Trouble at the Cabin

Logan lay flat on his belly and peered down at Elmo's cabin. There was no sign of life, no sign that anybody had even been there for weeks. Logan carefully scanned the yard, the chicken coop, the outhouse that Elmo had bought from a catalog and was so proud of...nothing to indicate any humans had been around. But something nagged at Logan; he couldn't quite place it but something in the picture that lay before him wasn't quite right. Logan looked until his eyes hurt, but couldn't figure out what was causing that feeling. Slowly, he crept out of the brush and began to crawl down the slope to get nearer to the cabin. He managed to disturb a rabbit that was hidden in the brush; the rabbit scampered out toward the cabin but then made a sweeping turn and headed back up the slope. That's strange, Logan thought. A scared rabbit out to be running downhill, not up. That only added to Logan's feelings of concern. Maybe that rabbit know's something I don't, Logan thought to himself.

As Logan neared the house, he realized he was losing his cover and would be putting himself in danger by continuing to crawl. Might as well stand up, he thought. He was in the process of gathering himself up when he suddenly fell down a flat as he could and stayed motionless. That's what it is, he thought. Elmo's water bucket was on a wooden ledge by the front door. The gourd dipper handle was visible, sticking up from the bucket. Logan knew his brother Elmo would never have left that gourd in the bucket. It always hung on a nail by the door. Somebody had been there; maybe was still there and maybe had a bead on him right now, and he was helpless to do anything about it. Logan wished he was invisible like he had bragged to his brothers. Just then, Logan heard the faint sound of voices. Two people were coming up the road to the cabin. They would pass within a few feet of Logan. Logan knew he had about 10 seconds to figure out what to do.

Elmo's Mashed Finger

Seems that Elmo and Elwood went down to Dave Carpenters blacksmith shop last Saturday to get Dave to fix the rusty wheel on the old brown wagon. Elwood was tryin to help when he swung the heavy hammer down on the rusty ole wheel and slapdab hit Elmo's thumb square as if he'd been aiming. What followed was not pretty to see. Elmo cut loose so bad Sofie next door called Glenn Abbott to come and see what happened. Glenn was the only law around and he asked Elmo what happened. He also said Sofie was upset about the words that was yelled. Elmo looked at Glenn and said. Well Glenn I got my finger smashed and I looked up at Elwood and said, " really Elwood you must be more careful".

The Brothers Ride

Logan, Emmitt, and Elwood reached the crest of Backbone Mountain about noon and made camp. Emmitt took out a parcel from his saddlebag in which he had carefully wrapped some cheddar cheese, crackers, and jerked cat meat. Elwood gathered up some dead branches and built a small, hat sized fire and put some coffee on. Logan tended to the horses; he gathered up some straw and rubbed down Twitter, Elwood's horse Harley, and Emmitt's horse Tornado. The three brothers finally sat down around the fire, being careful not to look directly into the flames. It was Elwood that spoke first. "I reckin Elmo best head for the caves south of Japton. I figure Elliott's men have already found his cabin, and there ain't no sense of us walking directly into a trap." "Yep, I think you're right," said Emmitt. "Elmo knows them caves better than anybody, and he won't be found there unless he wants to be found." "Hand me a cracker and a couple of slices of that bread," said Logan. "I aim to make me a cracker sandwich." Logan sat muching on his cracker sandwich and thinking. Finally he spoke. "I think you boys ought to go on up to the caves and find Elmo. Me and Twitter will head for Elmo's cabin and see if we can sneek up on them boys of Elliott's. I'd kinda like to know what they're up to." "How you aim to sneek up on a couple of Elliott's best men?" asked Elwood doubtfully. "Oh, that won't be no problem," Logan replied. "I aim to make myself invisible. It's a little trick I learned from Chief Sitting Bull at Wounded Knee." "I thought Sitting Bull got hisself killed at Wounded Knee," said Emmitt. Logan sat silently for a minute, thinking. "Wall, I recking old Sitting Bull just wasn't doing it right." he finally replied. "Don't you worry none...I got me a plan." So, Emmitt and Elwood saddled up and lit out for the Japton caves. Logan saddled up Twitter, and headed out for Elmo's cabin. "Well, Twitter, I reckin we're in for a spot of trouble." he said. Logan thought about his words to his brothers. He only wished he really did have a plan.

Logan Billy

Emmitt and Logan rode across the Clinch river at the Boen crossing near the falls. Logan's cabin came into view just as the boys topped Rudy Ridge. It had been too long since Logan had seen Sweetie Pie and the boy. For at least a short time the bad things in the world faded slowly away.
Emmitt said so long and took the south branch of the Clinch on towards his rambling shack near the big oak tree. Logan got close to home when a startling sight greeted his weary eyes. Little five year old Logan Billy was running to greet him as fast as his little legs could move. What was that all over Logan Billy's face. All of a sudden Logan was carried away to childhood back in the settlement. Memories of the coal pile came crashing back. Yes it was true, Logan Billy had been eating coal again. Logan greeted Sweetie Pie warmly and asked about Logan Billy. Sweetie Pie said she just couldn't keep Logan Billy out of the coal pile. Logan and Sweetie Pie agreed, over a cup of fresh cider, that Logan Billy's coal eating was a minor thing in the world. It was good to be home.

Going Home

It was a slow quiet ride out of town with all eyes on the shaddows. They rode together half an hour and nobody said a word. They took no pleasure in takin a man down in front of his outfit. Elliot was trouble to come and they all knew it. It was Elmo that spoke first.. as much to himself as to the others. " I never figered they was a man nowhere any better or worser than myself. I always tried to treat everbody the same, but some folks sure try a mans soul." Elmo needed that three dollars for the turkey shoot up in Springfield next week. They was givin away a brand new Sharps 50 and Elmo aimed to own it. He had spent forty cents for three cans of potted meat, some crackers and a jar of mustard for the trip home. The entry fee was just two dollars that he had hid in his gun belt and he still had change jinglin in his pocket. They came to the fork and without a word Elmo took the North trail back to the mountains. Emmitt and Logan headed up river towards the Fort and Elwood turned down river towards the delta. It had been like old times these last few days with the Sackett brothers standin together against whatever come. Now Elmo rode on alone. A chill came down his back with the thought of facing Elliot's men without his brothers to back him. Badger knew the trail and had settled in for the long ride back to Japton.

Paying a Debt

It was Elmo that called out Wayne Elliott. "I'll be takin that three dollars that you owe me, Elliott!" The words cut like a cold wind through the deserted street. "I don't owe you a blame penny Elmo. There ain't a Sackett what I owe nothin to!" sneered Eliott. "I reckin' I worked all day unloading that wagon load of cement for you, and all I got was a drank of Nine Bowen's water for my trouble." retorted Elmo. "I aim to get what's comin' to me now," he continued calmly. "Yeah, I reckin you will!" shouted Elliott, and with one motion pulled out a double-barrel shotgun from beneath his fancy riding cloak. Elwood sprang into action, nailing Elliott in the forehead with an apple core. Elliott's men drew their pistols in one motion, but Logan and Emmitt alread had a bead drawn on them, so all they could do was drop their guns into the dusty street. Elmo walked over to Elliott, reached into his vest pocket and pulled out three gold coins. "There, I reckin that squares us," he said as he pocketed the gold. Elliott rubbed his forehead and scowled. "No Sackett ever took gold off of me, and I don't aim to let this lie. You boys done bought yourself a whole passel of trouble," he said. "That's ok, Elliott," said Emmitt. "I figure we can handle pretty much anything you can sling at us." If only Emmitt had known what waited for the Sackett boys down the trail.

Aunt Sadie

It was a cold rain falling on the Sackett boys as they rode into Sackett Valley. Ole man Floyd came running toward them holding a wrinkled slip of paper in his well worn hand. He told the boys that Aunt Sadie had took her last ride and they were needed at the service over on the other side of Clinch mountain on Friday. When Friday rolled around there they were, setting on the front row of the ole rock church helping with a proper service for Aunt Sadie. The boys enjoyed this place for the peace it brought. Trouble seemed like a far away thing. As the service ended the boys stood up to leave when, all of a sudden, trouble was staring them right in the face. There, with a smirk on his weathered face, was Wayne Elliot, leader of them sorry Elliots. "It won't be settled in here," said Emmitt but the Sackett boys knew that trouble was near at hand...