saddle. He was used to riding bareback, tucking his knees under a rope tied loosely around the horse’s chest. He had a little trouble with the bridle, for he was not accustomed to dealing with the steel bits. Their sound, grating against the horse’s teeth, was disconcerting.