One Good Turn Deserves Another

By Heyes's Girl

It was mid-August when Heyes and Kid entered San Francisco, they got off the train and knew where they were going, they went up Nob Hill to the house of one Johnathan Saunders, known to the boys as Soapy.

They rang the doorbell, and his man-servant Henry answered the door,

“Yes, can I help you?”

“Hello Henry, how are you?”

“Mr Smith, Mr Jones I’m fine thank you won’t you come in.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll just tell Mr Saunders you’re here.”

So, off he went to tell Soapy they were there. Once told he come out with his arms open wide to greet them.

“Heyes, and the Kid it’s nice to see you again.”

“It’s nice to see you Soapy” said Heyes as he took them into the drawing room. He offered them some brandy and then came the inevitable question.

“Why are you here boys, do you need a favour?”

“Well, sort of Soapy we’d like to stay with you for a few days to rest up, Heyes has a bad back as you know, it’s bin’ playin’ him up no end so we were wondering whether you let us stay here please.”

Soapy smiled and said,

“Of course, you can I’ll even get my Doctor to look at Heyes’s back.”

“Oh, you don’t have to go that far Soapy” interjected Heyes.

“Nonsense Heyes we have to find out why it is hurting more than usual.”

“Ok, Soapy I will see your doctor” he said as a painful spasm made him put his hand on his back.

“Heyes, another twinge?”

“Yes Kid.”

 “I’ll get Henry to take your bags up to the two spare rooms I have and then I will send him to get my Doctor to come here to see to you” said Soapy kindly.

“Alright” said Heyes.

So Soapy told Henry to take their luggage up to the spare rooms and then go and fetch Doctor Westbury and tell him that Mr Saunders requires him to look after one of his greatest friends.

Which touched Heyes deeply, he’d always considered to be Soapy’s friend but one of his greatest friends was an honour indeed. Henry did as he was asked. While they waited for Doctor Westbury to come they went into the lounge and had a drink.

Henry came back with the Doctor,

“Johnathan, where’s my patient?”

“He’s here Matthew” he said as he came into the lounge.

“This is Joshua Smith, he has a rather troublesome back,”

“It’s bin’ playin’ him up for days Doc, I’m Thaddeus Jones by the way Joshua’s best friend.”

 “Right, Joshua why don’t you and I go upstairs, then I can examine you, and tell you why your back is playing up.”

“Ok, Doc” said Heyes as another spasm of pain hit him like a sledgehammer.

“Oh, we are in discomfort” said Doc Westbury. So, then he and Heyes went upstairs and went into his room where he undressed, and the Doctor examined him.

“Alright Josh you can get dressed again now.”

“Well how bad is it?”

“Let’s get downstairs and tell everyone at the same time.”

“Ok.”

So, they went back down stairs where Kid and Soapy were waiting and they all went back into the lounge where Doc Westbury told them his diagnosis of what was wrong with Heyes’s back.

“I examined Joshua thoroughly and have discovered that he has ruptured a muscle in his lower back. Which means he will have to rest it, I will prescribe a liniment to apply to the affected area three times a day also a hot bath with some Epsom salts in to help with the pain and reduce the inflammation. I will also give you some pain powders and sleeping drafts to help during the night so you can get some sleep.”

“Oh, thanks Doc.”

So, Heyes was put to bed to rest while Kid went out to the drug store to get his prescription. He came back to the house and went to see him,

“Hi, how ya feelin’?”

“Fine now I’m laid down oh Kid this is the worst it’s been other than when I first injured my back.”

“Yeah and that wasn’t your fault it was Kyle’s.”

“That’s water under the bridge Kid I don’t hold a grudge he can’t help being a little short in the arm and also in the brain department.”

“I suppose you’re right anyways what are you gonna do about your back you can’t go on like this Heyes every few months the same thing, we do a heavy job and your back plays up.”

“Oh, now Kid stop worrying I’m not it’s just one of those things I gotta live with that’s all.”

Soapy arrived and cut the conversation short,

“How are you Heyes?”

“Oh, I’m alright Soapy just feeling a little sore it’s better now I’m laid down in actual fact I am feeling a little sleepy so if you don’t mind I would like to get some rest.”

“No, Heyes course not.”

No, my dear friend you get some sleep” said Soapy.

Four weeks after that Heyes was fully recovered from his injury, and one morning he and Kid went out they told Soapy they would be back for lunch.

The chef was busy in the kitchen and one of his juniors had left a pan unattended it boiled over and started a fire the chef did his best to try and put it out, but it was no good it was way out of control. So, he told Henry to tell everyone to get out. Henry turned to the junior footman to go and the master to get out of the house for it was on fire.

He said he would do it, so Henry went and told everyone else, The junior footman however decided to save his own skin and left via the back door leaving Soapy upstairs asleep unaware that his beautiful house was blazing merrily away.

Heyes and Kid were on their way back to the house when they heard a bell ringing they turned round to see the local volunteer fire service racing up the street to the plume of smoke they could see in the distance.

As they walked up the street toward Soapy’s house the plume of smoke was getting bigger their walk turned into a run they got to the top of the hill and saw at it was Soapy’s house that was on fire.

Heyes saw Henry,

“Henry where is he?”

“Inside, I told the young footman Micheal to go and tell him, but he obviously decided to save his own skin and left my master upstairs asleep.

Heyes walked towards the building he shouted, with hope and desperation in his voice,

“Soapy, Soapy can you hear me?”

Kid came up and put his hand on his shoulder,

“I don’t think he can, not anymore.”

Heyes hung his head he turned to walk away when he heard his name being called,

“Heyes, Heyes I am upstairs in my room.”

Heyes turned back to see Soapy in the window waving at him.

“Soapy can you get out?”

“No, the fire’s all downstairs and making its way up to me.”

“Alright don’t panic I’m comin’”

“You’re what!” said Kid.

“I can’t leave him up there to die.”

The chief came up and said,

“Well, there’s nothing we can do until the other tender gets here with the extending ladder.”

“How long’s that gonna take” asked Kid.

“Twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes, in that time that old man could be dead” he turned to Kid and said,

“Come on back yard” so Kid followed him they went in and found the ladder propped up against the fence. Heyes put it up against the building and started to climb. Kid held the end of the ladder and watched as Heyes got to an open window he pulled himself in and went to find Soapy he found on the floor in his room.

“Soapy, Soapy it’s me.”

“Heyes, you came to get me.”

“Of course, I did come on let’s get you out of here” so they both got up and went back to the window where an anxious Kid was waiting.

“Kid, you come up the ladder and I’m gonna lower Soapy down as far as I’m able too then you grab hold of him and help him down.”

“Soapy get out of the window, sit on the ledge and give me your hands.” Heyes then braced himself and started to lower Soapy down towards the ladder, Kid grabbed hold of his legs and told him not to worry he had got hold of him.

“Come on Soapy let’s get you down from here.”

“But what about Heyes?”

“I’ll go back up for him in a minute.”

“Oh, alright.”

Once Soapy was safe Kid when to go back up the ladder to fetch Heyes, when because the ladder was old it broke when Kid put his foot on the first wrung of it.

“Heyes it’s broken I can’t come fetch you.”

Heyes got out of the window, and said,

“Kid, you’re always boasting that you look after me, now’s the time to prove it again, catch me.”

“Heyes you’ll break somethin’ on you and me.”

“Yeah but it’s better that what I’m looking at the moment.”

Kid went to the window and readied himself to Heyes, Heyes jumped, and Kid nearly caught him they both landed in a big, crumpled heap on the floor.

They lay there for a moment for both of them were winded, they sat up and then got up which was a mistake for Heyes for he found it hurt to stand up, it just hurt to breath Kid found. They all came from the back of the house to find the fire under control and the ambulance was there to take Soapy, and Heyes and Kid to the hospital.

Soapy was admitted for smoke inhalation and Heyes and Kid were admitted for broken bones. Heyes had a fractured ankle and broken his right wrist, Kid had broken ribs and a fractured left elbow.

It was while they were in hospital Heyes said to Kid.

“Kid we are going to fix Soapy’s house.”

“How may I ask?”

“I mean we can’t do it physically, but we can call in some favours.”

“Heyes, do we know any painters, decorators, and builders no we don’t.”

“Oh, but we do Wheat used to be a builder, Shields used to be a painter and Decorator and Lean used to be an upholsterer and furniture maker.”

“They did?”

“They did.”

“You know Wheat is gonna bring Kyle don’t ya.”

“Yeah, I know but that’s a small price to pay for us getting Soapy back in his house for Christmas.”

So, the next morning Heyes sent a telegram to the boys,  all it said was, need your expertise to help an old friend come to San Francisco and I will explain in more detail. P.S Kyle have a bath.

“If’n I got have a bath I ain’t goin’”

“Yes you are and yes you will” said Wheat.

So, grudgingly he did as he was told then everyone went to San Francisco Heyes and Kid met the train they went to the local saloon where Heyes explained his plan.

“You mean to tell me we came all this way and all you want is for us to fix up this old man’s house” said Wheat after Heyes had finished.

“Wheat, he may be an old man but he’s a rich old man and if you do this you will be well paid, ok.”

“Well, let’s have a look at this house then” said Wheat. So, they all went to see Soapy’s house. They went inside and Wheat had a good look, he looked at Heyes and said,

“Well, it could be worse it could be structurally unsafe but I happy to report that whoever built this knew what he was doin’ so what we have to do is strip it back to its bare bones and then we can start again.”

Lean and Shields went to see Soapy at his club with sample cards and fabrics for him to choose which one he liked the most. He also chose the style of chairs he’d like. Lean and Shields left and Soapy had to ask,

“Kid where did they come from?”

“They’re old friends we’re just callin’ in some favours that all catch ya later I can’t those boys alone.”

The next few weeks were busy for them Wheat had repointed the brick work, replastered and helped put in a new fireplace which Lean had built.

Lean had made new chairs, new sofa dining table, cabinets and a writing desk, as well has all the furniture for all of the bedrooms.

August turned into September, things were progressing nicely Heyes and Kid were healing nicely, Heyes had gone shopping with Soapy to buy new glasses, decanters and ornaments and such. Kid had been keeping an eye on the boys. The boys agreed that a qualified engineer should come in and see to the gas lighting which he did.

September turned into October, it was now the turn of shields to do the decorating, he put up new paper, did all of the painting that needed doing, Kyle came in handy he was designated coffee maker and runner. Lobo was Shields helper. And Hank made the meals.

October turned into November and Lean came in to put the finishing touches to Soapy’s house. He put in the chairs and tables, cabinets and all of the bedroom furniture, then there was the cushions and the curtains.

November turned into December this is when Heyes and Kid came in and dressed the house for Christmas. On Christmas eve they brought Soapy home. they lead him in to the lounge and then took his blindfold off and said,

“Soapy open your eyes.”

He did and what he saw made his heart leap,

“Oh, merciful heavens boys my beautiful house you fixed it.”

“Soapy meet the Devil’s Hole Gang, Wheat, Kyle, Lobo, Shields, Lean McClean and Hank they fixed your house for you for some of them used to be in the trades you needed.”

“Now, I hate to be mercenary Heyes did say we were gonna get well paid” said Wheat.

“Trust you, I did say that yes.”

“Shall we say fifty thousand then you can split it between you.”

“Seem fair enough” said Kyle. The boys agreed fifty thousand, Soapy paid them and then they left.

Just before he went upstairs to bed he said,

“apart from being my friend Heyes, Why?”

“Oh, Soapy don’t you know one good turn deserves another, you let me stay here when my back was injured and now I repaid that kindness, good night old friend.”

“Good boys and thank you”.