The Argo Goes West

14, Giant boar hunting in Calydon, part 11

Lou's face in the hand mirror looked like Santa Claus because of the foamy shaving cream.

"I'm not shaving for fashion, it's for good luck." said Lou to The Mad Bomber, deftly moving his razor. "You probably have one too. I hear it's common among miners."

"I'm not. But there were people like that. Those who told not to whistle or blow out the candles. But they died."

Slim didn't participate in the conversation and kept watch. He was unable to go down the cliff to fetch water because of his injured legs. He felt sorry for Lou and The Mad Bomber, but they did the job without a single complaint. Slim had hunted alone until now, but for the first time he realized that having a companion wasn't so bad.

Slim noticed billows of smoke over the horizon. He magnified it with Sir Granger's keepsake optical sight. A gigantic boar, was running towards here in the smoke.

"Here comes it!" Slim informed his companions. "Are you ready?"

"OK" Lou hurriedly wiped the foam off his face with a towel.

"Is she okay?" The Mad Bomber asked Lou.

Slim replied while peering into the scope. "I can't see her yet. But she's doing great. I believe in her."

Bonnie felt a greasy snort behind her. She also heard carnivore roar. The monster boar was right behind her.

"Hiyaa! Hiyaa!"

Bonnie didn't turn around. Not only is it a futile move, but if she is frightened, it is transmitted to her horse through the reins. She wanted Gwendolen to focus solely on running. So she looked straight ahead. The canyon her friends are waiting for is just around the corner. Gwendolen's stamina was good enough, thanks to the help of Roo's horse.

Bonnie was in the final push. She lifted herself out of the saddle and hunched over. She held the position and whipped the horse. picks up speed. Bonnie gasped. Her heart was about to burst. Not because of fear, but because of an unreasonable posture. Bonnie didn't panic. Calm down, it's going well, just a little bit closer to the finish line, she told herself. She saw someone on the cliff waving his hat wildly.

It was Lou who was waving his hat. Slim held an elephant gun, and The Mad Bomber held a T-shaped plunger on top of a plain square box with both hands.

"She's just entered the valley entrance," said Lou, looking down at the bottom of the valley and reporting the situation one by one. "The monster have come... not yet... a little more... a little more... now!"

The Mad Bomber put all his weight into pushing the detonator switch.

It was just after Bonnie and Gwendolen sprinted through the canyon. Behind her there was a huge bang and a blast.

Bonnie stopped her horse and looked back. The smoke was so heavy that she couldn't see anything. The rattling sound of rocks crumbling still continued.

"Did it go well?"

Someone on the cliff was yelling "We did it!". It was like The Mad Bomber.

The smoke has cleared somewhat. The canyon had changed completely. Large and small boulders piled up and buried the bottom of the valley.

Lou waved his hat from the top of the cliff, and Bonnie smiled and waved back. She felt so good with the sense of accomplishment of completing a dangerous task.

"Was my horse useful?" Lou asked loudly.

"Very helpful. Orpheus will bring him."

Bonnie heard an ominous sound. Rocks were crumbling down from the top of the pile of rubble. Something inside was trying to come out.

"It's alive!"

Hearing Bonnie scream, Slim hurriedly said,

"Bonnie, don't stay there. Come up here!"

"But I can't abandon my horse!"

"Then get away from it. Get as far away as you can!"

"All right!"

The gigantic boar that had been buried under the rock reappeared. It was full of blood. It was dying. But It didn't want to die alone, it wanted a companion. The monster's bloodshot eyes spotted Bonnie running away. With the last of its strength, It rushed forward.

"We are your opponents!"

Slim and Lou yelled while firing their guns to distract the monster from Bonnie. But It ignored them. Bonnie, who had a long chase in the wilderness, was its only enemy.

Bonnie ran away. But Gwendolen's stamina was running out. There was nowhere to hide in the plains. Bonnie prepared for death.

At that moment, the strange motorcycle appeared in front of her. A sidecar was attached to the motorcycle, and a bearded man wearing a black felt hat was riding. The man stuck a cartridge in a machine gun, a Hotchkiss Mle 1900 similar to a Gatling gun but smarter and slimmer, and pulled the trigger. The cartridge slid sideways and bullets fired incessantly.

RATARATARATATATA...

All bullets were exhausted in no time, and the monster boar died.

"Oh, thank you," Bonnie thanked the misterious twosome."Thanks for your help. I'm Bonnie Monaghan. What about you?"

"Pat Garrett," said the man who was shooting the machine gun. Bonnie was astonished. Pat Garrett is a famous marshall who has even published a book.

It was a young man who was driving the motorcycle. He was wearing a black jacket with a stand-up collar and decorative toggles fastening at the front, a black casquette, and goggles. Pat introduced him to Bonnie. "This is Billy."

"Billy? Could it be Billy the Kid?"

"No, No" said the young man with a shy smile. "I'm Billy Chen" The accent, the color of his skin, he looked like an Oriental-probably Chinese.

"Mr. Garrett. Are you also aiming for the prize money?"

"No, I'm a shadow sponsor," Pat confessed. "I'm looking for rough members. I'll make a proposal to you. I'll give you more money than you can earn in your lifetime. Won't you join me?"