Jolene

Chapter 7 Chasing the Tiger

Edward stepped off the narrowboat and was met on the dock by Jolene's Uncle Paul. "She's not here Ed."

"Mathilda said she had fled."

"Five days ago, we drove her to Highland Village so she could catch the Yellow Coach. She left you a note." Edward silently read the note. "My home and business are being watched. If you stay you will most likely be added to the watch list."

"Thinking of taking the mail boat across the lake to Oost then up river to Roxbury Village then the Yellow Coach to the Frontier Inn."

"How are you set for funds?"

"Gave Jody almost all my traveling money, but I can hire out as an outrider for Yellow Coach."

"I can give you..."

"Thank you no. You and Minerva may need to flee to the Republic eventually."

"It has always been our dream to go."

"Captain!" Edward shouted, "May I come aboard again."

"Were to this time?"

"Roxbury."

"Work the poles and it will be no charge, I find I'm short a crew member and a cook."

"I can cook too Captain."

"Well then, welcome aboard." The narrowboat had two short masts and was lug rigged. They raised the sails and started across the lake. It took most of the day before the entered the Black River. The sails were taken down and the short masts folded against the cabin top. Edward had started cooking as the sails were stowed. He served beans with bacon bits and ships biscuit. Each of the crew were also given an orange and enough beer to wash it down. The river was shallow so the poles were used to propel the boat. Four men stood at the bow, two on the port side two on the starboard. The poles were put in the water and firmly on the bottom. Then the pole men would walk to the stern pushing the boat forward with their poles, when they reached the stern they would lift their poles out of the water and walk back to the bow and renew the process. The captain stood at the tiller steering the narrowboat and offering encouragement to his crew as they sang to stay in rhythm and pass the time. The pace appeared leisurely but it propelled the craft well against the current, the crew was expected to keep this up for ten to twelve hours stopping only briefly for meals. Once they reached Oost they would enter the canal that ran seventy miles south and west to Roxbury Village. When running upriver the boat stopped for the night but resumed the night runs once they entered the canal.

"You're the best cook we've had in a long time," the captain said.

"I was the cook in my home growing up."

"Your Mom didn't cook?" one of the crew asked.

"My Mom passed when I was very young, so the job sort of fell to me."

"What else can you cook?" another of the crew asked.

"Pick me some of those berries growing along the shore and I'll bake you a pie." The crew's response to this offer was a large supply of berries so he included them in them in the morning's pancakes. One of the crew, the captain's nephew took a great interest in Edward's cooking assisting him and learning. When they finally reached Roxbury Edward parted with the boat and hired out to the Yellow Coach Company as an outrider.

Edward entered the office of the regional director of the Yellow Coach Company. The office was cramped and tiny with numerous wanted posters affixed to the wall, on the desk he saw a poster listing a reward for the capture of Jolene from Lakepointe village for witchcraft and treason. His heart missed a beat when he saw the poster with her picture. "How can I be of service?" the director asked. He noticed Edward's face become pale and his response to seeing Jolene's wanted poster.

"I understand your hiring outriders for the route to the frontier?"

"You heard correctly. It's a long run and being so far from Imperial oversight we have problems with armed bandits."

"We'll I'm your man."

"Not so fast, you'll have to prove yourself. Many of our outriders run when confronted and simply drop their weapons. Can you shoot?"

"I'm dam good!"

"Where are you from?"

"Lakepointe Village originally."

"Do you know this fugitive?" he asked pointing to Jolene.

"Yes, and she ain't no traitor."

"I agree, she is a real tiger I hear." The manager then gave a rendition of Jolene's confrontation with the Magistrate, "You aren't by any chance her fiancé planning to meet her on the frontier?"

"How do you know so much?"

"It was a fortnight ago. We were short a driver so I took the run from Highland Village. I named her Tiger and removed all record of a Jolene traveling with Yellow Coach. One question answered, I can trust you now let's see if you can shoot." The manager took a long muzzle loading pistol from the arms cabinet and walked to a small range behind the office. "Can you load and fire this?"

"Yes. That is a rather impressive wheel-lock pistol. But I have my own fire arm." Edward pulled a short pistol from his belt and fired several shots at the silhouette target decapitating it.

"What the hell! Multiple shots and the last one was so loud and it blew the head off the target!"

"It's a revolver. It holds eight loads in a revolving cylinder and it has a shotgun barrel under the main barrel. I fired that one last."

"Where did you find such a gun?"

"In the Republic, my Dad and I manufacture them."

"You are hired! This is not a busy route so the next coach out is the day after tomorrow, I forget what day."

"Thursday."

"We will have a large party, two coaches that run, so be on alert. I will put you up at the inn, no charge."

"Thank you."

"When you see Tiger give her a hug from me." Edward laughed and nodded.