the outlet-第22章

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t　was　no　longer　possible　to　interest　Tolleston　at　Dutch　Jake's　crib　during　the　day；　and　that　other　means　of　amusement　must　be　resorted　to；　as　Archie　was　getting　clamorous　to　find　his　employers。　To　my　suggestion　to　get　a　livery　rig　and　take　him　for　a　ride；　Dorg　agreed。　〃Take　him　down　the　river　to　Spearville；〃　I　urged；　〃and　try　and　break　into　the　calaboose　if　you　can。　Paint　the　town　red　while　you're　about　it；　and　if　you　both　land　in　the　lock…up；　all　the　better。　If　the　rascal　insists　on　coming　back　to　Dodge；　start　after　night；　get　lost；　and　land　somewhere　farther　down　the　river。　Keep　him　away　from　this　town　for　a　week；　and　I'll　gamble　that　you　boss　a　herd　for　old　man　Don　next　year。〃

The　afternoon　was　waning。　The　buyers　might　return　at　any　moment；　as　Forrest's　herd　had　no　doubt　crossed　the　river　but　a　few　miles　above　town。

I　was　impatiently　watching　the　boys；　as　Dorg　and　Wayne　cautiously　herded　Tolleston　around　to　a　livery　stable；　when　my　brother　Bob　rode　up。　He　informed　me　that　he　had　moved　his　camp　that　day　across　to　the　Saw　Log；　that　he　had　done　so　to　accommodate　Jim　Flood　and　The　Rebel　with　a　camp；　their　herds　were　due　on　the　Mulberry　that　evening。　The　former　had　stayed　all　night　at　Bob's　wagon；　and　reported　his　cattle；　considering　the　dry　season；　in　good　condition。　As　my　brother　expected　to　remain　in　town　overnight；　I　proposed　starting　for　my　camp　as　soon　as　Seay　and　his　ward　drove　out　of　sight。　They　parleyed　enough　before　going　to　unnerve　a　saint；　but　finally；　with　the　little　toy　wagon　on　Tolleston's　knee　and　the　other　driving；　they　started。　Hurrahing　my　lads　to　saddle　up；　we　rode　past　the　stable　where　Seay　had　secured　the　conveyance；　and　while　I　was　posting　the　stable…keeper　not　to　be　uneasy　if　the　rig　was　gone　a　week；　Siringo　and　the　buyers　drove　past　the　barn　with　a　flourish。　Taking　a　back　street；　we　avoided　meeting　them；　and　just　as　darkness　was　falling；　rode　into　our　camp　some　twelve　miles　distant。

My　brother　Bob's　camp　was　just　above　us　on　the　creek；　and　a　few　miles　nearer　town。　As　his　wagon　expected　to　go　in　after　supplies　the　next　morning；　a　cavalcade　of　fifteen　men　from　the　two　outfits　preceded　it。　My　horse…wrangler　had　made　arrangements　with　the　cook　to　look　after　his　charges；　and　in　anticipation　of　the　day　before　him；　had　our　mounts　corralled　before　sun…up。　Bob's　wrangler　was　also　with　us；　and　he　and　Levering　quarreled　all　the　way　in　about　the　respective　merits　of　each　one's　remuda。　A　match　was　arranged　between　the　two　horses　which　they　were　riding；　and　on　reaching　a　straight　piece　of　road；　my　man　won　it　and　also　considerable　money。　But　no　matter　how　much　we　differed　among　ourselves；　when　the　interests　of　our　employer　were　at　stake；　we　were　a　unit。　On　reaching　town；　our　numbers　were　augmented　by　fully　twenty　more　from　the　other　Lovell　outfits；　including　the　three　foremen。　My　old　bunkie；　The　Rebel；　nearly　dragged　me　from　my　horse；　while　Forrest　and　I　forgot　past　differences　over　a　social　glass。　And　then　there　was　Flood；　my　first　foreman；　under　whom　I　served　my　apprenticeship　on　the　trail；　the　same　quiet；　languid　old　Jun。　The　various　foremen　and　their　outfits　were　aware　of　the　impending　trouble　over　the　Buford　delivery；　and　quietly　expressed　their　contempt　for　such　underhand　dealings。　Quince　Forrest　had　spent　the　evening　before　in　town；　and　about　midnight　his　herd　of　〃Drooping　T's〃　were　sold　at　about　the　same　figures　as　mine；　except　five　thousand　more　earnest…money；　and　the　privilege　of　the　buyers　placing　their　own　foreman　in　charge　thereafter。　Forrest　further　reported　that　the　fiscal　agent　and　the　strangers　had　started　to　meet　Sponsilier　early　that　morning；　and　that　the　probability　of　all　the　herds　moving　out　in　a　few　days　was　good。

Seay　and　his　charge　were　still　absent；　and　the　programme；　as　outlined；　was　working　out　nicely。　With　the　exception　of　Forrest　and　myself；　the　other　foremen　were　busy　looking　after　their　outfits；　while　Bob　Quirk　had　his　wagon　to　load　and　start　on　its　return。　Quince　confided　to　me　that　though　he　had　stayed　on　Duck　Creek　the　night　before；　his　herd　would　noon　that　day　on　Saw　Log；　and　camp　that　evening　on　the　next　creek　north。　When　pressed　for　his　reasons；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　with　a　quiet　wink；　said：　〃If　this　new　outfit　put　a　man　over　me；　just　the　minute　we　get　out　of　the　jurisdiction　of　this　county；　off　his　horse　he　goes　and　walks　back。　If　it's　Tolleston；　the　moment　he　sees　me　and　recognizes　my　outfit　as　belonging　to　Lovell；　he'll　raise　the　long　yell　and　let　the　cat　out。　When　that　happens；　I　want　to　be　in　an　unorganized　country　where　a　six…shooter　is　the　highest　authority。〃　The　idea　was　a　new　one　to　me；　and　I　saw　the　advantage　of　it；　but　could　not　move　without　Siringo's　permission；　which　Forrest　had。　Accordingly　about　noon；　Quince　summoned　his　men　together；　and　they　rode　out　of　town。　Looking　up　a　map　of　Ford　County；　I　was　delighted　to　find　that　my　camp　on　Saw　Log　was　but　a　few　miles　below　the　north　line。

Among　the　boys　the　day　passed　in　riotousness。　The　carousing　was　a　necessary　stimulant　after　the　long；　monotonous　drive　and　exposure　to　the　elements。　Near　the　middle　of　the　forenoon；　Flood　and　The　Rebel　rounded　up　their　outfits　and　started　south　for　the　Mulberry；　while　Bob　Quirk　gathered　his　own　and　my　lads　preparatory　to　leaving　for　the　Saw　Log。　I　had　agreed　to　remain　on　guard　for　that　night；　for　with　the　erratic　turn　on　Tolleston's　part；　we　were　doubly　cautious。　But　when　my　outfit　was　ready　to　start；　Runt　Pickett；　the　feisty　little　rascal；　had　about　twenty　dollars　in　his　possession　which　he　insisted　on　gambling　away　before　leaving　town。　Runt　was　comfortably　drunk；　and　as　Bob　urged　humoring　him；　I　gave　my　consent；　provided　he　would　place　it　all　at　one　bet；　to　which　Pickett　agreed。　Leaving　the　greater　part　of　the　boys　holding　the　horses；　some　half…dozen　of　us　entered　the　nearest　gambling…house；　and　Runt　bet　nineteen　dollars　〃Alec〃　on　the　first　card　which　fell　in　a　monte　lay…out。　To　my　chagrin；　he　won。　My　brother　was　delighted　over　the　little　rascal's　luck；　and　urged　him　to　double　his　bet；　but　Pickett　refused　and　invited　us　all　to　have　a　drink。　Leaving　this　place；　we　entered　the　next　gaming…hall；　when　our　man　again　bet　nineteen　dollars　alec　on　the　first　card。　Again　he　won；　and　we　went　the　length　of　the　street；　Runt　wagering　nineteen　dollars　alec　on　the　first　card　for　ten　consecutive　times　without　losing　a　bet。　In　his　groggy　condition；　the　prospect　of　losing　Pickett's　money　was　hopeless；　and　my　brother　and　I　promised　him　that　he　might　come　back　the　next　morning　and　try　to　get　rid　of　his　winnings。

Two　whole　days　passed　with　no　report　from　either　Seay　or　the　buyers。　Meanwhile　Flood　and　The　Rebel　threaded　their　way　through　the　other　herds；　crossing　the　Arkansaw　above　town；　their　wagons　touching　at　Dodge　for　new　supplies；　never　halting　except　temporarily　until　they　reached　the　creek　on　which　Forrest　was　encamped。　The　absence　of　Siringo　and　the　buyers；　to　my　thinking；　was　favorable；　for　no　doubt　when　they　came　in；　a　deal　would　have　been　effected　on　the　last　of　the　Buford　herds。　They　returned　some　time　during　the　night　of　the　third　day　out；　and　I　failed　to　see　the　detective　before　sunrise　the　next　morning。　When　I　did　meet　him；　everything　seemed　so　serene　that　I　felt　jubilant　over　the　outlook。　Sponsilier's　beeves　had　firmly　caught　the　fancy　of　the　buyers；　and　the　delay　in　closing　the　trade　was　only　temporary。　〃I　can　close　the　deal　any　minute　I　want　to；〃　said　Siringo　to　me；　〃but　we　mustn't　appear　too　anxious。　Old　man　Don's　idea　was　to　get　about　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　earnest…money　in　hand；　hut　if　I　can　get　five　or　ten　more；　it　might　help　tide　us　all　over　a　hard　winter。　My　last　proposition　to　the　buyers　was　that　if　they　would　advance　forty…five　thousand　dollars　on　the　'Apple　'beeves　Sponsilier's　cattlethey　might　appoint；　at　the　seller's　expense；　their　own　foreman　from　Dodge　to　the　point　of　delivery。　They　have　agreed　to　give　me　an　answer　this　morning；　and　after　sleeping　over　it；　I　look　for　no　trouble　in　closing　the　trade。〃

The　buyers　were　also　astir　early。　I　met　Mr。　Field　in　the　post…office；　where　he　was　waiting　for　it　to　open。　To　his　general　inquiries　I　reported　everything　quiet；　but　suggested　we　move　camp　soon　or　the　cattle　would　become　restless。　He　listened　very　attentive