WANTED! $1,000

 By Mabel Jo F., age 13

#1 WANTED Poster

San Joaquín Valley, California, August 1882                                                                                                                                                                                       One bright fall day, Andi and Rosa were walking past the sheriff’s office on the way to the mercantile when Rosa said, “Andi, have you looked at the WANTED posters lately?”

 “No.” Andi answered, coming back to stand by Rosa. “Why, should I have?” Andi broke off suddenly as she looked closer at the wanted posters. One was for a someone named Black ‘Chance’ Rodgers, $5,000 Dead or Alive. And then…

“Look Andi! There’s one for you!” Rosa shrieked.

“What! Let me see!” Andi demanded.

 “Right there, Andi.” Rosa said, pointing, “For $1,000!”

“Who posted it?” Andi exclaimed.

 “I don’t know, Oh, wait, it says “‘Sheriff of San Diego County, Escondido, Hugh Baker!’” Rosa gasped.

 “Oh no.” Andi groaned, remembering that time when Mitch was shot and Hugh Baker was holding her, Jenny, and Cory captive.

“Um, Andi,” Rosa broke into Andi’s thoughts, “Don’t you think we should leave town before people see you and they figure it out?”

“You’re right Rosa, but first I have to get Mother’s tulip bulbs.”

 “Oh Andi, don’t you think we could just forget the tulip bulbs?” Rosa pleaded.

 “Absolutely not. Mother said I mustn’t forget them.” Andi said, resolutely, “Come on, will you please get the tulip bulbs while I run to Blake’s livery and get the horses?” Andi pleaded.

“Alright.” Rosa acquiesced.

“Oh, thank you, Rosa!” Andi said, as she turned and ran towards the livery stable.                                                                                          When she got there, she found Taffy and Pal unsaddled and dozing, with no sign of Mr. Blake, or Cory. Andi quickly found their saddles in the tack room where Mr. Blake had put them. She grabbed the saddles and bridles and took them into the aisle. She led Taffy into the center aisle and started saddling her, all the while wondering where Mr. Blake or Cory was. “Speaking of Mr. Blake, where is everyone anyway?” she wondered aloud. “The town sure looks deserted.” After saddling Taffy and Pal, Andi mounted Taffy and leading Pal, hurried back to the mercantile.

 However, as she rode up to the mercantile, there was a CLOSED sign on the door, and no sign of Rosa or anyone.  “Rosa!” Andi shouted, “Rosa, where are you?” No answer.  “Rosa, it isn’t funny. Answer me!” Still no answer. “Rosa, please answer me!” Andi pleaded, but there was no answer.  “Maybe she found a ride home.” Andi thought, “Well, if that’s the case, then I guess I’ll just hurry home.”

With that Andi nudged Taffy into a trot, Pal following behind. When they were out of town, Andi urged Taffy into a gallop for home. She was hoping that she could just drop Pal off at the stable without Mother seeing or hearing her, so that she could go see if Rosa had indeed found a ride home. As she rode into the yard, she dismounted, led Pal into the stable, settling him in for the night. Then she hurried outside and remounted.

She then went in search for her friend. Taffy galloped towards Rosa’s home; Andi was hoping wildly that Rosa would be there. As she rode up, she called, “Nila! Can I please talk to Rosa?”

 “Senorita Andi! Of course, come in. I’ll call Rosa for you, Rosa! Rosa? Where are you?” Nila Garduno called, then turning to Andi, said, “I don’t know where Rosa is. Do you?”

 “No Nila, that’s why I came here. I’ll go look for her.” Andi replied, running out the front door and mounting Taffy. “I’ll find her.” she said to Nila, reining Taffy around, she lit out in a gallop for the hills praying that she would be able to find Rosa. She had to walk Taffy a couple times to rest her, as she made her way into the hills.

As she came to a rocky overhang, she stopped to give Taffy a rest and to look at the view. From where she was, she could see almost the whole valley. It was breathtaking. As Andi took in the view, Taffy, hearing a twig snap in the forest behind her, snorted, waking her mistress to the world around her.

“What is it, Taffy?” Andi asked, looking at the forest. Soon Taffy dropped her gaze to look for grass and Andi resumed looking at the valley below. Behind her, a man stepped out of the woods, and stared at her, then at a piece of paper in his hand. After a few minutes of drinking in the beauty that GOD had made, she turned Taffy and gave a startled gasp as she saw the man who had been studying her. The man looked up at her startled gasp and drew his pistol.

“Come with me.” He said in a gruff voice, motioning with his pistol.                                                                                                                                                

Chapter 2                                                                                                                                                                                      

As Andi ran off in the direction of the livery stable, Rosa sighed, then went in to the store to get the tulip bulbs. As Rosa came out, she was accosted by two boys, “Come on,” they cried, as they each grabbed an arm and started dragging her into the alley next to the mercantile and hurried her to a waiting man and buggy. They pushed her into the buggy, and the driver galloped her away. As they passed the mercantile, Rosa saw Mr. Goodwin come out and hang a CLOSED sign on the door.

“Oh no!” Rosa cried, “What will Andi say when she comes back?”

As they went out of town Rosa saw they were headed towards the Sierras. They went up a steep hill and found a road that led straight up. The horse followed it and finally came to a place where it leveled off and continued for about a quarter mile until the woods opened up into a glade where a small camp was made. There were five men in camp, who looked up when the buggy came in. The man pulled up, got down and helped Rosa out. He led the horse to where a few others were tied and unharnessed it. Then he came back, tied Rosa and led her to the fire. They had been there but a few minutes when one of the men got up and walked off into the forest, disappearing from view. Rosa ventured to ask, “Where is that man going?” she asked timidly. There was no answer from anyone.

 

Chapter 3                                                                                                                                                                       

When Andi turned and saw the man, she closed her eyes and prayed “O Lord, please keep me safe and help me find Rosa. Amen.” She opened her eyes and saw the man was gesturing with the pistol towards a small path into the woods.

When she didn’t move the man cocked his pistol and pointed again, saying, “Come with me.” Andi blindly nodded, and turned Taffy towards the path, she didn’t have to look to know the man was following her because she could hear his footsteps.  They had walked down the path for about a third of a mile when they came to a small glade with five men and…Rosa! Rosa had been sitting and wondering who the men were and why they kidnaped her, when she heard, “Rosa!” Was it possible? Could she really have just heard Andi’s voice? She looked up and saw Andi!

 “Andi!” she cried, happily. Andi jumped off Taffy, and ran over to Rosa, and they hugged.  Finally, the men had enough of their captives’ joy and two walked over and said,

“Enough! Sit down you two and no more talking.” Then they tied Andi.

 “Andi, we should pray.” Rosa whispered a few hours later.

“You’re right, Rosa.” Andi whispered back.                                                                                                                                 Suddenly the sound of hoofbeats resounded through the air, as a man on horseback galloped in bringing his horse to a dramatic stop in front of the captives. Andi saw at a glance who it was, and it shot terror through her as she recognized Hugh Baker!                                                                                                                                                                                              He looked at them for a tense few seconds before dismounting and handing his reins to one of the men who had come over to greet him.

Andi asked him, “Why do you have a wanted poster out for me?”

“Because you foiled my plot to rob the bank and threw a rattler in my face.” Hugh Baker replied, indignantly turning and walking over to the men and taking his gloves off. “Well, Chance Rodgers, have they behaved themselves?”  he asked, turning and letting Andi see a shiny star on his vest.

 “Rosa,” she whispered, “He really is a sheriff.”

Rosa gasped, then whispered, “We really should pray.”

Andi nodded assent, saying, “Will you pray with me?” Rosa nodded. “Dear heavenly father,” Andi began, “please keep us safe and help someone to find us, quickly. Amen.”

“Querido Dios, Por favor comida nos Seguro” Rosa prayed, “y ayuda alguien encontrar nos. Amen.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Chapter 4                                                                                                                                                                      

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Mother asked Melinda if she had seen Andi. Melinda said she hadn’t seen her sister since she left for school with Rosa. Mother was dumbfounded, where was Andi?                          At dinner Mitch was the first one to notice Andi was not present at the table. “Mother, where is Andi?” Mitch asked, concerned.

“Mitch, I have no idea where your sister is,” Mother answered her youngest son, “Melinda says that she saw Andi when they left for school.” 

“I wonder where Andi is?” Melinda questioned.

“Hum,” Chad broke in, “looks like we’re on a mission to find our sister.”

“You should ask the sheriff if he would form a posse and help you look.” Melinda suggested.

 “Good idea, dear.” Mother praised. “Chad, you’ll get the sheriff.”

“Yes, Mother.”  he answered, hurriedly digging into his dinner. Chad finished first and hurried to saddle Sky. He quickly mounted and reined Sky toward town.

When dinner was over, Mitch ran out and saddled Chase and called the cowboys to tell them that Andi was missing. Mitch told the cowboys to saddle up and be ready when Chad got back. Everyone had just finished getting ready when Chad and the Sheriff and the posse galloped in.

 “Let’s go!” Chad commanded, reining Sky around.

“We’ll split up in four directions and look for Andi.” The Sheriff commanded. “I’ll take two men and go north.” He split from the group of men, two men following.

“I’ll go east.” Chad offered, turning east.

 “If we find Andi, fire two shots.” Mitch said, turning south. Sid turned west. “I think I’ll go to the Garduno’s home,” Mitch thought, “and see if anyone has seen Andi lately.” With that thought, Mitch reined Chase around and struck a trot for the Garduno home. When he got there, he stopped Chase and hollered, “Halloo! The house?”  At the door appeared a Mexican woman. “Nila, have you seen Andi recently? We don’t know where she is.”

“Seńor, I saw Seńorita Andi four hours ago, she stopped here because she couldn’t find Rosa. She told me she would find Rosa no matter what.”

 “Oh no!” Mitch cried, “Which way did she go?”

“She kept on south, Seńor.” Nila answered, pointing in that direction. Mitch nodded, and spurred Chase toward the hills.                                                                                                                                                                                        A few hours later, Mitch came to the spot where Andi had been accosted and followed the tracks, in a quarter mile, when he heard a horse whinny. Chase started to fill his lungs to answer, so Mitch quickly dismounted and held his nose to keep him quiet. After a minute Mitch led Chase to a tree and tied him there. Then Mitch turned and crept to a grove of trees. He got to the outer row of trees and peered out from behind one.

What he saw took his breath away. He saw Hugh Baker, five men, and two girls…. Is that Rosa? And Andi! As he looked at the girls, Andi turned and looked him straight in the face! Mitch gave a slight nod of his head and turned back to Chase, mounting as he grabbed the rein and turned Chase back to the ranch. As Mitch galloped into the ranch yard the Sheriff and Chad trotted in also. “Chad! I found Andi!” Mitch yelled.

“What! Where?” Chad yelled back, joyously.

 “Up on the mountain.” Mitch told him. “Come on!”  

“Here comes the rest.” The Sheriff interrupted, pointing south.

“We found Andi,” Mitch said, turning Chase and leaping into a gallop with all the men following. Soon they were at the top of the mountain where Andi had been captured. “This way.” Mitch said. Mitch led the posse about a quarter mile, till he came to the inner row of trees.

Here he dismounted and tied Chase, then turned and led the way to the outer row of trees. “Ssh.” Mitch turned and put his finger on his lips.

 “Spread out.” The Sheriff commanded in a hoarse whisper. The men started spreading out around the glade, when one of the bandits inside saw a flitting shadow of one of the posse. The bandit stood up, drawing his gun at the same time and pointed it at the man’s shadow.  

“Boys! They’re surroundin’ us!” he yelled, firing his gun at the shadow. Andi and Rosa dived for cover.

“Move in men!” The Sheriff yelled. The posse closed in and fought the bandits.    

Mitch ran for Andi and Rosa, engulfing them in a hug. “You two had us so worried!” Mitch chastised softly.

 “Come on, we’re going to town to lock these men up.” Chad said, looming over them with a twinkle in his eye.

 “Oh, Chad!” Andi said joyfully jumping up and throwing her arms around his neck.                                                                                                                                                                                     On the ride to Fresno, the Sheriff asked how on earth was Hugh Baker here instead of prison. “I escaped out of prison and found a place where no one knew me. I got myself elected sheriff and sent that wanted poster out.” He confessed.                                                                                                                                                                When they got to town the Sheriff, Mitch, Chad, and Andi annulled the wanted poster. Then they headed home after dark and gathered in the parlor and thanked God for bringing Andi and Rosa home.  Rosa gave Andi the tulip bulbs and Andi gave them to Mother. Mother was very surprised Andi had remembered them so Andi told her the whole story of what happened.

“Mother,” Andi said after telling her all that happened, “It reminds me of the Bible, Joshua chapter 1, verse 9. ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, withersoever thou goest.’ which reminds me of another one, Psalm 61:3, ‘For thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy.’”