Boom Town: Dragons West, #2

By J. A. Johnson

The year is 1874. Vince Browder is about to unleash a plague- and pestilence-breathing dragon upon an unsuspecting young nation. All that stands between him and the ultimate land grab is young Matthew Graham and a dragon of his own named Crazy Squirrel. Against seemingly impossible odds, Matthew is joined by a band of heroic individuals including the legendary Baxter Fleming; The Miracle Marksman, Francisco Ochoa; The Bolo Kid, Americus Freeman, Cordelia McKenna and, of course, Bax's faithful horse, Turquoise Bill. In a quest that will take our heroes from a quiet Michigan town, across a vast continent, to the twisted heart of a dead volcano deep in Death Valley, the adventure never stops.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J. A. Johnson
• Release date: Sep 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215501856

Book preview

PREVIOUSLY

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After Matthew Graham’s parents and grandfather go missing, a mysterious crate arrives. Inside is what can only be described as a strange ostrich egg. When the forces behind his family’s disappearance arrive to claim the boy and the egg, an old family friend intervenes: a cowboy named, Baxter Flemming, the famed Miracle Marksman, with his fabled six-shooters, Mani and Sol.

With Bax’s help. Matthew escapes with the egg and a letter his parents had sent to the cowboy. They embark on a perilous journey west, pursued by the ghastly Undertaker Man and his stryvog; demon-like creatures that fear nothing but the light and are driven by one purpose. Find the egg.

Along they way they meet, Cordelia McKenna, owner of the riverboat, the Aurora and the M & H Circus. A trick shot artist and staring act of the M & H. Seeing that her new friends need to escape the local authorities, Cordelia offers Matthew and Bax passage on the Aurora.

They may have escaped one tangle, but they will soon learn that stryvog are are relentless and  they are never far behind.

CHAPTER 1

Matthew woke with a start to the clanging of a bell. A glance through the porthole told him that it was still dark outside. He rolled toward the edge of the bunk and peered over the edge just as Bax lit the oil lamp. Matthew squinted against the amber glow. What time is it? he grumbled.

Bax's vest was hung on a peg near the bunk. From it he dug out his pocket watch. Five o'clock, he said as he wound the timepiece.

Matthew flopped back onto his pillow. The bell stopped ringing. Maybe we can sleep a little longer, he said.

Bax was on his feet, buttoning up his shirt as he spoke. Not a chance, pard. We're part of the circus now. We've got work to do.

Matthew tugged his pillow out from under him and covered his face with it. Arrrgh. When he heard the door opening, he looked to see Bax at the threshold. Where are you going?

Bax smiled. I aim to get me some breakfast before it's all gone. If you're hungry, you may want to cut a trail. With that, the cowboy stepped outside and closed the door, leaving Matthew alone in the cabin.

As quickly as he could, Matthew slipped into his clothes. He took the egg down from his bunk and looked it over but found no cracks in the shell. He put the egg to his ear and listened. He heard nothing and, for a moment, wondered if he had imagined it last night.

His stomach growled; the thought of breakfast already had his juices flowing. He tucked the egg into its carpetbag and hurried from the cabin; he wasn't even sure where to find the mess hall. He was pleasantly surprised to find Bax leaning against the outside wall, waiting for him.

Whah! Matthew exclaimed. Where is everything? Fog lay thick and heavy in the predawn darkness reducing the visible world to a matter of four or five feet in any given direction. Misty tendrils curled and coiled about them like groping hands.

I don't think I've ever seen a fog this thick, Bax commented as they carefully made their way along the deck, toward the stairs.

When they came to the top of the gangplank, Matthew almost stumbled down it before he realized it was even there.

How about I take that 'til we reach the bottom, little man? Bax said.

Matthew nodded and handed him the carpetbag. He was eager to share what he'd discovered about the egg with Bax, but somehow, the time didn't seem right. Maybe while they ate. Be careful, he said.

Bax smiled. That's the point.

On the main deck, carpetbag back in hand, Matthew followed Bax toward the bow of the river boat, until a muted glow materialized ahead of them, at first appearing to float up toward the deck like a specter. Matthew dropped a step back behind Bax as a precaution, yet the cowboy seemed unconcerned.

Howdy, Bax announced as they closed the short distance to the glow.

The glow spoke back. Ah, a cowboy and a half. Good morning to the both of you. Matthew recognized the voice as that of Stewart.

Matthew now realized that the glow emanated from Stewart's lantern. As he and Bax reached the watchman's side, Stewart seemed to materialize from the fog's folds.

Bax pointed to the lantern. Seems more for bein' seen than seein' by, wouldn't you say?

The old deckhand nodded. That it does. I’ve spent most of my life on the river, and I can't say I've ever seen fog so confounded thick as this. Almost seems unnatural.

Matthew shivered at the very prospect. Just then the sound of men's voices drifted through the gauzy air, accompanied by the creak of wagon springs and the occasional chuffing of horses. Who is that? he asked.

Stewart motioned with the lantern over the side of the boat. That's the shipment of feed and grain for the animals that we've been waiting for. It should have been here two days ago.

Bax peered into the gloom toward the invisible riverbank. Is that unusual?

Stewart shrugged. Not especially so. You just come to expect this sort of thing when dealing with locals. 

The answer seemed to satisfy Bax, who then said. We'd be much obliged if you could you point us to the mess hall.

***

Following a breakfast of bacon, eggs, and biscuits, Matthew and Bax made their way to the main deck. A pink horizon had begun to drive back the night, and the morning held the promise of a warm, clear day. Soon nothing remained of the fog except thin wisps that snaked upon the placid face of the river.

The Aurora was under way, her powerful wheel and paddles churning the dark river, propelling the mighty boat forward. Plumes of smoke streamed from her towering stacks, trailing behind like locks of flowing black hair.

Matthew hurried to the deck railing for a better view of the shoreline. Already the town of Riverton was falling away behind them. Before long it would be lost from sight. The galley had proved too crowded and chaotic for Matthew to tell Bax about the egg; but now, on the deck, alone for the moment at least, seemed the perfect opportunity.

Matthew unconsciously shifted the carpetbag containing the egg from one hand to the other. What are we supposed to do now? he asked as Bax joined him at the railing.

Bax shrugged. I reckon someone will tell us sooner or later.

Hey there! Cordelia's voice drifted down to them from above. Just the men I'm looking for.

Matthew turned and looked up to see Cordelia leaning out of one of the pilothouse windows, waving to them. He waved back at her.

I'll be right down, she said before ducking from view.

Cordelia's chipper attitude was infectious, and Matthew couldn't help but smile.

Bax, on the other hand, didn't seem affected in the least. He had turned his attention back to Matthew. How's that crackleberry holdin' up, pard?

Matthew beamed. I wondered when you were going to get around to asking me that.

Well, I'm figurin' since I'm not smellin' it, it ain’t broken.

Matthew said nothing for a moment, getting the desired effect as a look of concern crossed Bax's face. It isn’t broken... is it?

Nope, Matthew said.

No, I reckon not, Bax said as he regarded Matthew with narrowed eyes. You're lookin' a bit too much like a bear in a honey jar for somethin’ to have gone wrong.

It's alive. The egg is alive, Bax! Can you believe it?

The cowboy tipped his hat back on his head, and gave Matthew a doubtful look. What makes you think that?

Last night, just before I went to bed, I heard something moving inside of it. Listen for yourself, Matthew said as he handed the egg to Bax.

Bax's eyes widened, but he accepted the bag. Pard, this egg's been untended too long. There's no way it can be alive.

Go on. You'll see.

Bax glanced about but no one was paying them the least bit of attention. He lifted the egg to his ear, cast Matthew a skeptical look, and listened.

Matthew could tell at once by the cowboy's widening eyes that Bax could hear it too. See? I told you, he grinned.

Bax held the egg out before him and looked at it as though seeing it for the first time. Well I'll be danged, was all he said.

What do we do now? Matthew wondered aloud, for surely this changed things -changed something anyway. He just wasn't sure what.

We stick to the plan, of course, Bax said as he held the egg out to Matthew.

Matthew opened the carpetbag, and Bax placed the egg inside. But what if the egg hatches? What'll we do then?

In that case, Bax said, "I reckon we'll be keepin' watch on a big baby bird instead of a big egg.

But my parents said they needed the egg.

Bax held up a finger, reminding Matthew of his school teacher, Miss Strickland. Are you sure about that?

But their letter....

...didn't expressly say they needed an egg. Your folks are smart people, pard. Plenty smart. I have no doubt they know full well what sort of egg this is. And, if it's due to hatch before we get to Death Valley, I have a strong notion your ma and pa would have known as much.

Matthew looked into the bag and regarded the egg.

Somethin' the matter, pard?

Matthew shook his head. I just realized that if it hatches, we're going to have to feed it.

***

Well, Cordelia said when she joined them on the main deck, I suppose there will be time enough for a full tour later. I can give you the economy tour while we walk. She pointed to the uppermost deck from where she had called down to them. "That there is the pilot