The herd got driven ahead in a calm tempo by Gil Favor and his men. Suddenly Pete Nolan came in a big hurry riding towards Favor.
“Pete, why such a hurry?”, Favor asked amazed.
“A problem bit further away boss. About 3 km from here lies a little unconscious boy”, Pete said directly.
“Alright, I come. Rowdy, you lead the herd until I am back”, said Favor.
“Alright Mr Favor”, said Rowdy Yates.
Favor and Pete rode to the spot where the boy laid. They dismounted and looked at him.
“He cannot be much older than a year of five, six”, said Favor.
He kneeled down and asked worried, “Can you talk? what is your name?”
The boy opened his eyes and said, “Buck Willis.”
He blinked a few times with his eyes.
“Well Buck, what is has happened?”, Favor asked calm.
“Mom left me here behind. She always hits me”, said Buck.
With the support of Pete and Favor he got up. He showed his wrists which were full of lashes.
Favor said, “We take you along to our camp. I am Gil Favor and that is Pete Nolan. Come Buck.”
Favor mounted on and Pete lifted Buck on the horse. After that the scout mounted on too.
Both rode back to the other drivers and the herd. Favor rode to the wagon where Wishbone and Mushy were sitting upon.
“Wishbone, This is Buck. Can he stay in your wagon until we make camp?”, asked Favor.
Without waiting for an answer he gave the foundling to Mushy, who put him into the wagon.
Wishbone asked indignant, “So besides that silly clown next to me I must look after that lad, Mr Favor?”
“Wishbone, you cannot expect from me that I leave that lad behind at the wild prairie”, asked Favor.
He rode ahead to the front. In the wagon Buck fell asleep again.
In the evening they made camp. While Wishbone and Mushy were busy with the food, Favor care about the youngest member of the crew. The cook had taken care of the wrists of Buck.
Favor brought him a plate with stew and said to him, “Here you have some chaw.”
Buck got it but almost dropped it. His wrists and hands were wrapped up well in bandages. Favor saw it and caught the plate.
He went to sit next to him and said, “I will feed you.”
The two said nothing until the plate was empty.
The trail boss brought it back and said to the cook, “Wishbone, he cannot even hold a plate. You have wrapped up the bandage a bit too much around his wrists and hands.”
Wishbone reacted with, “It was just right!”
Favor went back to the boy who had become very shy due to the interest and/or curiosity of the cattle drivers.
“Buck, just come along”, Favor said who noticed the situation.
Buck walked along with the trail boss. when they were alone they sat down.
Favor asked, “Where do you come from?”
“Masonville”, said Buck.
He hardly said a single word. It was Favor clear that their foundling was no talker. He didn't know what he had to do with him. Of Buck himself they wouldn't get to know much. Favor decided to keep the boy with him for the time being.
In the camp Pete and Rowdy were eating and talking.
“That lad doesn't say anything. We don't even know where he comes from”, said Pete.
“According to me he is lost”, was the reaction of Rowdy.
“In any case he gets mistreated by his mother”, said Pete.
“At least he isn't complaining about the food like some of you do”, sounded it from the mouth of Wishbone.
Unnoticed they all looked into the direction of Favor and Buck.
“He can better be shy than brutal. Perhaps he gets by when he is used to us”, Pete said sober.
“You never get used to the food of Wishbone”, reacted Rowdy.
“Thank you very much Rowdy Yates. I work myself to the bone for you and what do I get in return? Rewards for ingratitude”, was the indignant answer of Wishbone.
The cattle drivers weren't far from Masonville.
Favor said to Pete after supper, “We keep here camp. Tomorrow I bring Buck home. He is too little to go along with us.”
“Alright, Mr Favor”, said Pete.
Favor said to Buck, “I bring you back to your mother tomorrow.”
By the hearing of this news the boy suddenly lost his shyness.
“But Mr Favor, she doesn't want me. She doesn't love me”, said Buck.
This sounded like a great protest.
“Of course she does love you. I am sure that she must have missed you very much. Go to
sleep now. It is tomorrow early day”, Favor said being amazed about the reaction of Buck.
When the boy was sleeping the trail boss got the protests over him.
“Mr Favor, you are not going to leave him behind with his mother? You have seen how his wrists looked like when the bandages are off”, said Wishbone said indignant.
“I can hardly keep him here? This is no life for a child of six years old. I bring him away tomorrow. If she really doesn't want him, then I find a solution. Discussion closed”, reageerde Favor.
Pete and Rowdy didn't agree with it. Favor noticed that clearly enough. Despite his conflicting opinion Rowdy decided to go along with Favor and Buck to Masonville.
The next morning after breakfast Favor, Rowdy and Buck left the camp. Buck was deadly nervous for the reaction of his mother.
After riding a while Buck said, “There she lives Mr Favor. In the first house.”
“Then we go there to”, said Favor.
But they didn't get the nice receiving where Favor actually had counted on.
Julia Willis saw her son and she asked him fierce, “You do come back every time. Who are they?”
“Miss, I am Gil Favor and that is Rowdy Yates. My scout found Buck. You live here?”, Favor asked polite.
“Yes but without that lad. He is unwanted. Buck is shameless to me”, Julia claimed.
“We have noticed nothing of that. in the camp he was as shy as can be. Are you mistreating him?”, asked Rowdy.
Julia looked at him as she saw water burning.
“Out of my house and take that child along”, she said angry.
Buck went along with the cattle drivers.
“We go to the sheriff. Maybe he knows more”, said Favor.
He put Buck on the second horse and mounted on his. Rowdy did it too. They went to the sheriff. The sheriff sat behind his desk when the threesome came in.
“Morning gentlemen, hello Buck. What can I do for you? It does go about the mother of
this lordship here?”, asked the sheriff.
Favor nodded and asked, “Buck is here certainly very well known?”
“His ma outcasts him every time again. Sit down”, said the sheriff.
The authoritative carrier of Masonville listened to the name of Dan Riggs. Rowdy and Favor went to sit down.
Riggs began to tell, “When Buck wasn't born yet his father died. Since then Julia Willis is embittered. From time to time she leaves him behind in the hope that he dies.”
Buck sat in a corner listening. It was for him a very well known story.
“Doesn't he have any other relations who want to take him in?”, Favor asked amazed.
“No, not that we know. You cannot take him along on your trip?”, asked Riggs.
“Actually not sheriff. We drive a herd via the Sedelia route. It is much too heavy for a lad like Buck”, Favor explained.
A solution wasn't found very fast. Both Favor and Rowdy expected no good from leaving Buck with his mother behind.
Riggs saw that in too and said after a while, “Maybe it is for him better if he is in another area for a while.”
“Alright. He will stay with us for a while. Come Buck. You go along with us”, Favor said finally.
They left the office of the sheriff.
At the moment that Rowdy wanted to put Buck on the horse they heard a voice saying behind them, “Put that lad down!”
Rowdy looked at Favor and that one said, “Do what she says Rowdy.”
Buck got put on the ground and all three turned around.
“Buck Willis, come here at once”, Julia said strict.
“But Mrs Willis, earlier you said that he wasn't allowed to live with you anymore”, Favor said dazed.
“I have never said that. That lad might have told that. He does that often. Now come on home”, Julia said angry.
Unwilling Buck went along, leaving Favor and Rowdy amazed behind. He almost got dragged along by his mother. The cattle drivers went back to their camp but Buck Willis remained in their thoughts.
At home Julia gave her son such a beating that Riggs went to arrest her for child abuse.
“What I do with him is my case sheriff”, Julia said to him.
“I heard Buck yelling one hundred miles back. Whole Masonville knows how you treat your son. he is better off with Favor”, said Riggs.
“Buck was just asking for it. He tells lies about me”, Julia said and she slammed the door.
The sheriff didn't show himself in his true colors and broke the door open. Julia had a revolver in the hand and shot down Riggs.
“So, that will teach you to interfere with me”, she said furiously.
Riggs was hit in his arm but was still awake. Though he pretended to be dead. By the shooting Buck saw chance to get away. He fled out of the house and ran to the deputy sheriff.
“Boy, what is the matter?”, asked Cody Larson.
“The sheriff has been shot dead by mom”, the boy said in one breath.
“Just come along boy”, Cody said calm.
Together they ran to the house of the Willis family.
“He shot down the sheriff. Arrest hem”, Julia said directly when she saw the deputy and Buck.
Cody wanted to arrest Buck but the boy was faster and ran away until he dropped down of exhausting.
When Pete scouted the area looking for water and grassland he saw Buck lying again. He rode towards him and dismounted.
“What have they done to you this time?”, he asked out loud.
The scout picked him up and mounted on his horse. He rode straight back to the camp where they reacted amazed at the return of Pete.
“Pete, what are you doing back already?”, Favor asked directly.
Then he saw Buck lying.
“I saw him lying down, Mr Favor. I hardly could leave him behind in the desert”, was the excuse.
He gave Buck very carefully to his boss who put him on the ground.
“Wishbone, get the first aid box”, said the trail boss.
The cook did it grumbling and took care of Buck. Although he had woken up Buck couldn't speak about what had happened.
“Something bad must have been happened at home. He will remain with us for the time being”, Favor said to Rowdy and Pete.
They put their foundling in a wagon. Favor realized that he and his group were involved with it.
He said calm to Rowdy, “We go to Masonville to find out everything.”
The trail boss turned to Wishbone, “You look after Buck.”
Wishbone began to protest heavily but Favor and Rowdy left the camp.
“What does Mr Favor think? I ain't no nanny for that lad”, the cook said to Pete and Joe Scarlet.
“You just can't leave that lad alone. Especially not in his condition”, reacted Joe.
“As long as Mr Favor doesn't think that I keep on watching him”, was the comment of Wishbone.
When Favor and Rowdy arrived in town Riggs was a bit better. Julia was nowhere to be found but the deputy neither. There hung a strange atmosphere in the streets of Masonville. The cattle drivers stopped at the office of the sheriff.
“Let's see if the sheriff is there”, said Favor.
They dismounted and hitched the horses. Favor knocked at the door.
“Enter”, said Riggs.
Favor and Rowdy entered the office and greeted the sheriff. Riggs had his arm in a sling and was writing the record about the shooting at the Willis place.
“Do you know where Buck is? He is gone since the shooting took place”, said Riggs.
“You can beat ease sheriff. Our scout found him exhausted and brought him to our camp. We keep him with us for the time being”, said Favor.
“His mother was mistreating him once again. I was doing my rounds when he screamed. I wanted to arrest her but she shot me. My deputy is gone too”, said Riggs.
“It can be that Mrs Willis and your deputy work together”, Rowdy suggested then.
“That is very well possible Rowdy. We will ask Buck later if he knows anything about it”, said Favor.
Riggs grabbed a pen and wrote down,
Hereby I give Gil Favor officially and legally permission to keep the six year old Buck Willis with him as long as needed.
Signed sheriff Dan Riggs,
Masonville 1870.
“Do you want to sign here Mr Favor?”, asked Riggs.
Favor grabbed the pen and put his autograph.
“Now Buck is placed under your custody for the time being until all troubles are out of the way. I hope that it as soon as possible”, said the sheriff.
Outside the town Cody and Julia were discussing their plans in a further stage.
“Now the sheriff is dead you are the authority carrier. Only that lad is standing in the way”, Julia said triumphantly.
Cody nodded smiling and, “That child shall not live for much longer. He shot down Riggs so he deserve to hang. Where can he be for goodness sake?”
“Hopefully not with those cattle drivers”, said Julia.
“Which cattle drivers?”, the deputy asked amazed and worried at the same time.
“Those cattle drivers of a certain Gil Favor. He and Rowdy Yates brought Buck home. I don't trust them. If they have Buck and he starts to talk we are dead”, replied Julia.
“I don't think so. You said yourself that Buck is too shy to talk with strangers around. Where are you worried about then?”, asked the deputy.
Julia nodded. They didn't know that Buck knew about their mean plans.
When Favor and Rowdy returned to the camp Buck was on his feet again. He still did look a bit damaged but had become a bit able to speak.
Favor went to sit next to him and asked, “Buck, what has happened when your mother dragged you away from us?”
“Mom beat me up like always. The sheriff came. She shot him down. I could get away. The deputy wanted to arrest me. Mom said that I shot down Riggs. You do believe me Mr Favor?”, Buck asked looking at the de trail boss.
“I believe you. You stay here for the time being”, said Favor.
Buck looked shy at the rough cattle drivers. Though he felt safe with them.
The trail boss turned to his men, “Gentlemen, for an unknown period of time we have a new member with our group. I count on it that he gets treated well. Are there eventually any problems caused by Julia Willis and/or Cody Larson, the deputy of Masonville, let me know at once.”
The cattle drivers agreed. Buck got accepted lovingful in the group of Favor. Though the trail boss was aware that they could and would expect trouble from Julia and Cody.
As the boy knew the cattle drivers longer Buck began to tell by himself more. One evening Buck sat opposite Favor during the meal.
“The deputy has plans to rule the town together with mom. But I keep coming in between their plans”, said the boy.
“I already had that suspect. According to me you know enough to get them behind bars”, said Favor.
“What will happen to me then? I have no more family”, the boy wailed softly.
“We will find a solution. For now you stay with us for the time being”, the trail boss assured his foundling.
Hereby Buck became calm again.
After supper Buck and Joe made another walk whereby they inspected the herd at the same time.
Meanwhile Favor said to Rowdy and Pete, “Later on I go with Buck to the sheriff. The boy so much information that he can be killed for it. His mother and the deputy are surely up to that.”
“Isn't that a bit risky boss? You know how his mother reacts at his presence”, said Rowdy.
“I shall have to take that risk Rowdy”, Favor replied calm.
Like discussed Favor and Buck rode to Masonville to talk to Riggs. Favor knew that there was danger everywhere and was alert. What the trail boss didn't know that Cody and Julia had found out that the sheriff was still alive.
“We must find that rotten boy and kill him”, said Julia.
“I agree with you”, Cody said laughing.
Suddenly they saw Favor and Buck coming. They could dive away just in time.
“That is that Gil Favor. So he has my son. But not for long”, Julia said furiously.
“I know already something. We follow them to their camp. When everyone is fast asleep we kidnap Buck and kill him. Then that trail boss gets the blame of his death and we go free”, Cody explained.
His partner agreed.
In the meantime Favor and Buck were in the office of the sheriff.
“Hello Mr Favor, Buck. What can I do for you this time?”, asked Riggs.
“Buck has something to say to you. Buck, go ahead”, Favor said to the boy.
Buck said, “When I was still living with momma Cody often came by. Just recently he said that he had plans to rule the town together with mom. They know that I know from their plans. That's why they keep bothering me.”
“He was already behaving so remarkable. I will write this down so you can go back again. Buck, you look better than when you were living with your mother”, said Riggs.
“Alright sheriff. Come Buck. Time to go back to the camp. Besides, it is high time for you to sleep”, Favor said calm.
A bit tired the boy went along with the trail boss. They had not noticed that Julia and Cody had followed them to the camp. Favor told the men what Buck had told. Hereby they knew that danger was on its way. Not only for Buck but for themselves and the herd as well. The cattle drivers decided to prepare for this very well.
It was a deadly silent night in the camp. Though the cattle drivers were alert. Nobody knew when or how Julia and Cody would attack.
Suddenly they heard a loud scream.
Favor said, “That is Buck. Come on Joe and Jim. Pete, Rowdy, you go to the other side.”
Quickly they went to the spot of calamity. Favor saw how Julia held her son under gunshot.
“Drop your weapon Favor. Or I will shot this rotten boy”, Julia said threatened to him with a fierce voice.
The trail boss remained calm en said, “You won't reach anything with it. Buck stays with us. The sheriff has given me his permission to keep him here.”
Buck knew that his mother couldn't hold him long and made good use of that. He pulled himself loose and ran away. Julia wanted to shoot but Favor was just a fraction faster. His bullet made an end to her life.
Somewhere else near the camp Pete and Rowdy had a meeting with the deputy. In the meantime he had taken of his badge to protect his innocence.
“It is over Cody”, said Pete.
“For you it is over but not for me”, laughed Cody.
“Yes, it is”, said Rowdy.
At this answer Cody became so angry that he shot at both men but a rain of bullets made that Cody started a journey to the eternal hunting fields but would never finish it.
When the peace had returned again they first went to look for Buck. In his hurry to get away from his mother he hadn't watched out where he walked. Buck had tripped and got hit by the horses of Julia and Cody. The animals had injured him badly. He got up and walked hobbling to the camp where only Wishbone and Mushy were. Wishbone could receive the boy just in time. The cook took care of him as good as possible. Meanwhile Buck fought for his life.
By morning Buck had won the fight against death. He looked a bit weary out of his eyes into those of Favor.
“Hello Buck. How are you feeling?”, asked the trail boss.
“I cannot really move my legs Mr Favor. What has happened?”, the boy asked at his turn.
“Your mother wanted to take you away from here. The deputy was there too. But they are dead. The big question is now: what do we do with you?”, asked Favor.
“Can I not stay with you?”, begged Buck.
Favor smiled and said, “I am afraid not lad. I like you very much but I think that it is better if you stayed in Masonville. The sheriff will drop by later on.”
“Alright Mr Favor”, Buck replied and he fell asleep again.
After a while Doc, the sheriff and his wife came riding into the camp.
Pete said, “I assume that they come for our foundling.”
Riggs got off his horse and asked Favor, “May I introduce you to my wife Susan? We have talked the case through and decided to raise Buck as our son. He is still alive, is he?”
“Yes sure. Doc is examining him now. In fact it doesn't matter to Buck that his mother is dead”, Favor replied calm.
“I cannot have children myself so Buck is very welcome”, said Susan.
She walked to Buck while Doc went to Favor and Riggs.
Doc said to the sheriff and Favor, “Buck shall not be able to walk well again for the rest of his life. He will remain crippled.”
“Cripple or not, he is still very welcome. The boy will have it better than ever before”, said Riggs.
Buck was on his feet again and spoke to Susan.
“May I stay with you?”, asked Buck.
“If you want that”, replied Susan.
The boy heavy nodded of yes.
She took him into her arms and said, “We go home. Go and say goodbye to Mr Favor and the others. I wait here for you.”
Buck walked a bit crippled to the cattle drivers and said, “I am leaving. Thanks for your help.”
“You’re welcome Buck. I think that we will drop by one day”, said Pete.
Here after the boy walked to Susan.
“Where is Mr Favor?”, asked the boy.
“He is with your father”, she said.
Together they walked to them.
“Dan, he stays with us. Buck, here is Mr Favor”, said Susan.
Buck said shy to the trail boss, “Mr Favor, I am leaving.”
“We shall miss you but if you pass by we look you up”, said Favor.
“Mr Favor, can you give the regards of me to Wishbone?”, asked Buck.
“Don’t you dare it yourself?”, was the amazed question of the trail boss.
The boy said, “No, he always looks so angry.”
Favor smiled and nodded.
Now the case in Masonville was solved the cattle drivers could go ahead with their hard travel to Sedelia.
Favor rode to the herd and his voice had a cheerful sound when he yelled, “Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out!”