He arrived by wagon train. Actually he arrived in the back of someone elses wagon as his own had been wrecked during an accident. The horses got spooked and despite his Uncle's best efforts the wagon ended up going down hill..killing not only his Uncle but his Aunt and his cousin. He was thrown out of the wagon and awoke as the others were sorting through their household items. He was young enough to be offered a ride with someone else...but he knew what that meant. He'd become an indentered servent to some other family. And he was old enough to know he didn't want that or charity. So he sneaked into the back of one of the wagons. They arrived near by the way station, an outpost and sort of hotel bar near a small cattle town. He knocked on the back door and got some food. They left and he stayed behind. "So you want a job is it?" the older gruff man looked him over. "Tell you what, I'll give you food and a place to work. You can sleep wherever you can...I don't have spare beds..I sell them." He was hard at work chopping wood in the back when a couple of riders came up one day. "You got beds in there?" "Yes Sir" his eastern upbringing had taught him to be polite to eveyone. "What about baths?" "Yes Sir" he answered knowing he'd soon be lugging buckets of water to a stove then pouring the heated water in a tub for the men. "Good food too?" one asked "Oh yes Sir" his enthusiasm and hunger revealed and the men laughed. "You the Outpost boy?" they asked. Nobody had ever called him that but he assumed that's what he was "Yes Sir" "Looks good to me Mark, he's got a nice butt too" one of the rides said to the other. "You think you can handle both of us?" the man called Mark asked. He didn't quite know what they meant but he responded "Yes Sir" again and they laughed. He poured buckets of warm water in a basin for the men, now shirtless in a room they had rented. They washed and he handed them a towel. "Good, let's eat and get a bath later on. Boy you'll be sleeping here tonight" He was thrilled. Until then, he had learned to sleep near the fireplace downstairs or in the barn. This would be the first time in months he would actually be in a bed. He couldn't do enough for the two men after that. He made sure they had food before anyone else, refilled their mugs with ale and stayed nearby should they need anything. They marveled at how well he rolled cigarettes. "I learned on the trail" he said and then relayed his own story to the two men. "Here boy, eat and drink" he sat and accepted the food and ale they offered. "What the hell are you doing kid?" the owner came to the two men and grabbed his shirt collar. "Wooooo there, we told him to sit with us. He's working for us tonight. And we'll pay you whatever extra you want" the one not called Mark said to the owner after grabbing his arm. "Oh that's the way it is.....it'll cost you..the boy is like a son to me" the owner suddenly acted like the boy was a dear relative. "Right...." Mark said and the two men laughed. He ate and felt woozy from the ale. "Bath time kid" Bucket after bucket, he carried from the well to the stove in the back. And then lifted each bucket of hot water pouring it's contents into a huge tub. He had seen grown men naked before..but there was something different about these two men. He watched as they stripped and one would wash the back of the other. "Come on boy, you should be doing this not me" He went over and trembled as he used a cloth to spread soap all over Mark's back. "The only way to do that kid is to strip down yourself" The other cowboy said and pulled the boys shirt off. "Pants too" He was naked..his little boy body seemed so insignificant in front of these two hairy, strong men. His penis curved up....getting hard as it did allot lately. "Looks like he's going to enjoy tonight" Mark said reaching out and holding the boys penis. "Come on kid, get in and give me a good scrubbing" He got into the tub and knelt on the bottom avoiding the man's legs. Using the cloth, he spread soap all over Mark's chest, arms, armpits and stomach. "I don't think the kid has had a bath in awhile either" the other one, Cratchitt said as he began to wash the boys back. Memories of being washed by his mother suddenly shot through his young head. She had died years ago and he went to live with his Uncle. There, he was treated more like a worker then a relative and hadn't felt the caring touch of another human until now. "Lean back kid" he did as he was told so Cratchett could wash his chest. Mark joined in and washed his stomach, legs, and penis. "Turn around..we don't want no dirty boys butt tonight" As he let the men put him in various positions, he thrilled to be handled that way. Strong hands moved him around..but not pushing him around. His butt was washed as was his hair. He scrubbed Cratchett's hair too and soon all three naked men were pouring colder water over each other. He carried the empty buckets back to where they belonged, and cleaned up the room. "Come on up when you're through" they said and then turned to the owner to pay him for the baths. "You got a gold mine there Mister" they said pointing to the boy. He knocked on the door and went in. "Lock it up. We dont' want anyone to distrub us tonight" In the room there was only one kerosene lamp...one which he cleaned every day. The room was dark otherwise. "Come over here boy and let's teach you a few things. When a man comes in off the range, he has needs" He listened and learned. His body became excited as he was touched. His gut seemed on fire as he touched, licked and mouthed each mans huge penis. His butt hurt as their fingers invaded him..but he kept his pain to himself. "You got a tight little boys butt..think you can take me?" Mark asked him. He didn't know what to say except "Yes Sir" The pain was immense but he stiffled his reacitons as his butt was opened and used by each of the men. They took turns and made him lick their penis afterwards... He tasted the salty stuff that came out of their dicks..it tasted like his own...the times he had erupted while playing with his erect penis in back of the outhouses. But most of all, he loved sleeping between the two men...their bodies keeping him warm, their arms surrounding him. He made sure they got their breakfast first...while it was hot. And as he watched them ride away, he cried a bit. "Here, this is for you" the owner gave him a leather pouch. "They said to give it to you" It jingled. Inside were several gold coins and a note. "thanks, Mark and Cratch" it read. "You can read that boy?" the owner said. "Yes Sir" "Hmmmmm, maybe I've been underestimating you. Want to be an apprentice?" "Does that mean I'm still an outpost boy?" The owner seemed shocked the boy said that. "Well, if that's what you want" Cowboys arrived and some nodded his way..others seemed more friendly. Those that asked for his help taking a bath, usually offered him a bed to sleep in. By that time, he had his own bed in the barn, which the owner had fixed for him..as a way of thanking him. It seems the cowboys that paid special attention to him and who asked for his special help, paid the owner extra. "So, what now?" The owner said as he watched the boy put a few more coins in his third leather pouch. "Got to go" the boy said. His horse, a gift from a cowboy in the spring awaited him in the back. "You could stay and become a partner you know" the man said. It had been three years since the boy knocked on his door...and the outpost had flourished. "They need riders for the mail.....and I'm goin to San Francisco to sign up" He had grown in stature and experience in three years. "And I guess I can't be an outpost boy forever" He had learned too, what that term really meant to the lonely and weary cowboys that came their way. He didn't mind..in fact he knew that he'd always be an "outpost boy" no matter where he lived or what he did to make money. "The owner gave him a couple more coins" Thanks for .... well, you know. If you ever need a place to come back to..... They hugged for the first time in three years. He passed through the main room where he had helped serve hundreds of meals, pass the fireplace where he had slept for months, past the stairway he had climbed to share beds with customers and past the big bath tub where he had scrubbed and been scrubbed. He got on his horse and turned towards the west..trotting towards a future that was already established by the past three years. And he knew he'd always be the "outpost boy" in his heart.