For copyright se first page. 

 

Epilogue

 

"I can't stand this any more!" Jimmy looked at the others around the table. "It's like a nightmare!"

"Ain't that bad," Kid said pensively, "but then it ain't good either."

"Ain't bad?"

"He'll get over it," Lou said.

"And what are we to do until then? This is --- unnatural," Jimmy complained.

<I agree with Jimmy>, Ike signed. <We should do something.>

"I've never seen him like this," Buck stated. "He's been taking extra rides without any whining."

"He hasn't asked any one of us for a loan or to borrow anything. He hasn't even asked us to take his rides."

"And he suddenly has developed table manner. Yesterday, he offered me to take stew before him." Lou remembered.

"That's what I've been telling you - it ain't natural," Jimmy said persistently.

"All right. What do you suggest we do about it?" Kid asked.

"I have an idea," Jimmy said smiling.

 

Cody returned from the run, too tired to notice the silence that hung over the way station. He was too tired to tend to his horse, but in line with his new and improved self, he took the time. It was exhausting to change, he pondered, but this way it was no way that his friends would get in trouble over him. It wasn't until he entered the bunkhouse he realized that the station was empty. He wondered where the others were, when he saw a paper on the floor. Curious, he picked it up and looked at it. It looked like an old map over something hidden. A treasure, perhaps, he thought, letting his imagination run wild. Then he looked around. There was no one there and the temptation were too great. He had promised to change and he had, but he just had to check this out. Besides, if no one knew where he was, then he couldn't get them into trouble?

 

A couple of hours later he wasn't so sure it had been such a good idea. The map had sent him through some of the worst country he had seen, forcing him to cross rivers, swamps and a small grove with a lot of sticky bushes. He would just follow this last trail, the he'd enough he promised himself as he pushed through some bushes.

 

"Told you he would show up."

The familiar voice took Cody by surprise. There, on the other side of the bushes, where the others sitting around a blanket where there were pie, warm coffee and sandwiches.

"You took your time," Kid commented.

"What's this? A trick?"

"We just wanted to see if the old Cody really was dead, or if you just were fooling us," Buck said.

"And you just proved to us that he isn't," Lou added.

"We miss the old Cody," Emma said and offered him a piece of the cake.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Then I better bring him back then," Cody said and sat down and stretched over the blanket for a piece of chocolate cake to go with the pie.

"He's back", Jimmy noticed, causing the others to burst into laughter.