John stepped out of the carriage and was met by Mr. Fowler.
"The others have gone to pack up the horses. I'll stay here waiting for you. Where's Burkey Long? Did you ask anything?"
"Not yet. Burkey has joined my gang. There will be plenty of time to ask questions in the future."
John looked at the surprised Mr. Fowler and explained: "I have reached an agreement with him. We will discuss the details later - we have made a lot of noise, and the police will be here soon."
John found a cavalry Tennessee horse as Burke's mount. Other members returned to the train one after another. Miller came over with Gale and Black Pearl. After John explained to him, Miller still rushed to the train. Burke made a face.
"From today on, Berkki is your companion. Please put aside your doubts and barriers. It is not suitable to stay here for a long time. Let's go back to Plow Village." John said to everyone.
John chose a dry drainage channel as the way back. The members slowed down due to fatigue, but after walking not far along the river, Coulter Village still appeared in everyone's eyes.
From a long distance away, Thomas ran over with a rifle in his hands alertly. When he found out it was John and the others, he put away the gun and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Hi! Gentlemen, what did you get?"
"There were no casualties or losses of horses, which was for the best, and... Burkey Long was down and out."
Thomas nodded: "You brought strangers, and we also made new friends here. Shortly after you left, a dying guy came to the camp. I stopped him and asked him about his identity. William Brown and his expedition The team encountered an unprecedented snowstorm in the north. The other team members gave up on survival, but Mr. Brown struggled to get out of the predicament and finally encountered Plow Village."
"Where are the others?"
"In that lighted house next to Catherine's—believe me, Mr. Brown was freezing."
John stopped the others and walked over alone.
All the available candles in the room were lit, and even the fireplace was burning with spare firewood. A disheveled middle-aged man wearing a fur coat was sitting shivering in front of the fireplace, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. With heat.
"There is no need to light all the candles, William Brown." As soon as he entered the room, John blew out the two candles on the candlestick next to him.
When he heard someone entering the room, the man immediately jumped up from the blanket, and then looked at John nervously.
"I don't think we know each other." The man's voice trembled slightly.
"You walked into our village, heated yourself with our firewood, enjoyed our supplies, and then said you didn't know the boss here."
"No...it's an old man. He invited me here as a guest." The man said fearfully.
"I know everything. There's no need for you to pretend to be a guest. Who else taught you to call Father Thomas that way? He saved your life. If you don't show me some respect, I'll let you go." Go back to the snowy mountains to reunite with your friends.”
"Don't do that... Sir, now... they should be frozen into ice sculptures."
"I'm happy to turn ungrateful guys into ice sculptures. Tell me, how did you get here, and what is your so-called expedition?"
"We are a sports team from Nashville. To tell you the truth, we have just won an award from the state government. The captain excitedly took us to the snowy mountains in northern Ambarino State, threatening to challenge climbers across the United States."
“To break the climbing record, you really should go to Mount Whitney in California,” John quipped.
"Sir, I don't find this funny...others have been killed."
"Okay, let's not talk about that... Is there anyone following you? I mean - a police officer or a detective or something."
"We are often given trouble by local police officers for disturbing the peace, but I dare say that even fools are not willing to follow us, because no one cares about those shabby equipment."
"Your companions are all dead, where are you going next?"
"I don't know... everything happened so suddenly. Oh, I really can't bear to leave this warm village."
"Please give me a reason to keep you."
"This...I found that your measures to keep out the cold are not in place. Provide me with room and board so I can repair them for you."
"I think you've had enough. John Coster has decided to grant you temporary residency. William Brown, can I call you by your first name?"
"But it doesn't matter." The man named William rubbed his hands excitedly, handed the steaming coffee to John, and then held his hand tightly, "Happy cooperation, Mr. Coster."
While there was still some time before dinner, John walked to Beebo's room. The boy was lying on the bed playing with John's pistol. Beebo had been carrying it with him since he picked it up from the train.
"Give me the gun, boy, this is too dangerous for you!"
"I don't think so, sir. Today I aimed at the big man's head and hit him in the back. The first time I fired, it didn't make him shake to the ceiling like Grimes said." After all, Bibo said. He gave the gun back to John.
"I told you not to follow me. Why are you acting without permission?"
"I want to do this alone. Grimes always says I lack manliness."
"You are so ignorant and fearless." John took the gun and opened the magazine. There were five bullets in the six magazines. He put the gun back into the holster. "How did you climb on that damn train? I didn't see it." You dance with us.”
"I laid some roadblocks a few miles before where you were going to start. The conductor came down to clear the track, so I took the opportunity to slip in."
"How long did you delay them?"
"Maybe ten minutes."
"Damn, it looks like we're indeed late... You're right about that - but I said you're prohibited from participating in such a dangerous operation."
"I want to prove myself and become the gunslinger of the Van der Linde gang."
"Son, if I were your age, I would wish to read two more books."
Bibo said no more, but looked at John's leopard skin gun holster with admiration.
"If only I had one... Sir, can I have a pistol of my own?"
"I hope I heard you right."
"I want to protect everyone, and there are loved ones I want to protect."
John thought for a long time and decided to give his pistol to Beebo. The only reason was that when John was about the same age, his father also entrusted the responsibility to him because of the same sentence.
