The Cave of Gold<br />A Tale of California in '49 by Everett McNeil (e book reader pdf TXT) 📕

entered the open door and smiled when he saw Sam and Joe behind the counter. Joe was almost as tall as his father now, and except for the smooth chin, was almost a young copy. Despite the early hour, the shop had a dozen customers, and Joe and Sam were busy with two of them. He had plenty of time, so he turned down the first aisle to the back of the store with its shelves of ammunition.

He selected two boxes of the .45 Long Colts for his pistol then had to search a little longer for the .45-75 Winchester Express cartridges. When he found them, he grabbed four and added them to his growing stack.

He was about to head to the counter when he decided to see if he could find more ammunition for the Sharps. He knew that he had more than enough for the journey, but if he found any, he’d buy them for future use. Jake had been very impressed with the Sharps and expected that when he returned and began using it for target practice, he’d have to let the boys take a few shots. He wasn’t going to search for the even rarer ammunition for the Martini-Henry, but if he found a box, he’d add it to his load.

He was pleased but not surprised to find eight boxes of Sharps 45-100 and stacked four of the heavy packs onto his other ammunition. His arms were beginning to cramp with the weight, but he still sidestepped along the back wall and almost hoped that Sam didn’t have any Martini-Henry ammunition in stock. Unfortunately, there were two of the wooden containers marked Martini-Henry .577/450. He opened one to be sure that he understood the marking referred to the diameter of the breech and not the rifle barrel. After seeing the same tapered cartridges, he closed the lid. He should have let them sit because he doubted if they’d be sold while he was gone, but he reluctantly slid one then the second onto his teetering tower of ammunition.

He waddled as quickly as he dared to the front of the store drawing grins from other customers as he passed. Before he reached the welcome flat surface, Joe Bannister saw him and rushed around the counter.

Jake spotted him, so he stopped twenty feet in front of Sam who was smiling from behind the counter. Joe began lightening his load by taking the Martini-Henry ammunition and after he added the Sharps cartridges, said, “Lordy, Jake! I thought you were going to fall over.”

“It was close, Joe,” Jake replied as Joe turned back to the counter and Jake followed.

After the ammunition was stacked on the counter and Joe had stepped to the other side, Sam said, “I heard you were back, Jake. We were all really saddened by what happened. Your mother was a special lady.”

“She was very special, Sam.”

“I also heard that you were planning to chase down your father. Is that why your stocking up on ammunition?”

“Partly. Some of it is just because I wanted to have it on the ranch when I return. I hope I don’t have to use a single bullet when I find my father, but it’s hostile country out there and I don’t know how long it will take me to find him.”

Sam nodded then said, “You can never have too much ammunition.”

Then Joe grinned as he asked, “Is the gossip about you and Sara Smith getting hitched true?”

Jake was surprised that the news had already reached this far, but immediately realized that he should have expected it.

He smiled back at Joe as he replied, “That’s one rumor that I’m happy to confirm. As soon as I get back, we’ll have a quick courtship before we marry.”

“A lot of fellers will be disappointed to hear that Sara is spoken for. You’ve only been back a few days, so when did you propose?”

Jake laughed before saying, “I wasn’t the one to propose, Joe. Sara made her intentions clear on Saturday. I can’t say that I didn’t think about it after meeting her on Friday, either.”

Sam said, “If you’re going to marry the girl, I can’t understand why you’d bother looking for your father. He’s been gone for more than three weeks and knows the country better than you do. He could be anywhere by now.”

“I know all that, Sam. I still have to go. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t. Besides, if he learns that he hasn’t been charged with anything, he could return as if nothing had happened. I want to find him and hear his excuse for what he did. All I know is that he rode west, so I’m heading that way tomorrow.”

Joe had been adding the dozen boxes of cartridges into a heavy canvas sack, so the counter was almost empty when Jake asked, “How much do I owe you, Sam?”

Sam didn’t need to have Joe remove any ammunition from the sack as he’d automatically been running the total while they spoke, so Sam said, “Thirty-eight dollars and fifty cents. Some of those cartridges are a bit pricey, Jake.”

“It’s not a problem,” Jake replied as he took out his wallet and removed four ten-dollar notes and handed them to the gunsmith.

When Sam opened the cash drawer to get his change, Jake asked, “Where’s Ed?”

Sam handed Jake his dollar and four bits change and replied, “He’s down at the wharf with John Pillow and Willie Jones picking up a shipment.”

Jake stuffed the note and two quarters into his jacket pocket as he took a firm grip on the canvas sack and said, “Tell him I said ‘hello’. I’m sure I’ll see him when I return.”

Sam looked at him and said, “Don’t do anything stupid, Jake.”

“I think I’ve used up my supply of stupid already, but I’ll try to avoid adding to the collection.”