Cowpokes and Desperadoes Read Free Page B

frowned. “What guys on what plane?”
    Dunc told her the story, except for the part about Amos and the lady with the high heel.
    “A lot of strange things have been happening around here,” Juan said. “Maria’s been getting these weird phone calls suggesting she should quit her job. Cattle are disappearing like flies. Banker Grimes has threatened to foreclose on the ranch. I’ve tried to talk to Woody about it, but he just tells me not to worry.”
    “That’s what he told us,” Amos said. “I think it’s probably good advice.”
    Dunc and Juan both looked back at Amos. He ducked his head. “Okay. I can tell when I’m outnumbered.”
    Juan pulled her mare off the trail. “This is a good spot for lunch. Tie your horses real tight, or they won’t be here when we get back.”
    Amos stepped off Gomer and, holding on to the reins, started for the nearest tree. But he couldn’t move his right foot. Gomer was standing on the toe of his boot. Amos pushed and threatened, but Gomer just stood there, flattening Amos’s toes and munching on grass without a care in the world.
    Juan and Dunc had already tied their horses, grabbed the lunch bag, and were on the way up the hill to examine a nearby cave.
    “Hey!” Amos yelled. “Somebody help me get this dumb animal off my foot! I’m starting to lose the feeling in my toes.”
    Juan turned around and cupped her hands. “He likes it if you talk nice to him.”
    “What?”
    “Talk nice to him, and he’ll move.”
    Amos glared at the horse. “You overweight mule, if my toes weren’t starting to separate from my foot, I’d—” He took a deep breath. “Okay … nice horse. Good horse. Now, move your big fat foot.”
    Gomer didn’t budge.
    “You have to talk
really
nice!” Juan yelled down.
    Amos turned red. He cleared his throat. “What a special, wonderful horse. I bet JohnWayne’s horse wasn’t half as good-looking as you are. You could probably be on television, you’re such a good—”
    Gomer picked up his foot and went on munching.
    Amos limped over to a log and sat down. He pulled his boot off and massaged his aching toes. “Don’t try that again, marshmallow lips, or you and I are going to have serious trouble.”
    Gomer snorted and blew snot all over him.
    “Quit playing around down there, Amos!” Dunc yelled. “There’s a neat cave up here with camping stuff and a bunch of boxes stored in it.”
    Amos finally climbed the steep hill and rejoined them. He stepped inside the cave. “Thank you both so much for your deep concern. I could have lost my toes down there. And I had horse-snot blown all over me. And Melissa—what about her?”
    Dunc stared at him. “What does Melissa have to do with anything?”
    “If my toes had been permanently damaged, I wouldn’t be able to dance with her.”
    “Amos, you’ve never danced with Melissa.She won’t even talk to you. Or look at you. Or—”
    “I’m confused,” Juan interrupted. “Who’s Melissa?”
    “It’s a long story,” Dunc said. “I’ll tell you about it some other time. Let’s check out the crates under that tarp.”
    Amos lifted the corner of a dusty white tarp. “Look—there’s something written on the sides of these boxes. I can’t quite make it out.”
    Juan wiped the dust off. “It says ‘Cookson Mining Company.’ I’m going to open one. You guys help me find something I can use to pry the top off.”
    Amos stepped outside. He covered his eyes to protect them from the bright sunlight.
    Suzy started barking furiously. She raced down the hill to the spot where they had tied their horses.
    Amos focused. He looked down at the bottom of the canyon.
    The horses were gone.

• 7
    “It was the ghosts.” Amos followed Dunc and Juan to the bottom of the canyon. “They probably let our horses loose so we’d be stuck up here and have to help them watch their gold—forever.”
    Dunc picked up a red bandanna. “Ghosts don’t wear these.”
    “And they don’t leave boot