“Pleased to meetcha,” grinned Sleepy, and held out his hand to Wanna. She shook hands shyly and moved back.
“His friend is upstairs in bed,” said Big Medicine, looking at Wanna. “In about ten minutes, I want you to mix him a hot drink of rum, sugar, and water and take it up to him, Wanna.”
The girl nodded quickly and went toward the kitchen. Big Medicine led Sleepy outside and pointed toward the corral, where Ike Marsh was repairing a broken pole.
“Take your horses down there, Mr. Stevens. Ike will show you where to put them.”
“Thank yuh,” nodded Sleepy, and went to get the animals.
Ike Marsh met him at the stable door and Sleepy told him Big Medicine’s orders.
“Yeah, we got room,” said Ike, opening the doors.
They put the animals in two vacant stalls and came outside. Sleepy passed his tobacco and papers and they squatted down to smoke.
“I seen you fellers go up to the bathhouse,” said Ike thoughtfully, “and I wondered if you was friends of Big Medicine.”
“We dunno yet,” smiled Sleepy. “Yuh see, we never seen him before in our lives.”