The Oak Hill Boys (Royce Hyatt, Ezra Greeley, Jack Kollath, Shady McCoy and Louis Toadvine) rode out to the Bellamy farm to investigate the family’s mysterious disappearance. Just like the deputy said, the place was all tore up. Like the had of God reached down, tore off the roof and took the family.
The boys investigated what was left of the family’s belongings and by counting the beds, figured out the Bellamys were a family of four. They also came across a brooch, $86 and a letter to Mrs. Bellamy from one of her old students, Absalom Mecketts. The letter, written about two years ago, proclaimed the student’s unrequited love for the teacher.
Royce spies a plume of smoke northeast of the farm. They also see tracks leading to and from that general direction. Finding no other clues at the farm, The Boys ride through the Arizona scrubland towards the smoke. As they get closer, they see three largish plateaus rising from the desert floor. The smoke that drew them to this place comes a large campfire on one of the plateaus. Unbelievably, they see a giant of a man, hunched over the fire, roasting what looks to be a cow.
The Boys take cover and begin thinking through what to do next. They watch the brutish creature call out. Another giant appears out of a cave from the other plateau. Supper time! The second giant lumbers over to the other plateau to join his companion.
While the giants sup, Jack and Louis sneak over to the seemingly now unoccupied cave. Inside, they find two children: Gregory (12) and Sadie (9). They’ve been tied up and are huddled in a corner, crying. Jack cuts their bonds with his bowie knife, telling them where to go for safety. The Boys learn Gregory and Sadie’s parents were also taken and must be in in the other cave.
Meanwhile, as Royce sneaks ever closer to the first plateau…from a distance, Ezra takes careful aim at the giants. His shot rings out from the darkness, squarely catching one of the giants in the shoulder. The dinner is forgotten as the giants defend their stronghold.
Their boulder throwing proves to be fairly effective against The Boys. But Royce, Jack, Ezra and Louis eventually fell the aberrations of what’s natural. Parents Carey & Rubie are freed from the cave. And the family is united.
But how were the giants created in the first place? Maybe the answer was on top of the third plateau, where a mysterious, rune-covered obelisk was discovered. It gave all who were near it a sick feeling…and an unnatural desire…to stay close to it. These feelings went away, though, once Shady blasted the obelisk with dynamite. Nearby, the group also found an old, broken down buckboard wagon.
The Boys gave the family a ride back into Globe. Carey and Rubie were grateful The Boys leaned into their better natures to save the family.
Looking for another tale or two? More exploits of The Oak Hill Boys can be found here, here and here.
Dry Gulch Bugle 