the flying u ranch-第11章

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to　that　bunch。　You　and　I　will　take　a　ride　over　to　Denson's　and

see　what's　going　on　over　there。　Mamma！〃　he　added　fervently；　under

his　breath；　〃I　sure　do　wish　Chip　and　the　Old　Man　were　here！〃







CHAPTER　VIII。　The　Dot　Outfit



Before　he　laid　him　down　to　sleep；　that　night；　Weary　had　repeated

to　himself　many　times　and　fervently　that　wish　for　old　J。　G。

Whitmore　and　the　stout　staff　upon　which　he　was　beginning　more　and

more　to　lean；　his　brother…in…law；　Chip　Bennett。　As　matters　stood；

Weary　could　not　even　bring　himself　to　let　then　know　anything

about　his　troubleand　that　the　thing　was　beginning　to　assume　the

form　and　shape　and　general　malevolent　attributes　of　Trouble；

Weary　was　forced　to　admit　to　himself。



Just　at　present　an　unthinking；　unobserving　person　might　pass　over

this　sheep　outfit　as　a　mere　unsavory　incident；　but　Weary　was

neither　unobserving　nor　unthinkingnor；　for　the　matter　of　that；

were　the　rest　of　the　Happy　Family。　It　needed　no　Happy　Jack；　with

his　foreboding　nature；　to　point　out　the　unpleasant　possibilities

that　night　when　the　committee　of　two　made　their　informal　report

at　the　supper　table。



They　had　ridden　to　Denson　coulee；　which　was　in　reality　a

meandering　branch　of　Flying　U　coulee　itself。　To　reach　it　one　rode

out　of　Flying　U　coulee　and　over　a　wide　hill；　and　down　again　to

Denson's。　But　the　creekFlying　U　creekfollowed　the　devious

turnings　from　Denson　coulee　down　to　the　Flying　U。　A　long　mile　of

Flying　U　coulee　J。　G。　Whitmore　owned　outright。　Another　mile　he

held　under　no　other　title　save　a　fence。　The　creek　flowed　through

it　allbut　that　creek　had　its　source　somewhere　up　near　the　head

of　Denson　coulee。　J。　G。　Whitmore　had；　to　his　regret；　been　unable

to　claim　the　whole　earthor　at　least　that　portion　of　itfor　his

own；　so；　when　he　was　constrained　to　make　a　choice；　he　settled

himself　in　the　wider；　more　fertile　coulee；　which　he　thereafter

called　the　Flying　U。　While　it　is　good　policy　to　locate　as　near　as

possible　to　the　source　of　those　erratic　little　creeks　which　water

certain　garden　spots　of　the　northern　range　land；　it　is　also　well

to　choose　land　that　will　grow　plenty　of　hay。　J。　G。　Whitmore　chose

the　hay　land；　and　trusted　that　providence　would　insure　the　water

supply。　Through　all　these　years　Flying　U　creek　had　never　once

disappointed　him。　Denson；　who　settled　in　the　tributary　coulee；

had　not　made　any　difference　in　the　water　supply；　and　his　stock

had　consisted　of　thirty　or　forty　head　of　cattle　and　horses。



When　Denson　sold；　however；　things　might　be　different。　And；　if　he

had　sold　to　a　sheepman；　the　change　might　be　unpleasant　If　he　had

sold　to　Dunk　Whittakerthe　Flying　U　boys　faced　that　possibility

just　as　they　would　face　any　other　disaster；　undaunted；　but　grim

and　unsmiling。



It　was　thus　that　Pink　and　Weary　rode　slowly　down　into　Denson

coulee。　Two　miles　back　they　had　passed　the　band　of　Dot　sheep；

feeding　leisurely　just　without　the　Flying　U　fence；　which　was　the

southern　boundary。　The　bug…killer　and　the　other　were　there；　and

they　noted　that　the　features　of　that　other　bore　witness　to　the

truth　of　Andy's　story　of　the　fight。　He　regarded　them　with　one

perfectly　good　eye　and　one　which　was　considerably　swollen；　and

grinned　a　swollen　grin。



The　two　had　ridden　ten　paces　past　him　when　Pink　pulled　up

suddenly。　〃I'm　going　to　get　off　and　lick　that　son…of…a…gun

myself；　just　for　luck；〃　he　stated　dispassionately。　〃I'm　going　to

lick　'em　both；〃　he　revised　while　he　dismounted。



〃Oh；　come　on；　Cadwalloper；〃　Weary　dissuaded。　〃You'll　likely　have

all　the　excitement　you　need；　without　that。〃



〃Here；　you　hold　this　fool　cayuse。　No。〃　He　shook　his　head；　cutting

short　further　protest。　〃You're　the　boss；　and　you　don't　want　to

mix　in；　and　that　part　is　all　right。　But　I　ain't　responsibleand

I　sure　am　going　to　take　a　fall　or　two　out　of　these　geesers。

They're　a…w…l　together　too　stuck　on　themselves　to　suit　me。〃　Pink

did　not　say　that　he　was　thinking　of　Andy；　but　nevertheless　a

vivid　recollection　of　that　unfortunate　young　man's　rope…creased

wrists　and　swollen　hands　sent　him　toward　the　herder　with　long；

eager　strides。



Pink　was　not　tall；　and　he　was　slight　and　boyish　of　build；　also；

his　cherubic　face；　topped　by　tawny　curls　and　lighted　by　eyes　as

deeply　blue　and　as　innocent　as　a　baby's；　probably　deceived　that

herder；　just　as　they　had　deceived　many　another。　For　Pink　was　a

good　deal　like　a　stick　of　dynamite　wrapped　in　white　tissue　paper

and　tied　with　blue　ribbon；　and　Weary　was　not　at　all　uneasy　over

the　outcome；　as　he　watched　Pink　go　clanking　back；　though　he　loved

him　well。



Pink　did　not　waste　any　time　or　words　on　the　preliminaries。　With　a

delightful　frankness　of　purpose　he　pulled　off　his　coat　and　threw

it　on　the　ground；　as　he　came　up；　sent　his　hat　after　it；　and

arrived　fist　first。



The　herder　had　waited　grinning；　and　he　had　shouted　something　to

Weary　about　spanking　the　kid　if　Weary　didn't　make　him　behave。

Speedily　he　became　a　very　surprised　herder；　and　a　distressed　one

as　well。



〃All　right；〃　Pink　remarked；　a　little　quick…breathed；　when　the

herder　decided　for　the　third　time　to　get　up。　〃A　friend　of　mine

worked　yuh　over　a　little；　this　morning；　and　I　just　thought　I'd

make　a　better　job　than　he　did。　Your　eyes　didn't　match。　They　will；

now。〃



The　herder　mumbled　maledictions　after　him；　but　Pink　would　not

even　give　him　the　satisfaction　of　resenting　it。



〃I'd　like　to　have　broken　a　knuckle　against　his　teeth；　darn　him；〃

he　observed　ruefully　when　he　was　in　the　saddle　again。　〃Come　on；

Weary。　It　won't　take　but　a　minute　to　hand　a　punch　or　two　to　that

bug…killer；　and　then　I'll　feel　better。　They've　both　got　it

comingcome　on！〃　This　because　Weary　showed　a　strong　inclination

to　take　the　trail　and　keep　it　to　his　destination。　〃Well；　I'll　go

alone；　then。　I've　got　to　kinda　square　myself　for　the　way　I　threw

it　into　Andy；　and　you　know　blamed　well；　Weary；　they　played　it

low…down　on　him；　or　they'd　never　have　got　that　rope　on　him。　And

I'm　going　to　lick　that〃



〃Mamma！　You　sure　are　a　rambunctious　person　when　you　feel　that

way；〃　Weary　made　querulous　comment；　but　he　rode　over　with　Pink　to

where　the　bug…killer　was　standing　with　his　long　stick　held　in　a

somewhat　menacing　manner；　and　once　more　he　held　Pink's　horse　for

him。



Pink　was　gone　longer　this　time；　and　he　came　back　with　a　cut　lip

and　a　large　lump　on　his　forehead；　the　bug…killer　had　thrown　a

small　rock　with　the　precision　which　comes　of　much　practicesuch

as　stoning　disobedient　dogs；　and　the　likeand；　when　Pink　rushed

at　him　furiously；　the　herder　caught　him　very　neatly　alongside　the

head　with　his　stick。　These　little　amenities　serving　merely　to

whet　Pink's　appetite　for　battle；　he　stopped　long　enough　to　thrash

that　particular　herder　very　thoroughly　and　to　his　own　complete

satisfaction。



〃Well；　I　guess　I'm　ready　to　go　on　now；〃　he　observed；　dimpling

rather　one…sidedly　as　he　got　back　on　his　horse。



〃I　thought　maybe　you'd　want　to　whip　the　dogs；　too；〃　Weary　told

him　dryly；　which　was　the　nearest　he　came　to　expressing　any

disapproval　of　the　incident。　Weary　was　a　peace…loving　soul；

whenever　peace　was　compatible　with　self…respect；　and　it　would

never　have　occurred　to　him　to　punish　strange　men　as　summarily　as

Pink　had　done。



〃I　would；　if　the　dogs　were　half　as　ornery　as　the　men；〃　Pink

retorted。　〃Say；　they　hang　together　like　bull　snakes　and　rattlers；

don't　they？　If　they　was　human；　they'd　have　helped　each　other

outbut　nothing　doing！　Do　you　reckon　a　man　could　ride　up　to　a

couple　of　our　bunch；　and　thrash　one　at　a　time　without　the　other

fellow　having　something　to　say　about　it？〃　He　turned　in　the　saddle

and　looked　back。　〃So　help　me；　Josephine；　I've　got　a　good　mind　to

go　back　and　lick　them　again；　for　not　hanging　together　like　they

ought　to。〃　But　the　threat　was　an　idle　one；　and　they　went　on　to

Denson's；　Weary　still　with　that　anxious　look　in　his　eyes；　and

Pink　quite　complacent　over　his　exploit。



In　Denson　coulee　was　an　unwonted　atmosphere　of　activity；

heretofore　the　place　had　been　animated　chiefly　by　young　Densons

engaged　in　the　pursuit　of　pleasure；　but　now　a　covered　buggy；

evidently　just　arrived；　bore　mute　witness　to　the　new　order　of

things。　There　were　more　horses　about　the　place；　a　covered　wagon

or　two；　three　or　four　men　working　upon　the　corral；　and；　lastly；

there　was　one　whom　Weary　recognized　the　moment　he　caught　sight　of

him。



〃Looks　like　a　sheep　outfit；　all　right；〃　he　said　somberly。　〃And；

if　that　ain't　old　Dunk　himself；　it's　the　devil；　and　that's　next

thing　to　him。〃



Dunk；　they　judged；　had　just　arrived　with　another　man　whom　they

did　not　know：　a　tall　man　with　light　hair　that　hung　lank　to　his

collar；　a　thin；　sharp…nosed　face　and　a　wide　mouth；　which

stretched　easily　into　a　smile；　but　which　was　none　the　pleasanter

for　that。　When　he　turned　inquiringly　toward　them　they　saw　that　he

was　stoop…shouldered；　though　not　from　any　deformity；　but　from

sheer；　slouching　lankness。　Dunk　gave　them　a　swift；　sour　look　from

under　his　eyebrows　and　went　on。



Weary　rode　straight　past　the　lank　man；　whom　he　judged　to　be

Oleson；　and　overtook　Dunk　Whittaker　himself。



〃Hello；　Dunk；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　sliding　over　in　the　saddle　so

that　a　foot　hung　free　of　the　stirrup；　as　men　who　ride　much　have

learned　to　do　when　they　stop　for　a　chat；　thereby　resting　while

they　may。　〃Back　on　the　old　stamping　ground；　are　you？〃



〃Since　you　see　me　here；　I　suppose　I　am；〃　Dunk　made　churlish

response。



〃Do　you　happen　to　own　those　Dot　sheep；　back　there　on　the　hill？〃

Weary　tilted　his　head　toward　home。



〃I　happen　to　own　half　of　them。〃　By　then　they　had　reached　the　gate

and　Dunk　passed　through　and　started　on　to　the　house。



〃Oh；　don't　be　in　a　rushcome　on　back　and　be　sociable；〃　Weary

called　out；　in　the　mildest　of　tones；　twisting　the　reins　around

his　saddle…horn　so　that　he　might　roll　a　cigarette　at　ease。



Dunk　remembered；　perhaps；　certain　things　he　had　learned　when　he

was　J。　G。　Whitmore's　partner；　and　had　more　or　less　to　do　with　the

charter　members　of　the　Happy　Family。　He　came　back　and　stood　by

the　gate；　ungraciously　enough；　to　be　sure；　still；　he　came　back。

Weary　smiled　under　cover　of　lighting　his　cigarette。　Dunk；　by　that

reluctant　compliance；　betrayed　something　which　Weary　had　been

rather　anxious　to　know。



〃We've　been　having　a　little　trouble　with　those　sheep　of　yours；〃

Weary　remarked　between　puffs。　〃You've　got　some　poor　excuses　for

humans　herding　them。　They　drove　the　bunch　across　our　coulee　just

exactly　three　times。　There　ain't　enough　grass　left　in　our　lower

field　to　graze　a　prairie　dog。〃　He　glanced　back　to　see　where　Pink

was；　saw　that　he　was　close　behind；　as　was　the　lank　man；　and　spoke

in　a　tone　that　included　them　all。



〃The　Flying　U　ain't　pasturing　sheep；　this　spring；〃　he　informed

them　pleasantly。　〃But；　seeing　the　grass　is　eat　up；　we'll　let　yuh

pay　for　it。　Why　didn't　you　bring　them　in　along　the　trail；

anyway？〃



〃