the flying u ranch-第19章

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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　the　range　land；　which　leaves　the　vicinity　of　a　ranch　to

the　use　of　the　ranch　owner；　would　never　be　repealed　by　new

customs　imposed　by　a　new　class　of　people。



Legally；　there　was　no　trespassing　of　the　Dots；　beyond　the　two　or

three　hundred　which　had　made　their　way　through　the　fence。

Morally；　however；　and　by　right　of　custom；　their　offense　would　not

be　much　greater　if　they　came　on　down　the　hill　and　invaded　the　Old

Man's　pet　meadows；　just　beyond　the　〃little　pasture。〃



Ladies　may　read　this　story；　so　I　am　not　going　to　pretend　to

repeat　the　things　they　said；　once　they　were　released　from　dumb

amazement。　I　should　be　compelled　to　improvise　and　substitute

which　would　remove　much　of　the　flavor。　Let　bare　facts　suffice；　at

present。



They　saddled　in　haste；　and　in　haste　they　rode　to　the　scene。　This；

they　were　convinced；　was　the　band　herded　by　the　bug…killer　and

the　man　from　Wyoming；　and　the　nerve　of　those　two　almost　excited

the　admiration　of　the　Happy　Family。　It　did　not；　however；　deter

them　from　their　purpose。



Weary；　to　look　at　him；　was　no　longer　in　the　mood　to　preach

patience　and　a　turning　of　the　other　cheek。　He　also　made　that

change　of　heart　manifest　in　his　speech　when　Pink；　his　eyes　almost

black；　rode　up　close　and　gritted　at　him：



〃Well；　what's　the　orders　now？　Want　me　to　go　back　and　get　the　wire

nippers　so　we　can　let　them　poor　little　sheep　down　into　the

meadow？　Maybe　we　better　ask　the　herders　down　to　have　some　of

Patsy's　grub；　too；　I　don't　believe　they　had　time　to　cook　much

breakfast。　And　it　wouldn't　be　a　bad　idea　to　haze　our　own　stuff

clear　off　the　range。　I'm　afraid　Dunk's　sheep　are　going　to　fare

kinda　slim；　if　we　go　on　letting　our　cattle　eat　all　the　good

grass！〃　Pink　did　not　often　indulge　in　such　lengthy　sarcasm；

especially　toward　his　beloved　Weary；　but　his　exasperation　toward

Weary's　mild　tactics　had　been　growing　apace。



Weary's　reply；　I　fear；　will　have　to　be　omitted。　It　was　terribly

unrefined。



〃I　want　you　boy