Cowpokes and Desperadoes Read Free

have come. Juan and I have been watching for you. Please come in the house. I have prepared refreshments.”
    Uncle Woody looked around. “Where’s Juan?”
    Maria pointed toward the barn. “Feeding the horses.”
    “That’s supposed to be Billy Ray’s job.”
    “Billy Ray left earlier. He didn’t say where he was going or when he’d be back.”
    “Maria, take the boys in and show them to their room. I’ll go find Juan and be right back.”
    Dunc and Amos followed Maria inside and up a carved wooden staircase. Their room had a set of bunk beds with a wagon wheel on the end, a double dresser, and a small leather couch. On the walls were pictures of horses.
    Amos threw his suitcase on the top bunk and plopped onto the couch. “Isn’t this ranchfantastic? It’s just like I had it pictured! Maybe even better.”
    Dunc closed the door. “Amos, something strange is going on here. Haven’t you been listening?”
    “Yeah. I heard your uncle tell us it wasn’t important and that we shouldn’t worry about it.”
    “What about the phone calls and the cattle rustling?”
    Amos shrugged. “This is New Mexico. Those things happen. The sheriff is working on it. Lighten up. Let’s go downstairs and find those refreshments.”
    Dunc took a small pad of paper out of his bag and started making notes.
    “Only you,” Amos said, “would bring a notebook on a trip like this.”
    “I don’t want to forget anything when we start to work on the case.”
    “Case? There is no case. Why do you have to play private eye everywhere we go?”
    “Two men talk about my uncle being history, and then they disappear. Add that to cattle rustling and strange phone calls. I’d call that a case.”
    Amos stood up. “I’d call it time to eat. Are you coming?”
    Dunc made a couple of quick notes and put his notebook away. “Right behind you.”
    In the kitchen, Maria was setting the table with all kinds of goodies. Amos had trouble figuring out where to start. He’d just stuffed a jelly doughnut into his mouth when Uncle Woody stepped in.
    “Boys, I’d like you to meet Juan, my top hand.”
    A girl about their age, with short black hair and mischievous black eyes, stepped out from behind him.
    “Hi.”
    Amos coughed. He nearly choked. Dunc pounded him on the back.
    Uncle Woody laughed. “I call her Juan for short. Her given name is Juanita Carmen Avila Gonzalez. Juan seems easier.” He turned to Juan. “Why don’t you take the boys out and show them around before it gets dark, Juan-ita?”
    “Sure. You guys come with me,” she said. “I’ll show you where we keep the horses.”
    She led them to the barn in back of the house. There were two horses in the corral.One was white with dark spots on his rump, and the other was reddish brown.
    “These are the horses we’ve picked out for you to ride while you’re here. The sorrel is called Pete and the Appaloosa is Gomer.”
    Amos moved to the fence. He reached out and touched the sorrel.
    Juan climbed up on the fence. “You can ride them if you want. Not very far, of course—it’s almost dark. The tack is in the barn.”
    Amos looked at Dunc. “Tack? Why tacks? I thought you had to have a saddle and reins and stuff. Won’t tacks hurt the horse?”
    Juan smiled. “Maybe we’d better put off the riding until we have a chance to go over a couple of things.”

• 5
    Amos thought he must be dreaming. No one in real life would be clanging on an iron bell at five o’clock in the morning. He rolled over and shut his eyes.
    “Are you awake?” Dunc shook him.
    Amos closed his eyes tighter.
    Dunc shook him again. “Amos, didn’t you hear the bell? I think it’s time for breakfast.”
    “It’s okay, Dunc. I’m dreaming, and you’re a part of my dream. Go back to sleep.”
    “It’s not a dream. Maria has breakfast ready. You have to get up.”
    Amos opened one eye. “Are you sure it’s not a dream?”
    Dunc nodded.
    Amos slowly crawled down from the top bunk. “Why