Part 21 (1/2)
My name's Jake Favors.”
Joe said, ”I'm Joe Tower and I'm on my way to Oregon.”
”And I have to get some mules gentled. Tell you what, if you can break me in a team of six, I'll give you ten dollars a head.”
Joe grinned. ”Have to get to Oregon.”
”How much do you think it's worth?”
”Fifty dollars a head.”
Jake Favors raised both hands in mock horror. ”Man! I can't sell mules for fifty dollars a head!”
”You must be a mighty poor salesman.”
”Tell you what. I'll lose money on it but I'll give you twenty five dollars a head for breaking in a team of six that will work together.”
Joe hesitated. Certainly a hundred and fifty dollars more would be a G.o.dsend. It would a.s.sure them of enough money no matter what happened, but it took time to break mules properly. However, it would take less time if Joe could choose his own mules. He looked at the corral from which the gray had come.
”That your stock?”
”That's part of it.”
”And I pick my own mules?”
”Any you want.”
Joe said doubtfully, ”I could wagon break six, but somebody else will have to polish 'em off.”
Jake Favors looked narrowly at him. ”What do you mean?”
”I'll break six to harness and teach them to pull together, gee, haw, stop, and back. It'll take more practice before they're really a fine team.”
”Why can't you make 'em fine?”
Joe looked him straight in the eye. ”I haven't got time.”
”Do I pay you before you start or after you finish?” There was more than a trace of sarcasm in the question.
Joe said grimly, ”After I finish. But I also want a clean place to camp and feed for my stock.”
Jake Favors said, ”You've made yourself a deal. Drive into the meadow behind the corrals and make camp. There's a good spring rising under the apple trees, and it's far enough from the corrals so you won't get much smell.”
Joe swung his team off the road and onto the dusty, dry ground adjoining the corrals. A little way farther on the wagon wheels ground clean gra.s.s, and Emma looked nervously back at the city. Independence had its allure, but she had her children to think of and who knew what evil lurked in a place like this? She asked,
”How long do you think it will take you, Joe?”
”I'm going to try to make it in three weeks, but it might take longer.”
”Isn't that cutting our time very short?”