rowdy of the cross l-第14章

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〃That's　what；〃　Rowdy　assented。　〃But　I　think　they'll　make　it；　all　right。〃

〃I'll　likely　want　yuh　to　stay　up　there　and　keep　cases　on　'em。　Any
objections？〃

〃Sure　not！〃　laughed　Rowdy。　〃Only　I'll　want　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　to　stay
with　me。〃

〃Keep　what　men　yuh　want。　Anything　else？〃

〃I　don't　think　of　anything；〃　said　Rowdy。　〃Only　I'd　like　to　have
atalkwith　Conroy。〃　Creek　eyed　him　sharply。　〃Yuh　won't　be　apt　t'　meet
him。　Old　Bill　Brown；　up　home；　would　like　to　see　him；　too。　Bill's　a
perseverin'　old　cuss；　and　wants　to　see　Conroy　so　bad　he's　got　the　sheriff
out　lookin'　for　him。　It's　about　a　bunch　uh　horses　that　was　run　off；　three
years　ago。　Yuh　brought　one　of　'em　back　into　the　country　last　spring；　yuh
mind。〃

Rowdy　and　Pink　looked　at　one　another；　but　said　nothing。

〃Old　Bill；　he　follered　your　back　trail　and　found　out　some　things　he　wanted
t'　know。　Conroy　got　wind　of　it；　though；　and　he　left　the　agency　kind…a
suddint。　No　use　yuh　lookin'　for　him。〃

〃Then　we're　ready　to　hit　the　grit；　I　guess。〃　Rowdy　glanced　again　at　Pink　who
nodded。

〃Well；　I　ain't　stoppin'　yuh；〃　Eagle　Creek　drawled　laconically。　〃S'…long；　and
good　luck　t'　yuh。〃

He　waited　while　Pink　and　the　Silent　One　swung　the　point　back　down　the　hill；
with　Rowdy　helping　them；　quite　unmoved　by　his　sudden　promotion。　When　the
herd　was　fairly　started　on　the　backward　march；　Eagle　Creek　nodded
satisfaction　the　while　he　pried　off　a　corner　of　plug…tobacco。

〃He's　all　right；〃　he　asserted　emphatically。　〃That　boy　suits　me；　from　the
ground　up。　If　he　don't　put　that　deal　through　in　good　shape；　it'll　be　becaus'
it　can't　be　did。〃

Wooden　Shoes；　with　whom　Rowdy　had　always　been　a　prime　favorite；　agreed　with
Dutch　heartiness。　Then；　leaving　the　herd　to　its　new　guardian　they　rode
swiftly　to　overtake　and　turn　back　the　wagons。

〃Three　hundred　miles！　And　part　of　it　across　howling　desert！〃　Rowdy　drew　his
brows　together。　〃It's　a　big　thing　for　me；　all　right；　Pink；　but　it's　sure　a
big　contract　to　take　this　herd　through；　if　anybody　should　happen　to　ask
yuh。〃

〃Oh；　buck　up！　You'll　make　good；　all　rightif　only　these　creeks　wasn't　so
bone　dry！〃

〃Well；　there's　water　enough　in　the　Rocking　R　field　for　to…day；　we'll　throw
'em　in　there　till　tomorrow。　And　I've　a　notion　I　can　find　a　better　trail
across　to　North　Fork　than　the　way　we　came。　I'm　going　to　strike　out　this
afternoon　and　see；　anyway；　if　Quitter　Creek　hasn't　got　water　farther　up。
Once　we　get　up　north　uh　the　home　ranch；　I　can　see　my　way　clear。〃

〃Go　to　it；　boss；〃　Pink　cried　heartily。　〃I　don't　see　how　I'm　goin　t'　keep
from　sassing　yuh；　once　in　a　while；　though。　That's　what　bothers　me。　What'll
happen　if　I　turn　loose　on　yuh；　some　time？〃

〃You'll　get　fired；　I　expect；〃　laughed　Rowdy；　and　rode　off　to　announce　the
news　to　the　rest　of　the　outfit；　who　were　very　unhappy　in　their
mystification。

If　their　reception　of　the　change　of　plans　and　foreman　was　a　bit　profane；　and
their　manner　toward　him　a　bit　familiar；　Rowdy　didn't　mind。　He　knew　that　they
did　not　grudge　him　his　good　luck；　even　while　they　hated　the　long　drive。　He
also　knew　that　they　watched　him　furtively；　for　nothingnot　even
misfortuneis　as　sure　a　test　of　a　man's　character　as　success。　They　liked
Rowdy；　and　they　did　not　believe　this　would　spoil　him；　still；　every　man　of
them　was　secretly　a　bit　anxious。

On　the　trail；　he　rode　in　his　accustomed　place；　and；　so　far　as　appearances
went；　the　party　had　no　foreman。　He　went　forward　and　helped　Pink　take　down
the　fence　that　had　been　so　carefully　put　up　a　few　hours　before；　and　he
whistled　while　he　put　it　in　place　again；　just　as　if　he　had　no　responsibility
in　the　world。　Then　the　cattle　were　left　to　themselves；　and　the　men　rode　down
to　their　old　campground；　marked　by　empty　tin…cans　and　a　trodden　place　where
had　been　the　horse　corral。

Rowdy　swung　down　and　faced　the　men　gravely。　Instinctively　they　stood　at
attention；　waiting　for　what　he　had　to　say；　they　felt　that　the　situation　was
so　far　out　of　the　ordinary　that　a　few　remarks　pertaining　to　their　new
relations　would　not　be　out　of　place。

He　looked　them　over　appraisingly；　and　met　glances　as　grave　as　his　own。
Straight；　capable　fellows　they　were；　every　man　of　them。

〃Boys；〃　he　began　impressively；　〃you　all　know　that　from　to…day　on　you're
working　under　my　orders。　I　never　was　boss　of　anything　but　the　cayuse　I
happened　to　have　under　me；　and　I'm　going　to　extract　all　the　honey　there　is
in　the　situation。　Maybe　I'll　never　be　boss　againbut　at　present　I'm　it。　I
want　you　fellows　to　remember　that　important　fact；　and　treat　me　with　proper
respect。　From　now　on　you　can　call　me　Mr。　Vaughan；　'Rowdy'　doesn't　go；　except
on　a　legal　holiday。

〃Furthermore；　I'm　not　going　to　get　out　at　daylight　and　catch　up　my　own
horse；　I'll　let　yuh　take　turns　being　flunky；　and　I'll　expect　yuh　to　saddle
my　horse　every　morning　and　noon；　and　bring　him　to　the　cook…tentand　hold　my
stirrup　for　me。　Also；　you　are　expected；　at　all　times　and　places；　to
anticipate　my　wants　and　fall　over　yourselves　waiting　on　me。　〃You're　just
common；　ordinary；　forty…dollar　cow…punchers；　and　if　I　treat　yuh　white；　it's
because　I　pity　yuh　for　not　being　up　where　I　am。　Remember；　vassals；　that　I'm
your　superior；　mentally；　morally；　socially〃

〃Chap　him！〃　yelled　Pink；　and　made　for　him　〃I'll　stand　for　a　lot；　but　don't
yuh　ever　think　I'm　a　vassal！〃

〃Mutiny　is　strictly　prohibited！〃　he　thundered。　〃Villains；　beware！
Gadzookserlet's　have　a　swim　before　the　wagons　come！〃

They　laughed　and　made　for　the　creek；　feeling　rather　crestfallen　and　a　bit
puzzled。

〃If　I　had　an　outfit　like　this　to　run；　and　a　three　hundred…mile　drive　to
make；〃　Bob　Nevin　remarked　to　the　Silent　One；　〃blessed　if　I'd　make　a　josh　of
it！　I'd　cultivate　the　corrugated　brow　and　the　stiff　spineme！〃

〃My　friend；〃　the　Silent　One　responded；　〃don't　be　too　hasty　in　your
judgment。　It's　because　the　corrugated　brow　will　come　later　that　he　laughs
now。　You'll　presently　find　yourself　accomplishing　the　impossible　in
obedience　to　the　flicker　of　Rowdy　Vaughan's　eyelids。　Man；　did　you　never
observe　the　set　of　his　head；　and　the　look　of　his　eye？　Rowdy　Vaughan　will　get
more　out　of　this　crowd　than　any　man　ever　did；　and　if　he　fails；　he'll　fail
with　the　band　playing　'Hot　Time。'〃

〃Maybe　so；〃　Bob　admitted；　not　quite　convinced；　〃but　I　wonder　if　he　realizes
what　he's　up　against。〃　At　which　the　Silent　One　only　smiled　queerly　as　he
splashed　into　the　water。

After　dinner　Rowdy　caught　up　the　blue　roan；　which　was　his　favorite　for　a
hard　ridehe　seemed　to　have　forgotten　his　speech　concerning
〃flunkies〃and　rode　away　up　the　coulee　which　had　brought　them　into　the
field　the　night　before。　The　boys　watched　him　go；　speculated　a　lot；　and　went
to　sleep　as　the　best　way　of　putting　in　the　afternoon。

Pink；　who　knew　quite　well　what　was　in　Rowdy's　mind；　said　nothing　at　all；　it
is　possible　that　he　was　several　degrees　more　jealous　of　the　dignity　of
Rowdy's　position　than　was　Rowdy　himself；　who　had　no　time　to　think　of
anything　but　the　best　way　of　getting　the　herd　to　Canada。　He　would　like　to
have　gone　along；　only　that　Rowdy　did　not　ask　him　to。　Pink　assured　himself
that　it　was　best　for　Rowdy　not　to　start　playing　any　favorites；　and　curled
down　in　the　bed…tent　with　the　others　and　went　to　sleep。

It　was　late　that　night　when　Rowdy　crept　silently　into　his　corner　of　the
tent；　but　Pink　was　awake；　and　whispered　to　know　if　he　found　water。　Rowdy's
〃Yes〃　was　a　mere　breath；　but　it　was　enough。

At　sunrise　the　herd　trailed　up　the　Rocking　R　coulee；　and　Pink　and　the　Silent
One　pointed　them　north　of　the　old　trail。



CHAPTER　12

〃You　Can　Tell　Jessie。〃

In　the　days　that　followed　Rowdy　was　much　alone。　There　was　water　to　hunt；　far
ahead　of　the　herd；　together　with　the　most　practicable　way　of　reaching　it。　He
did　not　take　the　shortest　way　across　that　arid　country　and　leave　the　next
day's　camping…place　to　chanceas　Wooden　Shoes　had　done。　He　felt　that　there
was　too　much　at　stake；　and　the　cattle　were　too　thin　for　any　more　dry　drives；
long　drives　there　were；　but　such　was　his　generalship　that　there　was　always
water　at　the　end。

He　rode　miles　and　miles　that　he　might　have　shirked；　and　he　never　slept　until
the　next　day's　move；　at　least；　was　clearly　defined　in　his　mind　and　he　felt
sure　th