Monte Hale Western #41

In "Quack, Quack," a young girl named Betsy resists taking a bath by pointing out that ducks—supposedly the result of daily bathing—are hardly an appealing example of beauty. Meanwhile, over at the Bar Nothing Ranch, an unwelcome drifter named Thaddeus Scrumps has overstayed his welcome by eating everything in sight, prompting the ranch folk to scheme their way into getting him to leave.

When Monte Hale drifts into Warnerville, he reunites with an old friend—river pilot Pappy Parsons—just as saboteurs begin targeting the Mary Ann steamboat to drive it out of business. Riding along to help investigate the trouble, Monte finds himself piloting the paddle-wheeler through treacherous river conditions on an urgent mercy mission, racing to deliver medicine before a diphtheria epidemic claims lives in town. As Monte navigates logs, currents, and deliberate obstacles, he uncovers the truth behind the attacks and learns what truly drives the man orchestrating them.

When the peaceful east side of Truro falls under siege from the outlaws controlling the west side across the river, Monte Hale rides in to help—but discovers that the ruthless Big Jim Mullane has no intention of letting him leave alive. Disguising himself as a miner, Monte infiltrates Mullane's gambling hall to confront the outlaw boss on his own terms, leading to a tense showdown on the bridge between the two halves of town.