Riding with Thunderbolt

Riding with Thunderbolt

I was about to ask for a lemonade, when I heard Thommo whistling. He was galloping flat out through out toward the hotel. “Fred, troopers” I yelled. Fred glanced out through the door then turned to the men at the bar. “Seems that you are going to have a treat in store. C'mon boys!”

As I ran out after Fred, I saw four distant horsemen galloping behind Thommo. I fumbled with my stirrup like an old drunk as I mounted Socks. The drinkers rushed out of the hotel with the glasses in their hands to watch. Thommo reached us, his face grey with fear. Fred held up his hand to calm Thommo as he turned in his saddle to me. “Ben I don't think Socks is fast enough” he was talking very quietly. “you ride out, right now, flat out! Go!” He turned waving his gun at the troopers and shouting “We're ready for you!”

I kicked Socks fiercely into action and raced past the drinkers, past the pig-pen, past a straggly tree and into the empty plain. Then I heard a shot. I slowed Socks and nervously looked back. The troopers and Fred's gang began shooting at each other as they fanned from the hotel. Fred, Bill and the Bull were faster the troopers but Thommo's plodders wasn't to fresh after his race across the plain. Two troopers were galloping after Thommo from different sides, closing in on him. Thommo was looking desperately from side to side, like a trapped fox. Fred saw what was happening and rode back. He galloped his chestnut racehorse between Thommo and the troopers, waving his gun and drawing heavy fire from all the troopers. He doubled back many times, making the plain ring with the crackle of firing guns and the thunder of there horses hoofs. But the trooper closer to Thommo ignored Fred and fired at Thommo. He swayed in his saddle for a moment, and then fell to the ground. His horse fled into the long grass. Fred wheeled his horse and raced towards Thommo but the second troopers was already galloping down on Thommo. Thommo pulled himself up from the dust and pointed his gun at the trooper, but the trooper fired first. Thommo's head jerked as blood flew from it. I watched in horror as Thommo fell back into the dust.