rayaso

THE GOLD RUN

It had been the best breakfast he’d ever had, since yesterday. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, and lots of syrup. Everything had been hot and the dishes clean, which wasn’t always true in other boardinghouses. He sighed as he pushed back from the kitchen table, his stomach almost full, and grabbed a few toothpicks for the road. It was going to be a long day and he knew he wouldn’t get another hot meal until tonight.

“It goes with the job,” thought the engineer, as he headed out to the train station. He normally hauled passengers and freight, but there’d been rumors of a special gold run. The station master had hinted as much yesterday when the engineer had bunked down for the night.

“Get a good night’s sleep,” he had said. “Tomorrow’s another day.”

The engineer stood up and grabbed his hat off the table, the one with the gray stripes and the blue engine on the front. It was old and worn, and even though he had others, he still wore it because it made the cook smile. He pulled his hat low in front, jammed a toothpick in his mouth and went to thank her for breakfast. He’d been eating her meals for years and he’d learned that this was the best way to get her to serve his favorites.

The engineer found her dusting in the parlor. She was busy but she looked at him and smiled.

“Take that toothpick out of your mouth,” his mother said. “You’ll choke on it and it’s rude.”

The engineer’s manners had always been rough; railroad work wasn’t for the dainty, but since it made her happy, he threw it away. Besides, he had more in his pocket.

“Get rid of the others, too,” she said.

He tried to look surprised as he emptied his pocket. It was a game they played. He always took extras and she always made him throw them out.

“Dad wants you in the garage,” said Mom. “He’s fixed up your bike.”

The engineer headed across the train yard to find the station master. He checked his pocket watch, which always read 12:08.

“I need the station master to fix this,” he thought. “Trains have to be on time and I can’t be late.”

He ran the rest of the way, and there it was: the famed Red Flyer Express, the first engine to make the Carlton Park run in under ten minutes. There might be newer and faster engines now, but Big Red would always be the first.

“Hey Stan,” said his father. “I hooked the wagon to your bike and made the safe you wanted.”

The station master had coupled a flat car to Big Red and it was carrying a special cargo. The safe was brown, about three feet tall, with a black ink dial for the combination lock and a handle to open it. It was made by the Acme Box Co. It didn’t look like much, but it would keep any robbers out.

“Is it filled with gold?” asked the engineer.

The monthly gold run carried the payrolls from the Central Bank to the School House Bank on the other side of Carlton Park. It was a dangerous trip and only the best engineer got the job because Dirty Jack would be gunning for it.

The problem for a train is that everyone knows where it goes and when, so it all comes down to the engineer, who needed speed, fortitude, and a handy gun. Everyone knew the engineer was the best shot along the line, but Dirty Jack wanted the gold and he was hard to beat.

“Big Red’s got the speed,” the engineer thought, “and I’ve got a plan. I just hope it’s enough.”

He stuck his last hidden toothpick into his mouth, smiled, and circled the train, inspecting it carefully. The station master had done a good job so everything was ready. The engineer climbed on, yelled “All aboard!” and pulled away, slowly building speed.

The beginning of the route was nice and smooth so the engineer let the train’s throttle out as it sped across Big Meadow and then headed close to the lake, where the geese liked to flock. The noisy, fast train chased them off as they honked their irritation.

The brick red Community Center Station drew close and the engineer stopped to get some water for the train. Since this was a special trip, he didn’t take on any passengers or freight. The Badlands and Deadman’s Gap were next, and if there was going to be any trouble, that’s where it would be.

The Badlands were at the edge of Carlton Park. It was a dry, treeless area, with a big hole in the ground next to an old, weathered sign that read “New Homes Coming Soon!” No one had ever built anything and it had become the playground of robbers and thieves. Get through it safely and there was Deadman’s Gap, a narrow valley with a tall hill on either side, the perfect place for an ambush. Some called it Blindman’s Alley, but the engineer just called it trouble.

“Dirty Jack’s out there somewhere,” he thought. “Time to speed up. If I go fast enough, maybe I’ll catch him by surprise.”

Dirty Jack Stephenson was the most feared gunman in the whole territory. He was big and quick with a gun. He wore a black hat, with leather chaps and a vest. Mostly he rustled cattle, but lately he’d been bragging about how he was going to rob the next gold run. Dirty Jack may have been a no-good gunslinger, but everyone knew he was still a man of his word.

“That engineer won’t stand a chance against me,” Dirty Jack had been telling folks.

The train rounded the turn heading into the gap. There was no sign of him, and the engineer began to think he might make it through. But out from a pile of rocks jumped Dirty Jack himself, standing in front of Big Red and waving two big Squirtmaster pistols.

“Don’t be a fool!” he yelled. “Give me the gold and walk away.”

The engineer just stared at Jack. He wasn’t the walking away kind.

“You walk away,” said the engineer, who suddenly reached behind himself and grabbed an Autosquirt 2000, then pointed it steady at Jack.

Engineers didn’t usually carry guns – it was a peaceful job; but when it came to Dirty Jack, the engineer wanted some firepower.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be,” said Dirty Jack, smiling. “I’ve got a little something extra myself.”

The engineer heard someone moving behind him. Shotgun Annie had been hiding in the rocks and now he had Dirty Jack in front and Shotgun Annie behind, pointing her water rifle right at the engineer’s head.

“You’re surrounded,” she said. “Give us the gold!”

Shotgun Annie was a little on the small side but she was the best shot in the territory with a rifle. She had a quick trigger finger to go with her fearlessness, and she was the only girl who made the engineer blush.

He had only one way out. He fired first at Annie, then at Jack as he tried to get Big Red moving out of the trap.

The engineer traded shots with them until everyone was soaked.

“Time for the surprise,” thought the engineer.

He put his gun on the ground, held up his hands, and said “It’s all yours.”

Annie and Jack whooped in victory and ran up to the safe.

“You surrendered, so you have to open it,” said Annie.

The engineer opened the safe. There was no gold, but there was a letter from the station master that read “Central Bank sent the gold by stagecoach.”

Dirty Jack and Shotgun Annie had been fooled. While they were busy holding up Big Red, the gold had made it safely to the School House Bank. All their plans were for nothing – almost.

The safe also contained peanut butter sandwiches, small milk cartons, and a big plate of chocolate chip cookies. The cook had a soft heart, even for train robbers.

It didn’t take long for them to finish their lunches. A few disappointed birds landed in search of crumbs. The sun was high overhead and it was getting hot.

“It’s 12:08,” said the engineer, taking out his pocket watch.

“What should we do next?” asked Shotgun Annie.

“Swimming?” said Dirty Jack.

The Marine inspected his squad; they weren’t much to look at, but they’d been through a lot together, including a hard fight taking the gap.

“An ocean invasion?” he said. “Three Marines, two jeeps, and a tank? I pity the other side.”

And with that, the Second Squad pedaled off on their next mission, seeking glory, a swimming pool, and maybe some more cookies at the end.

* * * * *
There are five earlier stories about Stanley.
“The Teddy Bear Detective”
https://rayaso.livejournal.com/22954.html
“Home on the Range”
https://rayaso.livejournal.com/26263.html
“The Mars Expedition”
https://rayaso.dreamwidth.org/1771.html
“Keep It Safe”
https://rayaso.livejournal.com/35790.html
“The Pirates”
https://rayaso.livejournal.com/37750.html