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"OK, here's what we have to do." Alexis and Alex were in his room, sitting on the bed facing each other. Alex handed his sister a sheaf of papers. "Dan gave me this," he said. "It's what they know at the governor's office, what the Marshals have. The men they captured talked a lot - they're hoping not to hang. They were part of the Kruger gang, they're well known in the territories. One of them was with them for quite a while and knows some of their hideouts and the people they do business with. It's all in there." Alex waited while his sister read. After a while she looked up. "Even if we were over in the territories this wouldn't do us much good. We're two children to anyone we'd meet there. How are we going to do this?" "We get in," Alex replied. "At least as far as Carver's Creek but preferably further. We'll arrange for Aunt Rebecca to know where we've gone. She'll send Lukas after us. If possible we'll draw him in deeper, so taking us back will mean delay in his primary mission. I believe it will work." "Aunt Rebecca will go crazy worrying," said Alexis. "I feel bad about that," Alex replied. "But I'll leave a note explaining. She's been pretty calm all things considered. With Enak here to reassure her she'll do all right. There's telegraph service deep into the territories - we can send wires occasionally. We'll be all right with Lukas." "Unless he does send us back." "He won't." "I wish I was a as certain as you are." "Lukas has a reputation for being smart," Alex said. "He'll find a way to make it work. You know about the stash Mom and Dad kept for emergencies? In case we had to run for it?" "Yeah. Does Aunt Rebecca know about it?" "She does but she won't be thinking about it just now. I took fifty gold eagles out - they make a small package and won't be missed." "Carrying all that gold into the territories will be dangerous." "It will, we'll have to be careful. I've got a bag with a couple hundred silver dollars to use along the way." "OK, what's the plan?" "We go to Carver's Creek and get rooms at one of the boardinghouses there. Remember the one we stayed at a couple of times, the Montgomery? We'll get rooms there and see what we can find out. Aunt Rebecca will send Reuben and Lukas to bring us back. We'll convince them to let us go with them, or at least stay here while they look for their killers. We'll play it by ear." "It's risky," Alexis said. "They may just come get us and take us back home." "Maybe, or maybe not. It's two days ride. If they have to take us home and then start over, that's two more wasted days. It may be we can get some useful information before they arrive. Convince them we can be useful." "When do we leave?" "Tomorrow," Alex replied. "Everything is ready, we'll tell Aunt Rebecca we're going to Sardis for the day. We'll head for Carver's Creek as soon as we're out of sight - it's an easy ride to the road to Carver's Creek. We can ride until dark and sleep a few hours, then continue at sunup. We can be at Carver's Creek before dark. I've put the gear in the shed by the barn were our horses are." "OK, I'll be ready."
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