the flying u ranch-第15部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



were　also　ready；　and；　with　a　dexterous　flip；　settled　the　noose

neatly　over　the　iron　pin　that　thrust　up　through　the　end　of　the

ridge…pole　in　front。　Andy's　loop　sank　neatly　over　it　a　second

later；　and　the　two　wheeled　and　dashed　away　together；　with　Pink

and　Irish　duplicating　their　performance　at　the　other　end　of　the

tent。　The　dingy；　smoke…stained　canvas　swayed；　toppled；　as　the

pegs　gave　way；　and　finally　lay　flat　upon　the　prairie　fifty　feet

from　where　it　had　stood；　leaving　the　inmates　exposed　to　the　cruel

stare　of　eight　unfriendly　cowpunchers。　Four　cowering　figures　they

were；　with　guns　in　their　hands　that　shook。



〃Drop　them　guns！〃　thundered　Big　Medicine；　flipping　his　rope　loose

and　recoiling　it　mechanically　as　he　plunged　up　to　the　group。



One　man　obeyed。　One　gave　a　squawk　of　terror　and　permitted　his　gun

to　go　off　at　random　before　he　fled　toward　the　coulee。　The　other

two　crouched　behind　their　bed…rolls；　set　their　jaws　doggedly　and

glared　defiance。



Pink；　Andy；　Irish；　Big　Medicine　and　the　Native　Son　slid　off　their

horses　and　made　a　rush　at　them。　A　rifle　barked　viciously；　and

Slim；　sitting　prudently　on　his　horse　well　in　the　rear；　gave　a

yell　and　started　for　home　at　a　rapid　pace。



Considering　the　provocation　the　Happy　Family　behaved　with　quite

praiseworthy　self…control　and　leniency。　They　did　not　lynch　those

two　herders。　They　did　not　kill　them；　either　by　bullets；　knives；

or　beating　to　death。　They　took　away　the　guns；　however；　and　they

told　them　with　extreme　bluntness　what　sort　of　men　they　believed

them　to　be。　They　defined　accurately　their　position　in　society　at

large；　in　that　neighborhood；　and　stated　what　would　be　their

future　fate　if　they　persisted　in　acting　with　so　little　caution

and　common　sense。



At　Andy　Green's　earnest　behest　they　also　wound　them　round　and

round　with　ropes；　before　they　departed；　and　gave　them　some　very

good　advice　upon　the　matter　of　range　rules　and　the　herding　of

sheep；　particularly　of　Dot　sheep。



〃You're　playing　big　luck；　if　you　only　had　sense　enough　to　know

it；〃　Andy　pointed　out　to　the　recumbent　three　before　they　rode

away。　〃We　didn't　come　over　here　on　the　warpath；　and；　if　you

hadn't　got　in　such　a　darned　hurry　to　start　something；　you'd　be　a

whole　lot　more　comfortable　right　now。　We　rode　over　to　tell　yuh

not　to　start　them　sheep　across　Flying　U　coulee；　because；　if　you

do；　you're　going　to　have　both　hands　and　your　hats　plumb　full　uh

trouble。　It　has　taken　some　little　time　and　fussing　to　get　yuh

gentled　down　so　we　can　talk　to　you；　and　I　sure　do　hope　yuh

remember　what　I'm　saying。〃



〃Oh；　we'll　remember　it；　all　right！〃　menaced　one　of　the　men；

lifting　his　head　turtlewise　that　he　might　glare　at　the　group。

〃And　our　bosses'll　remember　it；　you　needn't　worry　about　that

none。　You　wait　till〃



The　next　man　to　him　turned　his　head　and　muttered　a　sentence；　and

the　speaker　dropped　his　head　back　upon　the　ground；　silenced。



〃It　was　your　own　outfit　started　this　style　of　rope　trimming；　so

you　can't　kick　about　that　part　of　the　deal；〃　Pink　informed　them

melodiously。　〃It's　liable　to　get　to　be　all　the　rage　with　us。　So；

if　you　don't　like　it；　don't　come　around　where　we　are。　And　say！〃

His　dimples　stood　deep　in　his　cheeks。　〃You　send　those　ropes　home

to…morrow；　will　yuh？　We're　liable　to　need　'em。〃



〃by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine　bawled。　〃What　say　we　haze　them　sheep　a

few　miles　north；　boys？〃



〃Oh；　I　guess　they'll　be　all　right　where　they　are；〃　Andy

protested；　his　thirst　for　revenge　assuaged　at　sight　of　those

three　trussed　as　he　had　been　trussed；　and　apparently　not　liking

it　any　better　than　he　had　liked　it。　〃They'll　be　good　and　careful

not　to　come　around　the　Flying　Uor　I　miss　my　guess　a　mile。〃



The　others　cast　comprehensive　glances　at　their　immediate

surroundings；　and　decided　that　they　had　at　least　made　their

meaning　plain；　there　was　no　occasion　for　emphasizing　their

disapproval　any　further。　They　confiscated　the　rifles；　and　they

told　the　fellows　why　they　did　so。　They　very　kindly　pulled　a

tarpaulin　over　the　three　to　protect　them　in　a　measure　from　the

chill　night　that　was　close　upon　them；　and　they　wished　them　good

night　and　pleasant　dreams；　and　rode　away　home。



On　the　way　they　met　Weary　and　Happy　Jack；　galloping　anxiously　to

the　battle　scene。　Slim；　it　appeared　from　Weary's　rapid

explanation；　had　arrived　at　the　ranch　with　his　horse　in　a　lather

and　with　a　four…inch　furrow　in　the　fleshiest　part　of　his　leg；

where　a　bullet　had　flicked　him　in　passing。　The　tale　he　told　had

led　Weary　to　believe　that　Slim　was　the　sole　survivor　of　that

reckless　company。



〃Mamma！　I'm　so　glad　to　see　you　boys　able　to　fork　your　horses　and

swear　natural；　that　I　don't　believe　I　can　speak　my　little　piece

about　staying　on　your　own　side　the　fence　and　letting　trouble　do

some　of　the　hunting；〃　he　exclaimed　thankfully。　〃I　wish　you'd

stayed　at　home　and　left　these　blamed　Dots　alone。　But；　seeing　yuh

didn't；　I'm　tickled　to　death　to　hear　you　didn't　kill　anybody　off。

I　don't　want　the　folks　to　come　home　and　find　the　whole　bunch　in

the　pen。　It　might　look　as　if〃



〃You　don't　want　the　folks　to　come　home　and　find　the　whole　ranch

sheeped　off；　either；　and　the　herders　camping　up　in　the　white

house；　do　yuh？〃　Pink　inquired　pointedly。　〃I　kinda　think；〃　he

added　dryly；　〃those　same　herders　will　feel　like　going　away　around

Flying　U　fences　with　their　sheep。　I　don't　believe　they'll　do　any

cutting　across。〃



〃I　betche　old　Dunk'll　make　it　interestin'　fer　this　outfit；　just

the　same；〃　Happy　Jack　predicted。　〃Tyin'　up　three　men　uh　hisn；

like　that；　and　ropin'　their　tent　and　draggin'　it　off；　ain't

things　he'll　pass　up。　He'll　have　a　possy　out　hereyou　see　if　he

don't！〃



〃In　that　case；　I'll　be　sorry　for　you；　Happy；〃　purred　Miguel　close

beside　him。　〃You're　the　only　one　in　the　outfit　that　looks　capable

of　such　a　vile　deed。〃



〃Oh；　Dunk　won't　do　anything；〃　Weary　said　cheerfully。　〃You'll　have

to　take　those　guns　back；　though。　They　might　take　a　notion　to　call

that　stealing！〃



〃You　forget；〃　the　Native　Son　reminded　calmly；　〃that　we　left　them

three　good　ropes　in　exchange。〃



Whereupon　the　Happy　Family　laughed　and　went　to　offer　their

unsought　sympathy　to　Slim。







CHAPTER　X。　The　Happy　Family　Herd　Sheep



The　boys　of　the　Flying　U　had　many　faults　in　common；　aside　from

certain　individual　frailties；　one　of　their　chief　weaknesses　was

over…confidence　in　their　own　ability　to　cope　with　any　situation

which　might　arise；　unexpectedly　or　otherwise；　and　a　belief　that

others　felt　that　same　confidence　in　them；　and　that　enemies　were

wont　to　sit　a　long　time　counting　the　cost　before　venturing　to

offer　too　great　an　affront。　Also　they　believedand　made　it

manifest　in　their　conversationthat　they　could　even　bring　the

Old　Man　back　to　health　if　they　only　had　him　on　the　ranch　where

they　could　get　at　him。　They　maligned　the　hospitals　and　Chicago

doctors　most　unjustly；　and　were　agreed　that　all　he　needed　was　to

be　back　on　the　ranch　where　somebody　could　look　after　him　right。

They　asserted　that；　if　they　ever　got　tired　of　living　and　wanted

to　cash　in　without　using　a　gun　or　anything；　they'd　go　to　a

hospital　and　tell　the　doctors　to　turn　loose　and　try　to　cure　them

of　something。



This　by　way　of　illustration；　also　as　an　explanation　of　their

sleeping　soundly　that　night；　instead　of　watching　for　some　hostile

demonstration　on　the　part　of　the　Dot　outfit。　To　a　manone　never

counted　Happy　Jack's　prophecies　of　disaster　as　being　anything

more　than　a　personal　deformity　of　thoughtthey　were　positive　in

their　belief　that　the　Dot　sheepherders　would　be　very；　very

careful　not　to　provoke　the　Happy　Family　to　further　manifestations

of　disapproval。　They　knew　what　they'd　get；　if　they　tried　any　more

funny　business；　and　they'd　be　mighty　careful　where　they　drove

their　sheep　after　this。



So；　with　the　comfortable　glow　of　victory　in　their　souls；　they

laid　them　down；　and；　when　the　animated　discussion　of　that　night's

adventure　flagged；　as　their　tongues　grew　sleep…clogged　and　their

eyelids　drooped；　they　slept　in　peace；　save　when　Slim；　awakened　by

the　soreness　of　his　leg；　grunted　a　malediction　or　two　before　he

began　snoring　again。



They　rose　and　ate　their　breakfast　in　a　fair　humor　with　the　world。

One　grows　accustomed　to　the　thought　of　sickness；　even　when　it

strikes　close　to　the　affections；　and；　with　the　resilience　of

youth　and　hope；　life　adjusts　itself　to　make　room　for　the　specter

of　fear；　so　that　it　does　not　crowd　unduly；　but　stands

half…forgotten　in　the　background　of　one's　thoughts。　For　that

reason　they　no　longer　spoke　soberly　because　of　the　Old　Man　lying

hurt　unto　death　in　Chicago。　And；　when　they　mentioned　the　Dot

sheep　and　men；　they　spoke　as　men　speak　of　the　vanquished。



With　the　taste　of　hot　biscuits　and　maple　syrup　still　lingering

pleasantly　against　their　palates；　they　went　out　and　were

confronted　with　sheep；　blatting　sheep；　stinking　sheep；

devastating　sheep；　Dot　sheep。　On　the　south　side　of　the　coulee；　up

on　the　bluff；　grazed　the　band。　They　fed　upon　the　brow　of　the　hill

opposite　the　ranch　buildings；　they　squeezed　under　the　fence　and

spilled　a　ragged　fringe　of　running；　gray　animals　down　the　slope。

Half　a　mile　away　though　the　nearest　of　them　were；　the　murmur　of

them；　the　smell　of　them；　the　whole　intolerable　presence　of　them；

filled　the　Happy　Family　with　an　amazed　loathing　too　deep　for

words。



Technically；　that　high；　level　stretch　of　land　bounding　Flying　U

coulee　on　the　south　was　open　range。　It　belonged　to　the

government。　The　soil　was　not　fertile　enough　even　for　the　most

optimistic　of　〃dry　land〃　farmers　to　locate　upon　it；　and　this　was

before　the　dry…land　farming　craze　had　swept　the　country；

gathering　in　all　public　land　as　claims。　J。　G。　Whitmore　had

contented　himself　with　acquiring　title　to　the　whole　of　the　Flying

U　coulee；　secure　in　his　belief　that　the　old　order　of　things　would

not　change；　in　his　life…time；　at　least；　and　that　the　unwritten

law　of