the flying u ranch-第22章

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He　knows　enough　about　the　cow　business　to　know　we　ye　got　to　get

out　on　the　range　pretty　quick；　now。　And　he's　so　mean　that　every

day　or　every　half　day　he　can　feed　his　sheep　on　Flying　U　grass；　he

calls　that　much　to　the　good。　And　he　knows　we　won't　go　to　opening

up　any　real　gun…fights　if　we　can　get　out　of　it；　he　counts　on　our

faunching　around　and　kicking　up　a　lot　of　dust；　maybebut　we

won't　do　anything　like　what　he'd　do；　in　our　places。　He　knows　the

Old　Man　and　Chip　are　gone；　and　he　knows　we've　just　naturally　got

to　sit　back　and　swallow　our　tongues　because　we　haven't　any

authority。　Mamma！　It　comes　pretty　tough；　when　a　low…down　skunk

like　that　just　banks　on　your　doing　the　square　thing。　He　wouldn't

do　it；　but　he　knows　we　will；　and　so　he　takes　advantage　of　white

men　and　gets　the　best　of　'em。　And　if　we　should　happen　to　break

out　and　do　something；　he　knows　the　herders　would　be　the　ones　to

get　it　in　the　neck；　and　he'd　wait　till　the　dust　settled；　and　bob

up　with　the　sheriff〃　He　waved　his　hand　again　with　a　hopeless

gesture。　〃It　may　not　look　that　way　on　the　face　of　it；〃　he　added

gloomily；　〃but　Dunk　has　got　us　right　where　he　wants　us。　From　the

way　they've　been　letting　sheep　on　our　land；　time　and　time　again；

I'd　gamble　he's　just　trying　to　make　us　so　mad　we'll　break　out。

He's　got　it　in　for　the　whole　outfit；　from　the　Old　Man　and　the

Little　Doctor　down　to　Slim。　If　any　of　us　boys　got　into　trouble；

the　Old　Man　would　spend　his　last　cent　to　clear　us；　and　Dunk　knows

that　just　as　well　as　he　knows　the　way　from　the　house　to　the

stable。　He'd　see　to　it　that　it　would　just　about　take　the　Old

Man's　last　cent；　too。　And　he's　using　these　Dot　sheep　like　you'd

use　a　red　flag　on　a　bull；　to　make　us　so　crazy　mad　we'll　kill　off

somebody。



〃That's　why；〃　he　said　to　them　all　when　he　saw　that　they　had

ridden　up　close　that　they　might　hear　what　he　was　saying；　〃I've

been　hollering　so　loud　for　the　meek…and…mild　stunt。　When　I

slapped　him　on　the　jaw；　and　he　stood　there　and　took　it；　I　saw　his

game。　He　had　a　witness　to　swear　I　hit　him　and　he　didn't　hit　back。

And　when　I　saw　them　Dots　in　our　field　again；　I　knew；　just　as　well

as　if　Dunk　had　told　me；　that　he　was　kinda　hoping　we'd　kill　a

herder　or　two　so　he　could　cinch　us　good　and　plenty。　I　don't　say；〃

he　qualified　with　a　rueful　grin；　〃that　Dunk　went　into　the　sheep

business　just　to　get　r…re…venge；　as　they　say　in　shows。　But　if　he

can　make　money　running　sheepand　he　can；　all　right；　because

there's　more　money　in　them　right　now　than　there　is　in　cattleand

at　the　same　time　get　a　good　whack　at　the　Flying　U；　he's　the　lad

that　will　sure　make　a　running　jump　at　the　chance。〃　He　spat　upon

the　burnt　end　of　his　cigarette　stub　from　force　of　the　habit　that

fear　of　range　fires　had　built；　and　cast　it　petulantly　from　him；

as　if　he　would　like　to　have　been　able　to　throw　Dunk　and　his　sheep

problem　as　easily　out　of　his　path。



〃So　I　wish　you　boys　would　hang　onto　yourselves　when　you　hear　a

sheep　blatting　under　your　window；〃　he　summed　up　his　unburdening

whimsically。　〃As　Bud　said　this　morning；　you　can't　hang　a　man　for

telling　a　sheepherder　you'll　take　off　his　shoes。　And　they　can't

send　us　over　the　road　for　moving　that　band　of　sheep　onto　new

range　to…day。　Last　night　you　all　were　kinda　disorderly；　maybe；

but　you　didn't　hurt　anybody；　or　destroy　any　property。　You　see

what　I　mean。　Our　only　show　is　to　stop　with　our　toes　on　the　right

side　of　the　dead　line。〃



〃If　Andy；　here；　would　jest　git　his　think…wheels　greased　and　going

good；〃　Big　Medicine　suggested　loudly；　〃he　ought　to　frame　up

something　that　would　put　them　Dots　on　the　run　permanent。　I　d'no；

by　cripes；　why　it　is　a　feller　can　always　think　uh　lies　and　joshes

by　the　dozens；　and　put　'em　over　O。　K。　when　there　ain't　nothing　to

be　made　out　of　it　except　hard　feelin's；　and　then　when　a　deal　like

this　here　sheep　deal　comes　up；　he's　got　about　as　many　idees；　by

cripes；　as　that　there　line…back　calf　over　there。　Honest　to

grandma；　Andy　makes　me　feel　kinda　faint。　Only　time　he　did　have　a

chanc't；　he　let　them〃　It　occurred　to　Big　Medicine　at　that　point

that　perhaps　his　remarks　might　be　construed　by　the　object　of　them

as　being　offensively　personal。　He　turned　his　head　and　grinned

good…naturedly　in　Andy's　direction；　and　refrained　from　finishing

what　he　was　going　to　say。　〃I　sure　do　like　them　wind…　flowers

scattered　all　over　the　ground；〃　he　observed　with　such　deliberate

and　ostentatious　irrelevance　that　the　Happy　Family　laughed；　even

to　Andy　Green；　who　had　at　first　been　inclined　toward　anger。



〃Everything；〃　declared　Andy　in　the　tone　of　a　paid　instructor；

〃has　its　proper　time　and　place；　boys；　I've　told　you　that　before。

For　instance；　I　wouldn't　try　to　kill　a　skunk　by　talking　it　to

death；　and　I　wouldn't　be　hopeful　of　putting　the　run　on　this　Dunk

person　by　telling　him　ghost　stories。　As　to　ideasI'm　plumb　full

of　them。　But　they're　all　about　grub；　just　right　at　present。〃



That　started　Slim　and　Happy　Jack　to　complaining　because　no　one

had　had　sense　enough　to　go　back　after　some　lunch　before　taking

that　long　trail　south；　the　longer　because　it　was　a　slow　one；　with

sheep　to　set　the　pace。　And　by　the　time　they　had　presented　their

arguments　against　the　Happy　Family's　having　enough　brains　to　last

them　overnight；　and　the　Happy　Family　had　indignantly　pointed　out

just　where　the　mental　deficiency　was　most　noticeable；　they　were

upon　that　last；　broad　stretch　of　〃bench〃　land　beyond　which　lay

Flying　U　coulee　and　Patsy　and　dinner；　a　belated　dinner；　to　be

sure；　but　for　that　the　more　welcome。



And　when　they　reached　the　point　where　they　could　look　away　to　the

very　rim　of　the　coulee；　they　saw　sheepsheep　to　the　skyline；

feeding　scattered　and　at　ease；　making　the　prairie　look；　in　the

distance；　as　if　it　were　covered　with　a　thin　growth　of　gray

sage…brush。　Four　herders　moved　slowly　upon　the　outskirts；　and　the

dogs　were　little；　scurrying；　black　dots　which　stopped

occasionally　to　wait　thankfully　until　the　master…minds　again

urged　them　to　endeavor。



The　Happy　Family　drew　up　and　stared　in　silence。



〃Do　I　see　sheep？〃　Pink　inquired　plaintively　at　last。　〃Tell　me；

somebody。〃



〃It's　that　bunch　you　fellows　tackled　last　night；〃　said　Weary

miserably。　〃I　ought　to　have　had　sense　enough　to　leave　somebody　on

the　ranch　to　look　out　for　this。〃



〃They've　got　their　nerve；〃　stated　Irish；　〃after　the　deal　they　got

last　night。　I'd　have　bet　good　money　that　you　couldn't　drag　them

herders　across　Flying　U　coulee　with　a　log　chain。〃



〃Say；　by　golly；　do　we　have　to　drive　this　here　bunch　anywheres

before　we　git　anything　to　eat？〃　Slim　wanted　to　know

distressfully。



Weary　considered　briefly。　〃No；　I　guess　we'll　pass　'em　up　for　the

present。　An　hour　or　so　won't　make　much　difference　in　the　long

run；　and　our　horses　are　about　all　in；　right　now〃



〃So'm　I；　by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine　attested；　grinning　mirthlessly。

〃This　here　sheep　business　is　plumb　wearin'　on　a　man。　'Specially；〃

he　added　with　a　fretful　note；　〃when　you've　got　to　handle　'em

gentle。　The　things　I'd　like　to　do　to　them　Dots　is　all　ruled　outa

the　game；　seems　like。　Honest　to　grandma；　a　little　gore　would　look

better　to　me　right　now　than　a　Dutch　picnic　before　the　foam's　all

blowed　off　the　refreshments。　Lemme　kill　off　jest　one　herder；

Weary？〃　he　pleaded。　〃The　one　that　took　a　shot　at　me　las'　night。

Purty；　please！〃



〃If　you　killed　one；〃　Weary　told　him　glumly。　〃you　might　as　well

make　a　clean　sweep　and　take　in　the　whole　bunch。〃



〃Well；　I　won't　charge　nothin'　extra　fer　that；　either；〃　Bud

assured　him　generously。　〃I'm　willin'　to　throw　in　the　other　three

and　the　dawgs；　too；　by　cripes！〃　He　goggled　the　Happy　Family

quizzically。　〃Nobody　can't　say　there's　anything　small　about　me。

Why；　down　in　the　Coconino　country　they　used　to　set　half　a　dozen

greasers　diggin'　graves；　by　cripes；　soon　as　I　started　in　to　argy

with　a　man。　It　was　a　safe　bet　they'd　need　three　or　four；　anyways；

if　old　Bud　cut　loose　oncet。　Sheepherders？　Why；　they　jest

natcherly　couldn't　keep　enou