In Dreadwood, Erik gave the message of his new situation to Flutters in time for his next flight to Coldwater Ranch, where he gave Big Mac the message, “It appears, Boomer, that you are now a wanted man.”
“Oh…joy!”
“Perhaps Kidd is looking for a deputy…”
“Even better—CRAP!”
Season VI, Chapter 5 Coldwater Ranch, Episode 12:
Big Mac quickly prepared and sent out a wanted poster with the evening stagecoach to Dreadwood.
The next morning Boomer and Cooper set out from the ranch, Boomer for Dreadwood, and Cooper for the Triple Bar-X Ranch.
They would separate before crossing the White River with Cooper stopping at the Triple Bar X Ranch, and Boomer continuing on to Dreadwood, “What can I expect from this McLintock?”
“Oh…where to begin,” Boomer sighed, “He’ll view you as competition, Coldwater Ranch is at least as large as the Triple Bar-X. We don’t know if he is yet aware we are in operation, but you should figure he is. He’s very dangerous—a former border raider during the Civil War, he is totally ruthless.”
“How should I come across to him?”
“Honest, guileless, and naive.”
“That’s easy—I won’t have to act. Is he a shootist?”
“That’s easy—I won’t have to act. Is he a shootist?”
“Absolutely not. He relies on Marshal Kidd for his wet-work.”
“Wet-Work?”
“Bloodshed. Kidd is my problem,” Boomer replied, adding with his voice dripping with sarcasm, “I’m so looking forward to my assignment.”
Coldwater Ranch foreman Susie Blackmon was preparing a mustang roundup on the government-owned free range to the east. In addition to the Coldwater Ranch wranglers, and several wranglers from Carpenter’s Blue Dog Ranch would be with them—both operations needed to add to their stock, “Whatever number of mustangs we bring back, we split evenly between the ranches—agreed?”
“What if there’s an odd number?”
The roundup began as they headed east.
“Then we’ll settle that at ten paces, you and me…survivor’s ranch gets the horse,” Susie smiled.
“Coldwater gets the extra horse,” the Blue Dog Ranch foreman laughed.
And with that—the roundup began as they headed east on to the prairie.
Kidd received his morning packet from Murdo—included among the items was an interesting wanted poster.
“Well, isn’t THIS interesting…”
To be Continued…
Hmmmm, all the wanted signs Susie posted for wranglers required an ‘alive’ status. Boomer Jack wanted ‘dead or alive’ is not only interesting, but shocking!
“Shocking?” I GUESS SO! I don’t much like that “Dead” part.
Ummmm … not cool!
Agreed.
No not cool at all….love the idea of a mustang roundup should be some cool horses for me to check out and make sure they are sound in body and mind and I bet some might whisper to me!
I had to come up with a “herd” of saddle-less, bridle-less horses…that took a while.
whoa…skeery!
Exactly my thought.