Several hot dry weeks passed and life went on as usual. The men folk had to go in to town and collect what food and water was available at the time. Lloyd would walk the half mile or so every morning to take care of Scout and help around the Pearson farm. He loved being there. It seemed so peaceful and orderly and in the midst of all the chaos in his young life, he really needed that. He would get up early, help around his dad's place and then go over to take care of his horse and Scout was still his horse even though he'd sold him to Mr. Pearson. Alfred made him welcome and Lloyd knew he would someday be able to buy Scout back. In the meantime, his best friend was safe. Lloyd felt really good about it.

On one of the days the men were gathering on the street, the banker, Mr. Gordon Whitfield came around and handed out a flyer. It was an announcement for an absolute auction of the Brinks' homestead. There were no restrictions on the price, no reserve so the place would just go to the highest bidder.

Alfred, James Brinks along with his son Thurber were standing with some of the other farmers and Banker Whitfield looked at all of them apologetically. The Banker was not a mean-spirited man and he hated this as much as any of them. He had been raised here and knew all of these men, knew they were good folks fallen on hard times but his hands were tied. The main office in Mitchell had spoken and they were the bank gods.

"Does the bank have someone coming in to bid against us Gordon?"

Gordon Whitfield, the National City Bank manager stood for a moment, not sure what he should say.

"Yep, Alfred, he's coming in tomorrow first thing. I have to go get him at the train station in Kadoka. Then I'll be leaving him at the hotel and making my way out to the farm. He will find his way out by himself. Sorry James, I don't want to have to do this. Your family has been here for a long time now."

"I understand Gordon. And you understand I gotta do what I gotta do."

The banker nodded and with that he turned and left the group.

"James, can I borrow Thurber today for a bit? I'd like to take him out to my place to help with a few chores."

"Sure Alfred, not a problem. Guess I need to go tell the family it's finally here. Can you bring him along in the morning then?"

"Yep, guess we'll all meet at your place tomorrow. Thurber come with me youngster. I need your help now."

Later that afternoon Alfred called a meeting in the barn with Betty, Lloyd and Thurber. He had a plan to save the Brinks' home and he needed the kids help. It was risky at best and desperate but these times called for desperate measures. Somehow the kids needed to delay the banker's departure for the farm.

"So we all know what we are supposed to do then, right? Any questions?"

Not one of the kids said a word, they knew the plan and knew what was expected of them. After Alfred left, they all took an oath, shook hands and swore to carry out the "plan" to the bitter end and to the best of their ability. Nobody else in the world knew what was going to happen tomorrow when the bank tried to auction off Thurber's home except the three kids and Betty's dad. It was scary and exciting at the same time but it had to be done. It must be done!

The next morning after breakfast which consisted of an egg each, some stale bread and half a glass of milk, the three kids met back at the barn. Betty pulled up half a bucket of water and brought with her what looked like some old raggedy clothes. Each child found something to wear including hats for the two boys and a scarf for Betty's hair. They mixed some dirt in the water to make mud and proceeded to paint their faces, not totally but so as to look like dirty ragamuffins and to hide their identity from whomever they encountered in town. There was intrigue in the air and a sense of urgency within each of the children.

Lloyd brought Scout around and all three mounted their mighty steed, turned his head towards town and off they went charging into that hot, dry morning to wage their personal war on the establishment.

When they got to town they moved around behind the bank. There was a bit of shade there and some protection from prying eyes. The plan had begun. They sat on one of the public benches to see if there was anybody around at this early hour. Most everyone would be out at the Brinks' place to see who was going to walk away with the farm. The bank sent in an individual to bid against those interested in buying the land although not many were willing to bid on property that was rundown and had little or no chance of bearing crops in this miserable time of drought.

Alfred and all of the men were arriving at the farm and the Brinks had again packed up their things and were sitting with the others. The children were playing in the dirt but James and Phyllis sat with eyes closed against a raging sun and a sorrow that had no description. This was their land, James, his father, mother and brother came here, claimed the 25 acres and built, homesteaded, busted sod and claimed this place. Now for no fault of their own, they were going to lose it. Their hope hung on $37.50, all the money everyone had given Alfred the day after little Frederick died but they all knew since the bank would be bidding also, it would not be enough.

Betty, Lloyd and Thurber moved to the side of the bank that was across the street from the hotel. They did not have to wait very long. A tall, thin man in a grey suit and matching hat soon came out of the hotel. He looked to be middle age, slightly stooped with dark, piercing eyes and a hooked nose.

"DOG SNOT!!" Lloyd whispered, his eyes narrowing to slits of pure hatred.

"What?" whispered Betty back. "What's the matter Lloyd?"

"That's the piece of dog snot that was at my mother's place. He's the one wouldn't let me in to see her!"

"Are you sure Lloyd? How do you know?"

"Oh I know him anywhere, that sneaky slithering piece of poop."

"Hey you yelled at me for cussing, now you're doing it."

"I don't care Betty. You let me take care of him Betty, just let me at him."

"Remember why we are here Lloyd. Don't mess it up now."

"I won't Betty but I'm gonna enjoy this."
And they watched him cross the dusty street heading for the bank.

Mr. Whitfield, the local banker said the banker from Mitchell would be in town so that he could get the deed to the Brinks' place from the lock box in the bank. The out-of-town banker walked to the front door of the bank which was closed at the time and found his keys. He unlocked the door and stepped in.

Everything, the "plan" hinged on the idea that the kids could get in to the bank. If the stranger locked the door behind him, all was lost. They waited a minute or two and then slipped quietly up to the front door of the bank. What a sight that must have been, the three children, faces smeared with mud wearing worn, almost rags for clothes and hats. Lloyd tried the door quietly and it opened! The bank was closed since everyone would be out at the Brinks place so the only one in there was Mr. You-Know-Who, Dog Snot himself.

The three kids looked at each other, nodded and entered quickly into the bank lobby. There was nobody in sight and it was strangely silent and kind of dark with the shades drawn. There was a light coming from the bank vault and that was the kids' target. With great stealth, well as stealthily as the kids could be, they made their way to the huge door that was partially open. Inside the vault stood the tall, grey man, Lloyd's nemesis looking over some papers. All three kids pushed on the huge, heavy door. As it started to swing shut the man looked up from the papers he held just in time to see Lloyd.

Lloyd couldn't help himself, he yelled, "This is for Jessamine you slimeball!" and the vault door swung shut. The man inside leapt for the door but it clanged shut locking the man from the bank, the "suiter" that left Lloyd in the cold, Lloyd's mom's violator locked in.
He was yelling, pounding on the vault door! The three kids slipped out of the bank adrenalin pumping, sweat pouring down dark brown dirty faces. They raced around to the back, jumped on Scout and took off before anyone found the man. He would be there until Mr. Whitfield the local banker came back to town to open the bank for the day. That would be after the auction, the absolute auction!

"Lloyd you're crazy! We're going to get caught now that he knows who you are."

"It'll be Ok Betty" said Lloyd in a not so convincing voice.
All this time Thurber had been observing the whole mess.

"You two are both crazy. We're ALL going to jail, including our folks now. Your dad just wanted us to make him late, not lock him up. I don't want to die in a four foot cell!" and Thurber started to cry.

"Stop Thurber," said Lloyd. "I'm gonna take the whole blame. Nobody's going to jail except me."

"We need to go tell my Dad what happened." And with that they headed out to the Brinks' place to let Alfred know what had just happened at the bank.