Renewal 4 - Down on the River by Jf Perkins Page B

antibiotics. That would be the best thing. Even without them, you’ve given him a good fighting chance. Thank you.”
    “Aw, it’s the least I can do. Never thought my ‘shine would clean a bullet wound either...”
    “I wonder if there are any real doctors around.” Dad looked around as if he could spot one in the bushes.
    “Well, there’s one I know of, but he’s senile. I used to go to him until I realized that he kept telling me I had an anal fissure every time I went for a visit.” George said with a shrug.
    Dad laughed and said, “Maybe Rodney can tell you about how the medical business is doing around here...”
    “I’ll ask him for sure.”
    Dad wrapped Arturo in a sleeping bag and crushed a couple of pills into a cup. He dissolved them in water, and dribbled them into Arturo’s mouth, letting his swallow reflex handle the rest. Between, Dad and Juannie, Arturo was watched every minute.
     

 
     
    Chapter 4 - 8
    “Wake up men! We’re nearing Trouble Point,” Shaun announced to his sleeping passengers.
    Terry took a long look at the surrounding terrain. They had been following a long stretch of land on the left side of the boat. There was a small island ahead on the left and a larger island farther ahead on the right. He could see that the passage between the stretch of land and the right hand island would be tight, a good place for an ambush.
    “We’re circling around this peninsula,” the pilot said, pointing to the land on the left, “And it’s a choke point for the entire lake. It’s not unusual to run into some gun toting pirate wannabees.”
    Terry moved up near the gun rack, while the sleepy crew in the front stowed their packs out of the way. Bill took out his binoculars and began to scan the shoreline for signs of movement.
    “Anyone here know how to operate a 50-cal?” Shaun asked.
    Bill and John indicated that they had fired the heavy machine gun before.
    “Ok, John, you have the duty. If we come under fire, you will find the gun in the canvas bag, along with several cans of ammo. Mount the shaft in the socket, and the gun on the shaft. Short bursts, if you please. If we don’t need it, leave it in the bag. I find that it’s better to look innocent until we need to look dangerous.”
    John moved to a position low in the bow. He wisely sat hunched on the floor to avoid being the most obvious target. Everyone else retrieved their rifles and placed them inconspicuously near to hand. Terry watched the pilot’s detailed examination of the shoreline, and wondered why the man didn’t go faster. It occurred to him that Shaun enjoyed drawing out the bad guys, especially when he had a boat full of armed men to fight back.
    “I see movement on the island.” Bill announced calmly.
    “Got it,” Shaun replied, as they approached the narrow channel, and he bore just slightly away from the group in the trees. “I’m not too worried about those guys. They know better.”
    The boat was tight in the passage, only a couple hundred feet separating them from either gravel and mud shoreline. Shaun waved lightly at the group standing on the island, within easy rifle range. They waved back with obvious disappointment, and turned back into the woods behind them. They had tangled with Shaun before, and had lost every boat in their possession.
    As fast as the channel constricted, it opened up again, and Terry noticed the release of tension in the men. Apparently Shaun did too, and he said, “We’re not out of the woods yet, gentlemen. That was just the Percy Priest Welcoming Committee.” The land pulled away sharply to port, but Shaun maintained his course straight ahead until the boat was back out in the center of the main channel. Now they were looking ahead to another narrow passage, the peninsula still on the left and a sharply defined cove on the right. Beyond those features, the channel seemed to turn to the left and it was impossible to see beyond the turn. It was long half mile to pass