The journey back to the train was slow. The pills that Artie had taken naturally didn't work immediately, and whatever effect they would have had was ruined by riding.

When they reached the rocky hill, Artie looked up it with dismay, before flicking the reins and navigating Jim's horse up the path that he'd taken. It hurt his hip just as badly as he knew it would, and he couldn't keep the wince off his face. It seemed to take an eternity, but soon, they reached the place where he'd encountered the snake.

"Do you see my wallet anywhere, Jim?" he asked.

Jim dismounted and walked around, looking. "No."

Artie lowered his head with a deep sigh and covered his eyes with his right hand. "I was sure we'd find it here!"

"It must be on the train, Artie…or somewhere else along the trail." Jim walked over to Black Jack and looked up at his friend. "Do you want to take a break?"

Artie lowered his hand. "My mind doesn't want to, but my body is screaming for it."

"Kneel," Jim told his horse, who instantly obeyed.

Artie swung his good leg over Black Jack's neck so he was sitting sideways, and carefully slid off to sit on the ground. He stretched his left leg out, wincing.

Jim took a canteen off his horse and opened it, handing it to his friend. "I think I'll scout ahead and look around. If I find your wallet, then we can camp here tonight and you won't have to get up again."

"Wonderful idea," Artie said, gratefully. "Thank you."

Jim nodded and took Mesa's reins, leading her down the rocks.

"Don't you want your horse?" Artie called.

"He'll protect you, Artie!"

Artie looked up at Jim's horse, who coincidentally wagged his head up and down as if agreeing with Jim. He reached up a hand and stroked Black Jack's nose, before drinking some water.

Putting the canteen down, Artie painfully shifted closer to a boulder so he could lean back against it, before taking off his hat and fanning himself with it. Suddenly, he realized that the horse was standing in the perfect position to block the sun. Wondering if that was yet another trick that Jim had taught it, he closed his eyes and tried to relax.

A minute later, he heard an ominous sound.

A rattle.

Eyes popping open, Artie bolted upright, gun in hand, looking around wildly.

Black Jack neighed and suddenly started stamping his right front hoof.

Artie scrambled to get away from the snake that he could now see was only a few feet away. Not wanting Jim's prize horse to get bitten, he aimed his gun and fired, sending the monster flying. Looking around again, he wondered how many more were obviously living in the rocks.

Black Jack walked over to where Artie now was, and stood over him with his tail agitatingly flicking. Artie reached up and grabbed the horse's bridle for support in case he had to jump up to get away from another snake.

Galloping could suddenly be heard…obviously Jim had heard the gunshot. He came into view within seconds. "Artie?" he said, seeing his friend's defensive posture. "What happened?"

"Another rattlesnake," Artie told him.

Jim dismounted and strode over to him. "Kneel," he once again told his horse. He took Artie's good arm and helped him mount. "We shouldn't stay here any longer, it's obviously not safe," he said. "I didn't find your wallet, anyway."

"Figures," Artie replied.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finally, after what seemed like a year to Artie, they arrived back at the train…without finding his wallet.

Black Jack knelt without being told to.

"Can you teach Mesa to do this?" Artie asked, as he swung his good leg over the horse's neck and prepared to stand.

Jim nodded. "Of course." He took Artie's good arm and pulled it across his shoulders before pulling him to his feet.

After the ride, Artie could barely put any weight on his left leg. "Ow ow ow," he said, as he tried to take a step.

The conductor, having seen them coming, did a double-take when he saw that Artie now had an arm in a sling and couldn't walk without help. He watched with shock, wondering what else had happened and shook his head, incredulous.

Jim helped Artie get up the stairs and into the train, where he brought him over to the couch and laid him down on it.

Artie, glad to be back, closed his eyes with a groan, before they suddenly popped open and he tried to sit up. "My wallet?" he asked.

Jim stood next to him, holding it up, with a smile.

Artie plopped his head back down and closed his eyes. "Oh, thank God!"

Jim handed it to him and opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly, the telegraph suddenly started clicking, signaling an incoming message from Colonel Richmond. Jim crossed over to it and tapped out an acknowledgement.

A few seconds later, the telegraph came to life. Do you know anything about the bank robbery in the next town?

Jim looked at Artie with an amused expression.

Artie rolled his eyes and flung his good arm over them, as Jim crossed over to it and tapped out a reply.

Yes we do, Artie was—

There, Artie thought, yawning.

—one of them.

In shock, Artie tried to sit up. "What did you just do! Jim!"

Jim was laughing. "Relax, Artie, he won't believe it."

"But still!"

The telegraph tapped out the Colonel's reply, and they both stared at it.

Please repeat last message.

Jim laughed again and started his own reply. Artie was there, and was accused of being one of the thieves by the town drunk.

A longer stretch of time passed, as Colonel Richmond undoubtedly had trouble deciding on his next message.

Is he in jail?

Artie groaned. Richmond knew how easily they got into trouble, and apparently wasn't surprised.

Jim shot Artie a grin before tapping out: Not anymore!

"You're enjoying this," Artie said.

"Artie, if you really believe that..." Jim replied. "You'd be right!"

Artie shook his head, with a sigh.

The telegraph came to life again: Any injuries that I need to know about before I give you a new mission?

"Does he know us, or what?" Artie mumbled.

Jim typed out: Yes.

Artie—and no doubt Col. Richmond—waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't. "Ha ha, very funny," said Artie.

Colonel Richmond replied immediately. I want a full report of the incident in two days.

"A full report of the 'incident'…" said Artie. "When it rains, it pours. I'm never going to live this one down, am I?"

Before Jim could answer, the telegraph came to life again. Tell Artemus to stay away from town drunks from now on.

Jim laughed. "No, Artie, you never will!"

THE END