The Trek: Darwin's World, Book II (The Darwin's World Series 2) (34 page)

Lee hesitated. "There's one other option, Matt."

"What's that? If you've thought of something I missed, let's hear it."

"I was thinking of Tex. He's got at least one, maybe two or three horses ready to ride by now. What about training a couple of people to ride, use them for mounted patrols or to go after anyone who's captured?"

Matt thought about it. "It's an idea. But can we depend on Tex? There's no telling about him right now. He might leave as soon as he’s able.

"Next year we can try the same method he did, chase down some horses and tame them. It will take us a lot more time than it took him because we'd be learning how, but it could be done. We have a problem right now, though, and I don't know if Tex can be part of the solution."

"I'll talk to him, Matt. It might be better coming from me."

"Go ahead, Lee. But meantime, pass the word to everyone. The best answer right now is not to let people wander around without protection. Make sure they know about the capture parties. If someone's out gathering vegetables, make sure there are at least two guards nearby."

The others nodded and the meeting broke up. Matt headed back to the fire. It was time to talk to the new additions.

#

Matt found much to think about after the conversations. This world was different geologically from the Earth of downtime. The Rio Grande Rift and the river that flowed through it was likely shorter here than it had been downtime. Instead, a wide seaway now extended into the area that would be known downtime as the Big Bend. The Rio Grande itself was a formidable barrier, too, more than a mile wide just above the seaway. The broad river branched and flowed through a substantial delta, a haven for birds and fish as well as a number of transplanted people.

But a different society had evolved across the seaway; a number of huge estates had grown up, with labor provided by slaves or peons depending on how one defined the terms. Anyone located within a week's travel north of the seaway was in danger of being captured. There was always a need for more labor on the estates, similar to the plantations once found in the old North American colonies.

What the owners lacked in technology, they made up in brute human labor.

#

Lee found Matt two hours later.

"Matt, Tex is gone. He left Elizabeth after she treated him and headed for his horses. The horses are there, but the only sign I found of Tex is a place where a scuffle happened.

I think the capture parties followed us, and they've grabbed Tex."

Chapter 31

"I've got half a mind to let them keep him!"

"You don't mean that, Matt."

"Probably not, Lee. But Tex would probably lead a revolution if they ever got him south of that seaway your refugees mentioned! Still, he helped us when we were fighting the slave raiders, so we owe him. Did you see any other tracks?"

"Laz is looking at that now. Couple of others went with him, Piotr and Marc. Piotr has sharp eyes. If there's anything to be found, he'll find it."

"I'll be going after Tex, Lee. Who do we leave in charge of security while we're gone?"

"Laz would be my choice, but he's been left behind a couple of times already. I think he wants to go this time, and I know I do."

"What about leaving Piotr in charge?"

"He could handle it, I think. I don't think anything will upset him."

"Get people together as soon as Laz is back. I'm about to see if I can ride Tex's stallion."

"You think you can ride that thing, Matt?"

"I think I need to try. I've ridden before, but never bareback. And I never rode very far, maybe four or five miles once. I'm just hoping the skill will come back. Maybe it's like riding a bicycle."

"What's a bicycle, Matt?"

"I'll explain some other time. What I've got in mind is loading up with my bow, spear, a couple of dozen arrows slung on the horse plus what I can carry in my quiver. I'm going to loop around and get ahead of the raiders. Whenever I get the chance, I'll slow them down. I'll need a lot of arrows because even if I don’t have a good target, I’ll drop an arrow in the middle of the group to force them to scatter and take cover. You and the rest should be able to catch up that much faster."

"That should work. If you can ride the horse, that is."

"Time to find out, Lee. I'll be down at the corral. Tell Piotr he's going to be left in charge and he'll need to see that the horses are moved every day or so. I'll take Sal with me to the corral. I might need help, catching that stallion."

"I'll tell Piotr when he gets back from looking at the tracks. I'll see about finding you some extra arrows, too."

Matt took Sal along and went to the corral. The horses were calm, grazing on the short grass. The stallion saw them and stood watching, head up, ears pointed forward.

"Matt, you know how to use a rope like Tex does?"

"No. What I have in mind is just open up a loop and walk up slowly. If the horses bolt, I might try that honey trick Tex mentioned. But if I use a big loop and get close, maybe I can catch the horse."

"I'll watch, Matt. But if that horse decides to attack you, we'll have horsemeat for supper!"

Matt grinned and picked up a reata from Tex’s equipment. There was also a square of leather and a wide band he thought was the girth strap Tex had been using when he rode up. The hackamore appeared simple to use, even though it had only one rein for controlling the horse.

Matt's riding had been done using two reins. Still, if Tex had done it, Matt could; he would only need to figure out what cues the horse responded to. Stopping the horse would likely use the universal signal, lean back slightly and tug on the rein.

Matt built a six-foot loop in the reata's end and held it ready as he walked toward the stallion. The horse watched alertly for a moment, then spun and bolted. The mares joined him, circling past Matt where he stood in the middle of the corral.

Matt held the loop ready and kept up with the horses, walking in a small circle in the middle of the corral. He needed to walk only a short distance while the horses ran the much wider circle, just inside the downed trees Tex used for his 'fence'. Dust rose, churned up by the hooves. Matt sneezed and kept walking. The horses soon stopped and Matt walked slowly toward them again.

Half an hour later he finally managed to toss the open loop over the stallion's head. The horse immediately stopped, understanding the feel of the reata. The loop drew tight as Matt pulled slowly on the rawhide. With the loop snugged tight around the horse's neck, Matt led and the horse followed him obediently.

A few onlookers had come down to see what Matt was doing. Among them were the two men who'd been assisting Tex, José and Ernesto. Matt noticed them as he led the stallion to where Tex's equipment lay.

"Either one of you know how Tex puts all this stuff on the horse? I could probably figure it out, but the horse will be more comfortable if I do it the same way Tex does."

The two men conferred briefly. "We know how it is done, Señor Matt. Would you like for us to tack up the horse for you?"

Clearly the two had been picking up Tex's speech pattern as well as learning his methods. Matt was happy to let them apply their knowledge. In two minutes the men were finished. The horse had submitted quietly while José fitted the hackamore and Ernesto fastened the saddle pad in place.

"No stirrups. Well, I'll just have to do the best I can."

" Señor Matt, Tex grabs the long hairs of the mane at the base. This is the withers, and that is where you hold the mane."

"I know what a withers is!"

"Yes, Señor Matt. Would you like me to hold my hands to help you mount? I do this for Ernesto."

"You and Ernesto have been riding, José?"

"Yes, Señor Matt. But Tex has not allowed us to ride outside the corral yet. We are permitted to ride in the old corral before we drag the trees away to make the new corral."

"Sure, hold your hands in place. Maybe I can learn how Tex mounts the horse another time."

"You will need to know if you get off the horse, won't you?"

"You're right. But let me try riding first. I'll stay in the corral until I'm sure I can stay on the horse. At least this one's not as big as what I rode downtime. I don't have far to fall!"

"It is not so bad, Señor Matt. Ernesto and I have fallen several times. But we don't fall so often now. Soon we will not fall."

Matt accepted the boost and found himself astride the horse. Holding the rein in his right hand, he soon realized that it felt unnatural. Gingerly he leaned forward and passed the rein under the horse's neck. Sitting upright again, rein in his left hand and with the hank of mane hair in his right, he squeezed the horse's barrel with his knees. The stallion obediently walked forward.

Matt grinned and gripped tighter. A second, tighter squeeze that placed his heels slightly back from the centerline caused the horse to lift into a trot.

Matt felt jolted every time a hoof met the ground. Gently he pulled the rein away from the horse's neck and tugged on it. Obediently, the stallion turned left. Matt slipped momentarily but regained his balance. Bringing the hackamore rein into contact with the neck and pressing with his heel caused the horse to veer right. The habits formed during his riding efforts a long time ago were coming back.

Matt rode the stallion around the corral, going left, then right, then left again. Periodically he stopped the horse and started again. The horse patiently endured the heel pressures and tugs.

Finally Matt knew it was time to try galloping. He thumped his heels into the horse's barrel and the horse lunged forward. Matt was ready and swayed backward, but when he reined the horse left, the turn came much faster than expected. Matt slipped and began falling. Reacting rapidly, he released the grip his legs had attempted to maintain and pushed away. Sprawling on the dirt of the churned corral, Matt shook his head and regained his feet.

The stallion had rejoined the mares.

Some adjustment would be required. Matt understood that turns would likely not be as rapid once the horse was outside the corral. He thought he could stay on the horse's back during a canter; in any case, he could make a lot better time than a raiding party could, trying to haul Tex with them.

A thought occurred. Would Tex try to slow the raiders down? If he became too great an annoyance, would they simply kill him?

Matt would have preferred more riding practice, much more practice. But time was critical. The sooner pursuit got underway, the better. Laz had joined the spectators, so it was time to take a break and see what he'd learned. Lee was back too, now carrying two extra quivers filled with arrows.

"Pretty good, Matt. Except for that last dismount!"

"You'll get your chance, Lee, after we get back. Laz, what did you find?"

"They were dragging Tex at first. I followed them for about a mile and Tex had started walking by then. I can't tell if the people who were dragging Tex...his toes left a skid between two sets of tracks...were part of the raiders or maybe captives. But there are probably at least ten of them. Only two came into camp and grabbed Tex; the rest hid about a quarter mile away. They headed southeast, a little more south than southeast."

"That’s probably enough information. I think I can find them if I head that way. I'll take a swing due south for about five miles, then swing over east and see if I spot movement. Lee, you bring the rest of the pursuit and keep on their trail. Be careful; they might try to ambush you. They don't always depend on speed to get away, they are prepared to fight too. I suspect they’re more prepared than the people they grab."

"Understood, Matt. We're leaving right now. Your weapons are here and we'll look for you down the trail."

"Are you taking food and water?"

"Water only. We shouldn't be gone more than a day at most. I think we'll catch up to them in half a day or less."

"Understood. See you, Lee." With that, Lee led his group of seven men south. As soon as they left the camp, Lee broke into a jog. The rest followed, strung out at first as the men found their place in the column. In a moment only dust showed where they'd trotted away.

#

Matt decided he was loose enough and the horse had become accustomed to his weight. Rein held in his left hand, both hands on the horse's neck and with the right hand grasping the same clump of mane he'd held before, he jumped. His right leg lifted, carrying him over the horse’s back, knees gripping as he settled to cushion his descent. Matt would have grinned in delight had the occasion been less serious.

Sal handed Matt his weapons. He slung his quiver in its usual place, hung the bow across his back, then arranged the two spare quivers across the front of the pad he was sitting on. But there was no place for the spear, and finally he understood that he'd have to leave it behind. Even his faithful axe was problematic; the handle hung down and tended to rest against the horse. As soon as the horse began moving, that handle would thump against its ribs, one of the problems with carrying the spear. Matt handed the axe over to Sal, who put the axe and spear together and waved as Matt signaled José to open the fence. Taking a deep breath, Matt rode out of the corral. José closed the gap behind him.

#

Colin watched him go, then turned to Piotr.

"You take care of security. Organize whoever you've got left, but I'm going to talk to everyone. No foraging parties, no hunting parties until Lee and Matt get back. I want everyone to stay in camp until this is settled. Have Lilia see what she can do, assigning the women to help with security. We've got enough food, there's water right here, so we'll just wait until the others get back."

Piotr nodded. "Sounds good, Colin. I would have been stretched pretty thin, trying to cover everyone. Even using the women, I'd have had to choose whether to provide enough guards for people gathering vegetables or keep enough around to protect the camp. Hunting wouldn't have needed security...the hunters can protect themselves...but having hunters away would mean there were fewer people in camp. It will be a lot easier if everyone's together."