Wild Thunder

Their chins held high, their shoulders squared, they all rode off toward the riverboat.

Chapter 30

We ought to be together, you and I.

—HENRY ALFORD

Hannah and Chuck stood at the opened door, listening to incessant whistling that came from the riverboat. “They must be in some sort of trouble,” Chuck said, then stepped outside on the porch just as Tiny and several of the cowhands came toward them.

Hannah went outside on the porch with Chuck. She glared at Tiny as he gazed up at her, then focused his attention on Chuck.

“Should we go and see what’s wrong?” Tiny asked. “Should we see if we can give a helping hand?”

“Yes, I think that’s best,” Chuck said, nodding. “It’s probably that damn sandbar. If there’s a captain aboard the boat that’s not familiar with the river, he wouldn’t know to watch out for that sandbar. It kind of sneaks up on you.”

“I’m going to go with them,” Hannah said, rushing down the steps. “I’m sure several people from Saint Louis could be on the boat. Maybe it’s someone we know, Chuck.”

“I don’t think it’s best, Hannah,” Chuck said, reaching a hand out toward her shadow image. “Remember the cholera plague that has kept the boats upstream. There might still be a danger of it being transmitted by those who are on board the boat today.”

“Surely there is no danger,” Hannah said, untying her pinto’s reins from the hitching rail. She went and swung herself into the saddle. “The authorities upriver wouldn’t have let a boat travel downriver if there was still a danger of someone carrying cholera on board the boat.”

“Hannah, don’t be so bullheaded,” Chuck said, feeling for the steps with his cane. “Come, now, Hannah. Stay behind. Let the men take care of things.”

“Chuck, I’ll not be gone for long,” Hannah said, wheeling her horse around, riding away.

Tiny and his men soon caught up with her. She ignored Tiny as he sidled his horse too close to her pinto. And she knew that she had been wrong to go against her brother’s wishes. But she wanted to investigate herself what was happening on the river today. Could the wires to her parents and sister have already arrived? Could they have decided to come ahead and surprise her instead of letting her know by wire?

The one thing she dreaded was the possibility of her father coming with the intent of stopping the marriage. What worried her most was that he was more stubborn than herself. He might even try to hog-tie her to stop her from getting married.

She smiled slowly at the thought, knowing that Strong Wolf, being obstinate himself, would intervene in any scheme of her father’s.

Suddenly the whistle stopped. Hannah wondered if that meant no one was stopping off at Fort Leavenworth. A keen disappointment assailed her, for she still worried about her parents’ reactions to the wire.

But the boat was still there. She could hardly believe her eyes as she stared at Strong Wolf and several of his warriors in the water, trying to remove the debris that the boat was stuck in.

“Seems he never learns his lesson,” Tiny snarled. “He sticks his nose into all of the white man’s business.”

“He’s trying to help the white people,” Hannah said, frowning at him. “Can’t you ever give Strong Wolf any credit for the good that he does? For his generous nature? It’s men like you who have caused the Indians so much grief. I would suggest you go back to the ranch. You don’t want to dirty your hands, do you, by helping Strong Wolf and his warriors try to get the riverboat unlodged?”

Tiny said nothing back to her. Only glared. They rode onward.

Just as Hannah drew a tight rein beside the riverboat, Strong Wolf and his men came from the water, drenched with mud and debris up to their waists.

Hannah slid out of her saddle and ran to Strong Wolf. “Lord, aren’t you a sight,” she said, her eyes dancing into his.

Finding no humor in what she said, so disgruntled by not being able to dislodge the riverboat, Strong Wolf sighed heavily. “It is not going anywhere,” he said as he glared at the boat.

Hannah half heard what he said, for she was now staring up at the decks of the riverboat, stunned to see no one but a scant crew standing there. And she knew that riverboats did not travel without passengers.

When the gangplank was lowered to the land and the captain came down from the boat, Hannah stood stiffly at Strong Wolf’s side. The captain’s eyes sank into his face, in dark hollows. His white uniform was stained and dirty. He appeared not to have shaved for days, gray whiskers thick on his face.

“I want to thank you for lending a hand,” Captain Abbott said, lifting a trembling hand toward Strong Wolf for a handshake. “My men don’t have much strength. That’s why I didn’t offer their help.”

“What’s wrong with the men?” Hannah asked, her voice wary. “And why don’t I see any passengers on your ship?”

Captain Abbott gave her a wavering stare. “Miss, I hate to say that it was my impression that it was safe to travel without the fear of cholera,” he said thickly. “But it took only one ill passenger to make me realize that I was wrong. I was advised against it. I paid no heed to the advice.”

Hannah paled. “Are you saying that those on board your boat are ill with cholera?” she gasped, her thoughts returning to her parents and sister. Oh, surely they wouldn’t be on board. She prayed there had not been enough time since she had sent the wires for them to have made plans of travel.