the flying u ranch-第7章

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lunatics　who　watched　over　the　blatting　things。　They　were

cattlemen　to　the　marrow　in　their　bones；　and　they　gloried　in　their

prejudice　against　the　woolly　despoilers　of　the　range。



All　these　years　had　the　Flying　U　been　immune　from　the　nuisance；

save　for　an　occasional　trespasser；　who　was　quickly　sent　about　his

business。　The　Flying　U　range　had　been　kept　in　the　main　inviolate

from　the　little；　gray　vandals；　which　ate　the　grass　clean　to　the

sod；　and　trampled　with　their　sharp…pointed　hoofs　the　very　roots

into　lifelessness；　which　polluted　the　water…holes　and　creeks

until　cattle　and　horses　went　thirsty　rather　than　drink；　which；　in

that　land　of　scant　rainfall；　devastated　the　range　where　they　fed

so　that　a　long…established　prairie…dog　town　was　not　more　barren。

What　wonder　if　the　men　who　owned　cattle；　and　those　who　tended

them；　hated　sheep？　So　does　the　farmer　dread　an　invasion　of

grasshoppers。



A　mile　down　the　coulee　they　came　upon　the　band　with　two　herders

and　four　dogs　keeping　watch。　Across　the　coulee　and　up　the

hillsides　they　spread　like　a　noisome　gray　blanket。　〃Maa…aa；　maa…

aa；　maa…aa；〃　two　thousand　strong　they　blatted　a　strident　medley

while　they　hurried　here　and　there　after　sweeter　bunches　of　grass；

very　much　like　a　disturbed　ant…hill。



The　herders　loitered　upon　either　slope；　their　dogs　lying　close

beside　them。　There　was　good　grass　in　that　part　of　the　coulee；　the

Flying　U　had　saved　it　for　the　saddle　horses　that　were　to　be

gathered　and　held　temporarily　at　the　ranch；　for　it　would　save

herding；　and　a　week　in　that　pasture　would　put　a　keen　edge　on

their　spirits　for　the　hard　work　of　the　calf　roundup。　A　dozen　or

two　that　ranged　close　had　already　been　driven　into　the　field　and

were　feeding　disdainfully　in　a　corner　as　far　away　from　the　sheep

as　the　fence　would　permit。



The　Happy　Family；　riding　close…grouped；　stiffened　in　their

saddles　and　stared　amazed　at　the　outrage。



〃Sheepherders　never　did　have　any　nerve；〃　Irish　observed　after　a

minute。　〃They　keep　their　places　fine！　They'll　drive　their　sheep

right　into　your　dooryard　and　tell　'en　to　help　themselves　to

anything　that　happens　to　look　good　to　them。　Oh；　they're　sure

modest　and　retiring！〃



Weary；　who　had　charge　of　the　outfit　during　Chip's　absence；　was

making　straight　for　the　nearest　herder。　Pink　and　Andy　went　with

him；　as　a　matter　of　course。



〃You　fellows　ride　up　around　that　side；　and　put　the　run　on　them

sheep；〃　Weary　shouted　back　to　the　others。　〃We'll　start　the　other

side　moving。　Make　'em　travelback　where　they　came　from。〃　He

jerked　his　head　toward　the　north。　He　knew；　just　as　they　all　knew；

that　there　had　been　no　sheep　to　the　south；　unless　one　counted

those　that　ranged　across　the　Missouri　river。



As　the　three　forced　their　horses　up　the　steep　slope；　the　herder；

sitting　slouched　upon　a　rock；　glanced　up　at　them　dully。　He　had　a

long　stick；　with　which　he　was　apathetically　turning　over　the

smaller　stones　within　his　reach；　and　as　apathetically　killing　the

black　bugs　that　scuttled　out　from　the　moist　earth　beneath。　He

desisted　from　this　unexciting　pastime　as　they　drew　near；　and　eyed

them　with　the　sullenness　that　comes　of　long　isolation　when　the

person's　nature　forbids　that　other　extreme　of　babbling　garrulity；

for　no　man　can　live　long　months　alone　and　remain　perfectly

normal。　Nature；　that　stern　mistress；　always　exacts　a　penalty　from

us　foolish　mortals　who　would　ignore　the　instincts　she　has　wisely

implanted　within　us　for　our　good。



〃Maybe；〃　Weary　began　mildly　and　without　preface；　〃you　don't　know

this　is　private　property。　Get　busy　with　your　dogs；　and　haze　these

sheep　back　on　the　bench。〃　He　waved　his　hand　to　the　north。　〃And；

when　you　get　a　good　start　in　that　direction；〃　he　added；　〃yuh

better　keep　right　on　going。〃



The　herder　surveyed　him　morosely；　but　he　said　nothing；　neither

did　he　rise　from　the　rock　to　obey　the　command。　The　dogs　sat　upon

their　haunches　and　perked　their　ears　inquiringly；　as　if　they

understood　better　than　did　their　master　that　these　men　were　not

to　be　quite　overlooked。



〃I　meant　to…day；〃　Weary　hinted；　with　the　manner　of　one　who

deliberately　holds　his　voice　quiet。



〃I　never　asked　yuh　what　yuh　meant；〃　the　herder　mumbled；　scowling。

〃We　got　to　keep　'em　on　water　another　hour；　yet。〃　He　went　back　to

turning　over　the　small　rocks　and　to　pursuing　with　his　stick　the

bugs；　as　if　the　whole　subject　were　squeezed　dry　of　interest。



For　a　minute　Weary　stared　unwinkingly　down　at　him；　uncertain

whether　to　resent　this　as　pure　insolence；　or　to　condone　it　as

imbecility。　〃Mamma！〃　he　breathed　eloquently；　and　grinned　at　Andy

and　Pink。　〃This　is　a　real　talkative　cuss；　and　obliging；　too。　Come

on；　boys；　he's　too　busy　to　bother　with　a　little　thing　like

sheep。〃



He　led　the　way　around　to　the　far　side　of　the　band；　the　nearest

sheep　scuttling　away　from　then　as　they　passed。　〃I　don't　suppose

we　could　work　the　combination　on　those　dogswhat？〃　he　considered

aloud；　glancing　back　at　them　where　they　still　sat　upon　their

haunches　and　watched　the　strange　riders。　〃Say；　Cadwalloper；　you

took　a　few　lessons　in　sheepherding；　a　couple　of　years　ago；　when

you　was　stuck　on　that　girlremember？　Whistle　'em　up　here　and　set

'en　to　work。〃



〃You　go　to　the　devil；〃　Pink's　curved　hips　replied　amiably　to　his

boss。　〃I've　got　loss…uh…memory　on　the　sheep　business。〃



Whereat　Weary　grinned　and　said　no　more　about　it。



On　the　opposite　side　of　the　coulee；　the　boys　seemed　to　be

laboring　quite　as　fruitlessly　with　the　other　herder。　They　heard

Big　Medicine's　truculent　bellow；　as　he　leaned　from　the　saddle　and

waved　a　fist　close　to　the　face　of　the　herder；　but；　though　they

rode　with　their　eyes　fixed　upon　the　group；　they　failed　to　see　any

resultant　movement　of　dogs；　sheep　or　man。



There　is；　at　times；　a　certain　safety　in　being　the　hopeless

minority。　Though　seven　indignant　cowpunchers　surrounded　him；　that

herder　was　secure　from　any　personal　molestationand　he　knew　it。

They　were　seven　against　one；　therefore；　after　making　some　caustic

remarks；　which　produced　as　little　effect　as　had　Weary's　command

upon　the　first　man；　the　seven　were　constrained　to　ride　here　and

there　along　the　wavering；　gray　line；　and；　with　shouts　and

swinging　ropes；　themselves　drive　the　sheep　from　the　coulee。



There　was　much　clamor　and　dust　and　riding　to　and　fro。　There　was

language　which　would　have　made　the　mothers　of　then　weep；　and

there　were　faces　grown　crimson　from　wrath。　Eventually；　however；

the　Happy　Family　faced　the　north　fence　of　the　Flying　U　boundary；

and　saw　the　last　woolly　back　scrape　under　the　lower　wire；　leaving

a　toll　of　greasy　wool　hanging　from　the　barbs。



The　herders　had　drawn　together；　and　were　looking　on　from　a

distance；　and　the　four　dogs　were　yelping　uneasily　over　their

enforced　inaction。　The　Happy　Family　went　back　and　rounded　up　the

herders；　and　by　sheer　weight　of　numbers　forced　them　to　the　fence

without　laying　so　much　as　a　finger　upon　then。　The　one　who　had

been　killing　black　bugs　gave　then　an　ugly　look　as　he　crawled

through；　but　even　he　did　not　say　anything。



〃Snap　them　wires　down　where　they　belong；〃　Weary　commanded

tersely。



The　man　hesitated　a　minute；　then　sullenly　unhooked　the　barbs　of

the　two　lower　strands；　so　that　the　wires；　which　had　thus　been

lifted　to　permit　the　passing　of　the　sheep；　twanged　apart　and　once

more　stretched　straight　from　post　to　post。



〃Now；　just　keep　in　mind　the　fact　that　fences　are　built　for　use。

This　is　a　private　ranch；　and　sheep　are　just　about　as　welcome　as

smallpox。　Haze　them　stinking　things　as　far　north　as　they'll

travel　before　dark；　and　at　daylight　start　'em　going　again。

Where's　your　camp；　anyhow？〃



〃None　of　your　business；〃　mumbled　the　bugkiller　sourly。



Weary　scanned　the　undulating　slope　beyond　the　fence；　saw　no　sign

of　a　camp；　and　glanced　uncertainly　at　his　fellows。　〃Well；　it

don't　matter　much　where　it　is；　you　see　to　it　you　don't　sleep

within　five　miles　of　here；　or　you're　liable　to　have　bad　dreams。

Hit　the　trail；　now！〃



They　waited　inside　the　fence　until　the　retreating　sheep　lost

their　individuality　as　blatting　animals；　ambling　erratically　here

and　there；　while　they　moved　toward　the　brow　of　the　hill；　and

merged　into　a　great；　gray　blotch　against　the　faint　green　of　the

new　grassa　blotch　from　which　rose　again　that　vibrant；　sing…song

humming　of　many　voices　mingled。　Then　they　rode　back　down　the

coulee　to　their　own　work；　taking　it　for　granted　that　the

trespassing　was　an　incident　which　would　not　be　repeatedby　those

particular　sheep；　at　any　rate。



It　was；　therefore；　with　something　of　a　shock　that　the　Happy

Family　awoke　the　next　morning　to　hear　Pink's　melodious　treble

shouting　in　the　bunk…house　at　sunrise　next　morning：



〃'G'wa…a…y　round'　'em；　Shep！　Seven　black　ones　in　the　coulee！〃　Men

who　know　well　the　West　are　familiar　with　that　facetious　call。



〃Ah；　what's　the　matter　with　yuh？〃　Irish　raised　a　rumpled；　brown

head　from　his　pillow；　and　blinked　sleepily　at　him。　〃I've　been

dreaming　I　was　a　sheepherder；　all　night。〃



〃Well；　you've　got　the　swellest　chance　in　the　world　to　'make　every

dream　cone　true；　dearie；'〃　Pink　retorted。　〃The　whole　blamed

coulee's　full　uh　sheep。　I　woke　up　a　while　ago　and　thought　I　just

imagined　I　heard　'en　again；　so　I　went　out　to　take　a　lookor　a

smell；　it　wasand　they're　sure　enough　there！〃



Weary　swung　one　long　leg　out　from　under　his　blankets　and　reached

for　his　clothes。　He　did　not　say　anything；　but　his　face　portended

trouble　for　the　invaders。



〃Say！〃　cried　Big　Medicine；　coming　out　of　his　bunk　as　if　it　were

afire；　〃I　tell　yuh　right　now　then　blattin'　human　apes　wouldn't

git　gay　around　here　if　I　was　runnin'　this　outfit。　The　way　I'd

have　of　puttin'　them　sheep　on　the　run　wouldn't　be　slow；　by

cripes！　I'll　guarantee〃



By　then　the　bunk…house　was　buzzing　with　voices；　and　there　was

none　to　give　heed　to　Big　Medicine　s　blatant　boasting。　Others

there　were　who　seemed　rather　inclined　to　give　Weary　good　advice

while　they　pulled　on　their　boots　and　sought　for　their　gloves　and

rolled　early…morning　cigarettes；　and　otherwise　prepared

themselves　for　what　Fate　might　have　waiting　for　then　outside　the

door。



〃Are　you　sure　they're　in　the　coulee；　Cadwalloper？〃　Weary　asked；

during　a　brief　lull。　〃They　could　be　up　on　the　hill〃



〃Hell；　yes！〃　was　Pink's　forceful　answer。　〃They　could　be　on　the

hill；　but　they　ain't。　Why；　darn　it；　they're　straggling　into　the

little　pasture！　I　could　see　'em　from　the　stable。　They〃



〃Come　and　eat　your　breakfast　first；　boys；　anyway。〃　Weary　had　his

hand　upon　the　door…knob。　〃A　few　minutes　more　won't　make　any

difference；　one　way　or　the　other。〃　He　went　out　and　over　to　the

mess…house　to　see　if　Patsy　had　the　coffee　ready；　for　this　was　a

good　three…quarters　of　an　hour　earlier　than　the　Flying　U　outfit

usually　bestirred　themselves　on　these　days　of　preparation　for

roundup　and　waiting　for　good　grass。



〃I'll　be　darned　if　I'd　be　as　calm　as