Duncan Takes a Vacation

Chapter 19

             
                   Theodore and Simon made themselves scarce for the rest of the day after the big splat they made that morning.  People say you should get right back on a horse when you fall off, but I think the twins had a hard time getting off of themselves what the horse left behind. 

          Every time Marvin and Jimmy saw them they would say to each other, "Gee, I smell something.  Do you?"  Or "What is that disgusting smell?"  Or "Did you step in something?  You'd better check your shoes." 

          I couldn't help but laugh at the chipmunk twins when they scrambled out of the way as we walked toward them.  You might think we were being cruel by making fun of them and you're right, we were, but they deserved it.  So this, at least, kept them from annoying us for the time being, but I was sure they'd be up to their nasty tricks very soon.  

          In the meantime, Uncle Wally and Pops returned to the trading post.  They were covered with dust from head to toe.  They looked like a couple of stone statues because their bodies and clothes were the same color - dust brown.  As they walked up the stairs about to enter the trading post, Aunt Irma saw them and headed them off at the door. 

          She said, "Hold it right there you varmints.  You're not coming in here until you get rid of that trail dust." 

          She pointed in the direction of the nearby water tower and told them to clean themselves up. 

          Uncle Wally said, "Yes, Ma," and started to slap the dust from his clothes with his cowboy hat.  Pops did the same and followed him to the water tower. 

          I wondered what these two dusty hombres were going to do next.  Uncle Wally went behind a wooden fence, pulled a rope and a shower of water poured down on him.  He let out a howl because the water must have been very cold on his hot dry body.  That was the first time I had ever heard of someone taking a shower with his clothes on.  Once he was done, Pops repeated the act and let out an even louder yell.  I thought some of the things done by people in California were strange, but these two had them beat by a long shot.  

          After the cold water rinsed them, Pops and Uncle Wally walked to the porch, sat in the sun, and tried to dry off.  Pops took out an old knife and started slicing a thin piece of dry wood.  There they sat, rocking in their wooden chairs telling stories about the good old days. 

          Pops started with a story about his grandfather meeting up with the Apache Indians back in the 1800's.  The story caught our curiosity so we decided to "set a spell" and listen.  He said that his grandfather was a settler in these parts over one hundred years ago.  Back then, land was free and given by the United States government to anyone who wanted to settle and start a new life.  The only problem back then was that the land didn't belong to the United States; it belonged to the Apache Indians.  The leader of these Indians was a man named Geronimo. 

          That name sounded familiar to me - someone shouts "Geronimo" when they parachute from an airplane.  I wondered if Geronimo was the first person to jump from a plane with a parachute. 

          Pops continued his story by saying that when his grandfather was a little boy living with his parents on a ranch around here, the Native Americans tried to take their land back from the settlers.  They formed "war parties" and attacked everyone that lived on what they believed was their land. 

          I couldn't understand why the Native Americans wanted to have a party with the people they were having a war with, but I figured, once again, I'd better keep my mouth shut and listen to the story. 

          Pops rocked in his chair as he told us about the day his grandfather went to the well to get water, filled his bucket, and discovered three Apache Indians standing behind him.  These fierce looking men were dressed in colorful feathers and "war paint" covered their faces.  They carried sharp knives, which he figured they were going to use on him.  Grandfather was scared stiff and didn't know what was going to happen to him.  The Apaches were not going to let him pass and it looked as if this was going to be the end. 

          Not knowing what to do, Grandfather scooped the ladle he was carrying into the water bucket and handed it to one of the men.  A coarse sunburned hand took the ladle.  The man raised it to his dry lips and drank from it.  He did the same for the other two men.  One of the men reached for his knife, pulled it out, and pointed in Grandfather's direction. Grandfather held his breath not knowing his fate, but to his surprise, the Apache flipped the knife over and handed it to him by the handle.  As he took the knife, Grandfather nodded and smiled.  The Apache Indians then walked to their horses, mounted, and never came near the ranch again.

          Pops showed us the knife that was given to his grandfather.  It was the same one he was using to whittle.  He said that his grandfather didn't realize that one of the Apache Indians he met was Geronimo until he saw a picture of the captured man several years later. 

          I was quite impressed with the story and so were Jimmy and Marvin as they asked several questions about life back then.  Suddenly, I felt a dry breeze blowing in my direction.  I wouldn't have noticed it, but a familiar smell came with it.  I couldn't put my beak on what it was; yet I knew it meant trouble. 

          Pops handed the boys the knife, and told them to be careful when they held it.  He then sat back on his chair and started to rock.  I really think he liked to talk about the old days and I have to admit, I liked to hear his stories as much as the boys did. 

          The wind blew again and this time I recognized the smell. It was Theodore and Simon.  I knew they were in the area.  I thought to myself that those two still smelled and needed a bath from the morning's episode with the horse's "you know what." 

          I turned and spied them hiding under the water tower.  I wondered what these two were up to.  As Pops rocked, a snap was heard and then a crack. Finally a boom was felt as the rocking chair collapsed under his weight.  He slowly got up and examined the broken chair.  It seemed that someone had sawed through the rockers causing them to break under him. 

          In the distance I heard Simon, or was it Theodore, say, "I always knew Pops was off his rocker." 

          I turned and looked only to see the chipmunk twins laughing from behind the fence under the water tower.  What a sick joke.  My buddy, Pops, could have been hurt from what they had done.  Well, I figured that I should kill two birds with one stone, or should I say two "chipmunks"? 

          I turned and jetted straight towards the water tower, yelled "Geronimo!" and pulled the rope with my beak.  Now, how could this little rope get two for the price of one?  Well, a river of cold water poured down and drenched the twins, and they let out a scream that could be heard as far as Tombstone.  After all, it wasn't nice what they did to Pops, and they did need a bath from "horsing around" in "you know what" that morning.