Buffalo Bill Wanted! by Alex Simmons Read Free Book Online Page A

of the wagon.
    â€œI still think that mob at Pryke’s speech last night was bought,” Wiggins proclaimed after they were all aboard. “Nat Blount was there, and he doesn’t care anything about people—except the ones he plans to nick something from. Same for some of those blokes he was standing with.”
    â€œMaybe he was trying to pick a few pockets in the crowd,” Owens offered.
    â€œIf he went after one of those blokes he was standing with,” Wiggins shot back, “they’d have hacked off his fingers and fed them to him one by one.”
    â€œWhat would be the purpose of hiring a phony crowd of angry citizens?” Jennie asked.
    â€œMaybe to make Pryke look important,” Wiggins replied.
    â€œBut he’s already important,” Jennie said.
    â€œThis is getting too mixed up for me.” Dooley shook his head. “Are we after thugs, smugglers, or what?”
    â€œI have no idea,” Wiggins admitted, then he went quiet. The wagon rattled along westward to Piccadilly, where Wiggins signaled for them to get ready to hop off.
    â€œWell, once we figure out who took Buffalo Bill’s gun, we’ll have the answer.” Wiggins dropped from the wagon, and the others followed.
    He took a quick glance around to get his bearings. This neighborhood was expensive, near the fine gentlemen’s clubs and the theaters. Coming up to Regent Street, he led the way to number 59.
    They stood in front of the five-story stone building, whose ground floor was a gentleman’s outfitters. “Colonel Cody has two floors of rooms upstairs, or so this mate of mine told me,” Wiggins said. “He helped deliver some of the flowers all the ladies were sending to Buffalo Bill.”
    A four-wheeled coach waited out in the street, and the front door of the house stood partially open.
    While the coach driver was distracted by his horse, Wiggins walked up to the house and gingerly gave the doorknob a pull. The door swung farther open. “In we go,” he said.
    Jennie sent a worried glance at the coach’s driver, but he never glanced at the children as they entered the house.
    Wiggins went to peer up the stairway while the others huddled together by a large potted palm—almost as if they thought they’d blend in with the foliage.
    â€œCome on,” Wiggins whispered over his shoulder.
    He turned back to discover a stocky man in a derby hat frowning up above them. “Where did you lot come from? This is a gentleman’s establishment. No casual labor or mendicants need apply.”
    â€œIt’s the butler.” Owens took a nervous step back.
    â€œNot fancy enough.” Wiggins smirked. “He’s probably a valet.”
    â€œDo I need to repeat myself ?” the servant said sharply. “We don’t allow beggars in here.”
    â€œWe ain’t beggars,” Wiggins told him. “We’re here to see Buffalo—I mean, Colonel Cody.”
    â€œYeah, we’re friends of his,” Dooley added.
    â€œOf course you are.” The servant pushed back his sleeves as he came down the steps toward the children. “Since you won’t leave nicely, I’ll just have to—”
    â€œNow wait just a minute, guv.” Wiggins threw up his hands to fend off the man’s grip.
    â€œYou touch me,” Dooley warned loudly, “and I’ll take—”
    â€œWhat’s going on here, Jim?”
    A new figure appeared at the head of the stairs: Buffalo Bill’s partner, Nate Salsbury.
    â€œI was just about to evict them, sir,” Jim said anxiously. He’d managed to snag both Jennie and Wiggins by their collars.
    â€œHello, Mr. Salsbury,” Jennie said politely. Wiggins wanted to laugh at the sight of Jennie trying to maintain her dignity as the servant gripped her collar. “It’s good to see you again.”
    â€œHello again, little missy,” Salsbury replied with a wry