Free Weird West 04 - The Doctor and the Dinosaurs by Mike Resnick

him first…”
    “They won't know it's Cope,” said Holliday. “He's not wearing a uniform or anything.”
    “True,” agreed Younger. “But I've seen what they do to lone white men.”
    “Not just white men,” chimed in one of the Chinese. “They got my brother two weeks ago.”
    “Well, we can't just spend the day staring at each other,” said Holliday. He frowned as he stared at the Comanche. “You know,” he continued, “if they're hunting for Cope they know he's not here, and it makes sense that they'd go to wherever they thought he was. So I think they were here because of the dead Indian. Either the guys who found him brought some of their friends and relations back to show them where it happened, or reconstruct it, or else they were all in the area, not looking for a fight but just because it's Comanche land, and they found the body and before they could figure out what to do next, I showed up.”
    “What are you getting at, Doc?” asked Younger.
    “I think if we ride back to camp, they're going to turn around and go home. They're not looking for Cope, and since no one's started shooting yet, they're not out for revenge—at least not here and not now.”
    “And what about the Professor?”
    “He'll come back when he's found whatever the hell it is that he's looking for.”
    Younger stared at the Comanche for a long minute, then turned back to Holliday. “It's worth a try.”
    “I'm not guaranteeing it'll work,” said Holliday, “just that it makes sense. But tell them that nobody draws a gun or aims a rifle until you do, and you don't do it until I do.”
    It took Younger only a moment to pass the word up and down the line. Then, on his signal, they turned and began walking their horses back to camp. Holliday climbed onto his own horse and brought up the rear.
    They reached camp without incident, split up into small groups, and awaited Cope's return. He showed up an hour later, looking very excited.
    “I believe I've found a nest of fossilized eggs!” he enthused.
    “Good,” said Holliday. “Beats the hell out of having steak for breakfast.”
    Cope stared at him but said nothing.
    “By the way, Professor,” said Younger, “did you see any Comanche while you were looking for…for eggs ?” He couldn't hide his disillusionment in any grown man who would go searching for eggs.
    “Not a one,” said Cope. “I think they've cleared out of this area.” He went into the cabin to scribble in one of his notebooks.
    Younger shook his head. “How the hell can he find eggs that have been buried for a million years, but not see Indians who were on the warpath an hour ago?”
    “Just lucky, I guess,” said Holliday.
    “ Lucky? ” repeated Younger incredulously.
    “Two men leave camp an hour apart. One finds ancient eggs that'll make him famous. The other finds a Comanche war party.” Holliday allowed himself the luxury of a grim smile. “Who'd you rather be?”

H OLLIDAY SPENT TWO MORE DAYS in Cope's camp and decided to leave. Cope hadn't paid him, so he didn't consider himself an employed bodyguard—or a fossil guard either—and he made up his mind to ride to Marsh's camp and make sure that Roosevelt had sent the telegram to Edison and arrived healthy and whole. The truth of the matter was that he found Younger boring and Cope all but incomprehensible.
    He offered to buy one of Cope's wagons so he wouldn't have to ride the whole distance, but the expedition needed them and his offer was politely but firmly refused. He stopped by the supply tent long enough to pack a couple of meals of beef jerky, which he devoutly hoped he wouldn't have to eat, and then he was off in the general direction of Marsh's camp.
    He'd gone about ten miles along a high, rocky trail and found that every single joint in his body hurt, so he pulled his horse up, dismounted, and sat down with his back against the broad trunk of a solitary tree. He fingered his deck of cards and wondered if he had time fora half