BATTLE AX REMNENT 13

AS RICK AND JAKE GOT OUT OF THEIR TRUCK, JASONS FANCY TRUCK ROARED OUT OF THE LOT AND HEADED TO HIWAY. RICK STOOD THERE WATCHING HIM PULL out of sight. then turned to the brand inspecter "did i miss something?" " a lot of work. hows mickey?" barry answered. "broken collar bone and a bad concussion. they are going to keep him a few days.we kept trying to find out what happened but he kept going to sleep. finally just before we left he blubbered the word BULL." rick explained. the brand inspecter stepped up and handed rick jasons check " you need to find out if thats any good as soon as possible. the owner of the walking seven cattle co will make it right if it isnt. and if it isnt ime going after that guy." " i gotta go back into town to check on mickey ill run it through the bank then. " rick was looking at the check. " i hope its good my baker will sure be happy to see this in my account." " ill try to contact the owners of those stray cattle if i dont find anyone we may need to impound them at a auction barn. ime going to check with the state office on the slicks, see if we cant get them sold also. you have a written agreement with leo shadrack so we maybe able to get them outta here." the brand inspecter was going out of his way to help out. " the crew says a bunch this size or so got back. when do you think you will be going after them?" depends on how mickey gets along but i think it would be smart to let the cattle settle a little before we stitr them up again. you wanna go along?"rick extended the invatation. " i may want to, gimme a heads up so i can my work lined out. ill check back tomorrow evenning to see how mickey is, if the check cleared and when you will work again." the inspecter turned toward his truck " see ya" jake was rattling his pots and pans getting supper ready. barry went to the corrals to feed the cattle and the horses aand connie had gone to her tailer. rick was sitting in a lawn chair writting in his log book about the busy day they had. connie walked up and pulled a chair over to where rick set." ime sorry i got so uppity when i first got here. ime used to people trying to push me out. also i had no idea just how bad this country could be or the cattle, but these todays didnt seem to bad." " the real bad cattle are still back there. this today was a lucky deal. we maynot get this lucky again. theres enough of them steers left so we may pull it off one more time. ime glad that cow cop volunteered he will fill in for mickey. plus he gives us some legitimste authority but mainly i think he wants jasons hide nailed to the jail house wall."rick explained. " tomorrow we will take mickeys out fit and his horses to his folks place in florence. he wont becomming back here . its a shame he is a good hand." connie was lisening with her eyes wide opend ." can i ride along?" " soon as chores are done. barry can drive his truck and haul his horses, we will follow and pick him up then go to the bank and do anything else we need to do." rick laid it out. just then jake called them to supper.