Cody Jackson looked at the herd. He was only hired a few days ago by Gil Favor. He ran into the boy in Bridgewater, where he and the crew let the herd rest. In the saloon was Cody working where he got bothered by his stepfather Steve Carr. Favor, Rowdy Yates and scout Pete Nolan sat in a corner watching.
Steve walked to Cody and said, “Give me a bottle of whisky and be quick with it.”
“I don’t give you anything because you’ve had more than enough already”, Cody said calm.
He looked at his stepfather with a determined look. Steve was already a bit drunk and by that very aggressive. He went to Frank Wilson, the saloon owner.
Steve said, “That barkeeper of your refuses to serve me.”
“I will give you a bottle on the house. We are not for nothing friends”, answered Frank.
He grabbed the bottle and gave it to Steve. Here after he went to Cody.
Frank said, “Jackson, you are fired. In my saloon the bartender never refuses the order of a guest. Even if is he as drunk as a stunk. Get your stuff and then you can leave!”
Cody didn’t give a reaction but his eyes spoke volumes. Suddenly it was deadly quiet in the saloon. Rowdy wanted to step in but Favor stopped him.
“Never go fighting with a drunken boozer”, said the trail boss.
The foreman remained seated, with reluctance though. Cody left the saloon without saying another word. A moment later Favor also came outside.
“Mr Jackson, I am Gil Favor. I happened to be witness by coincidence of the row you’ve had with the saloon owner. Are you interested in the job of cattle driver?”, asked Favor.
Cody looked at the trail boss and answered, “Just say Cody. Of course I’m interested in that job. As long as I can get away from this hole. Everything is better that have to work in that saloon. Seeing as I have no family anymore to look after I can better go with you.”
Favor asked, “How old are you?”
“Fifteen. My father died before I was born. When I was 3 my mother remarried with that drunk of a Steve Carr. He murdered her 3 weeks ago”, answered the boy.
Then Pete and Rowdy came outside.
“Pete, Rowdy, meet our new recruit Cody Jackson. Cody, this is our scout Pete Nolan and foreman Rowdy Yates. This young man works temporary with us”, told Favor.
They mounted on their horses and rode to the herd. The cattle drivers didn’t see that Frank Wilson saw them leaving. He dried his hands on his apron and went inside again.
“Steve, that stepson of yours is taken along by a bunch of rough cattle drivers without your permission”, said Frank.
Steve looked at him stupefied.
“That lad is under my custody”, he said then angry.
“Do you know what you are going to do?”, asked the barkeeper.
Steve now looked at him questionable.
Frank explained, “You offer your services at that cattle boss to keep an eye on your son that way. As soon as you are alone you kill Cody and you blame them. Then we steal the herd. We sell half and the other half we sell as snacks in the saloon.”
“We just kill everyone of those dirty cattle drivers”, said Steve.
At once he had become a bit more sober and went away.
Meanwhile Favor, Pete, Rowdy and Cody had arrived at the herd and the other cattle drivers. Favor went with Cody to the field cook Wishbone and his assistant Mushy.
“Cody, this is our field cook Wishbone. That is his helper Mushy. Gentlemen, this is Cody Jackson. He is temporarily with us”, said Favor.
The reaction van Wishbone was indignant and direct, :“Mr Favor, now you are praising that piece of dimwit of a Mushy very much though.”
Mushy said very proud, “Thank you Mr Favor.”
“Go make coffee”, Wishbone snapped where Mushy stood again on the ground with both feet.
Mushy went silently working. Cody had watching it silently but Favor saw that the boy had seen enough of Wishbone. They walked to the horses.
“Is Mr Wishbone always so moody?”, asked Cody.
“Most of the time yes. Protesting is no use. May I give you a good advice? Never call Wishbone mister. Otherwise he might think that he is very important”, answered Favor.
Cody nodded smiling.
Not long after the arrival of Cody the cattle drivers went further. First Favor kept an eye on the new hand but noticed quite soon that Cody was a good cattle driver. Hereby the trail boss could keep himself busy with other important things.
Steve rode after the cattle drivers and saw suddenly Joe Quince riding. The boozer was suddenly as sober as a religious nun. He followed the cattle driver and came to the camp. By coincidence Favor ran into him.
“What are you coming to do here?”, asked the trail boss who recognized Steve.
“Pick up my son. I have heard that he was here”, answered Steve.
Favor looked at him and asked, “How old is your son?”
“He is 12 and keeps running away”, lied the visitor.
“I have no children employed so you are friendly requested to leave”, said Favor.
He knew damn well that Steve meant Cody. But the trail boss had sent him along with Pete to look for water and grass.
“You don’t have work for a poor cowboy, do you?”, Steve asked then.
“No, unfortunately not. I wish you lot of luck with finding your son”, said Favor said where after he rode away.
Steve already was in a bad mood because Cody had escaped and had become by the rejection of Favor very angry. Her decided to stay around the cattle drivers.
That evening said Favor, “Cody, this afternoon I ran into your stepfather. I have said that I have no children working for me. So you are now warned hereby.”
“Thanks Mr Favor”, said Cody.
By this message the boy wasn’t at ease. For the least thing Cody got mistreated by Steve. The boy had told this Favor, Rowdy and Pete the 1st evening he was hired. For this reason Favor didn’t let him do the night wake. Favor knew form Cody that Steve Carr was scared to death of cows.
“Mr Favor, maybe we can trap Carr by hiring him as cattle driver? Cody said that he is afraid of cows”, said Rowdy.
“Then Cody is dead at once. And I don’t to have that on my conscience. And you neither, Rowdy. Besides I have told him that I have no children working”, answered the trail boss.
What the cattle drivers didn’t know was that Steve had found his stepson and kidnapped the boy.
“What are you doing here?”, asked Cody.
“I can ask you the same thing. Runaway without my permission”, Steve answered angry.
“You are not my father but only the man who first married my mother and killed her after that”, said Cody.
“I have raised you as my own son and this way you pay me pack. Ungrateful grit that you are”, snapped Steve.
He hit the boy and got his revolver to shoot. Cody new that there cows grazing close by and made up a trick to set up his stepfather.
“Shoot me then if you dare or can”, the boy said daring.
Steve only could 2 things well and that were drinking and mistreating women and children. He loved to do both things eagerly. He pointed his revolver at his stepson and fired a shot. Cody knew to avoid the bullet and saw quite a few cows come running to him and Steve. The boy got up and made sure that he was safe. But Steve couldn’t avoid the herd wild cows anymore and got trampled that way. By the shot the cattle drivers had come nearer and they could bring the herd back to their camp.
When everything was quiet again Favor asked, “Cody, what has happened?”
The young cattle driver told everything.
Finally Cody said, “The brother of my real father lives close by here in Clearwater. He and his wife had said that after the funeral of my mother I could come live with them.”
“We come by there anyway. So then we deliver you there then”, answered the trail boss.
Steve Carr hardly could get a decent funeral because according to Cody he wasn’t even worth it but also because his mortal remains were so very trampled that there wasn’t much left. That’s why Favor let the rest burn.
A few days later the cattle drivers reached Clearwater. The cattle drivers delivered Cody with his uncle Harry Jackson and his wife Lucy.
Harry said, “We wanted to take Cody along earlier after the funeral of Sue but Steve was against it. Now Cody will get a good home.”
“I think so too”, said Favor.
“Mr Favor, thanks for your support”, said Cody
“It’s alright. I know for sure that you are here 100 times better off than with your stepfather”, said the trail boss.
They said goodbye and Favor went ahead with his herd and crew.
The trail boss called with a clear voice, “Head them up. Move them out.”