the flying u ranch-第7部分

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It　occurred　to　Weary　then　that　a　word　of　cheer　to　the　Old　Man　and

his　anxious　watchers　might　not　cone　amiss。　Therefore　the　Happy

Family　mounted　and　rode　to　the　depot　to　send　it；　and　on　the　way

wrangled　over　the　wording　of　the　message　after　their　usual

contentious　manner。



〃Better　tell　'em　everything　is　fine；　at　this　end　uh　the　line；〃

Cal　suggested；　and　was　hooted　at　for　a　poet。



〃Just　say；〃　Weary　began；　when　he　was　interrupted　by　the

discordant　clamor　from　a　trainload　of　sheep　that　had　just　pulled

in　and　stopped。　〃'Maa…aa；　Ma…a…aaa；'　darn　yuh；〃　he　shouted

derisively；　at　the　peering；　plaintive　faces；　glimpsed　between　the

close…set　bars。　〃Mamma；　how　I　do　love　sheep！〃　Whereupon　he　put

spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　down　to　the　station　to　rid　his

ears　of　the　turbulent　wave　of　protest　from　the　cars。



Naturally　it　required　some　time　to　compose　the　telegram　in　a

style　satisfactory　to　all　parties。　Outside；　cars　banged　together；

an　engine　snorted　stertorously；　and　suffocating　puffs　of　coal

smoke　now　and　then　invaded　the　waiting…room　while　the　Happy

Family　were　sending　that　message　of　cheer　to　Chicago。　If　you　are

curious；　the　final　version　of　their　combined　sentiments　was　not

at　all　spectacular。　It　said　merely：



〃Everything　fine　here。　Take　good　care　of　the　Old　Man。　How's　the

Kid　stacking　up？〃



It　was　signed　simply　〃The　Bunch。〃



〃Mary's　little　lambs　are　here　yet；　I　see；〃　the　Native　Son

remarked　carelessly　when　they　went　out。　〃Enough　lambs　for　all　the

Marys　in　the　country。　How　would　you　like　to　be　Mary？〃



〃Not　for　me；〃　Irish　declared；　and　turned　his　face　away　from　the

stench　of　them。



Others　there　were　who　rode　the　length　of　the　train　with　faces

averted　and　looks　of　disdain；　cowmen；　all　of　them；　they　shared

the　range　prejudice；　and　took　no　pains　to　hide　it。



The　wind　blew　strong　from　the　east；　that　day；　it　whistled　through

the　open；　double…decked　cars　packed　with　gray；　woolly　bodies；

whose　voices　were　ever　raised　in　strident　complaint；　and　the

stench　of　them　smote　the　unaccustomed　nostrils　of　the　Happy

Family　and　put　them　to　disgusted　flight　up　the　track　and　across

it　to　where　the　air　was　clean　again。



〃Honest　to　grandma；　I'd　make　the　poorest　kind　of　a　sheepherder；〃

Big　Medicine　bawled　earnestly；　when　they　were　well　away　from　the

noise　and　smell　of　the　detested　animals。　〃If　I　had　to　herd　sheep；

by　cripes；　do　you　know　what　I'd　do？　I'd　haze　'em　into　a　coulee

and　turn　loose　with　a　good　rifle　and　plenty　uh　shells；　and　call

in　the　coyotes　to　git　a　square　meal。　That's　the　way　I'd　herd

sheep。　It's　the　only　way　you　can　shut　'em　up。　They　just　'baa…aa；

baa…aa；　baa…aa'　from　the　time　they're　dropped　till　somebody　kills

'em　off。　Honest；　they　blat　in　their　sleep。　I've　heard　'em。〃



〃When　you　and　the　dogs　were　shooting　off　coyotes？〃　asked　Andy

Green　pointedly；　and　so　precipitated　dissension　which　lasted　for

ten　miles。







CHAPTER　V。　Sheep



Slim　rising　first　from　dinner　on　the　next　day　but　one　opened　the

door　of　the　mess…house；　and　stood　there　idly　picking　his　teeth

before　he　went　about　his　work。　After　a　minute　of　listening　to　the

boys　〃joshing〃　old　Patsy　about　some　gooseberry　pies　he　had　baked

without　sugar；　he　turned　his　face　outward；　threw　up　his　head　like

a　startled　bull；　and　began　to　sniff。



〃Say；　I　smell　sheep；　by　golly！〃　he　announced　in　the　bellowing

tone　which　was　his　conversational　voice；　and　sniffed　again。



〃Oh；　that's　just　a　left…over　in　your　system　from　the　dose　yuh　got

in　town　Sunday；〃　Weary　explained　soothingly。　〃I've　smelled　sheep；

and　tasted　sheep；　and　dreamed　sheep；　ever　since。〃



〃No；　by　golly；　it's　sheep！　It　ain't　no　memory。　II　b'hieve　I

hear　'em；　too；　by　golly。〃　Slim　stepped　out　away　from　the　building

and　faced　suspiciously　down　the　coulee。



〃Slim；　I　never　suspected　you　of　imagination　before；〃　the　Native

Son　drawled；　and　loitered　out　to　where　Slim　stood　still　sniffing。

〃I　wonder　if　you're　catching　it　from　Andy　and　me。　Don't　you　think

you　ought　to　be　vaccinated？〃



〃That　ain't　imagination；〃　Pink　called　out　from　within。　〃When

anybody　claims　there's　sheep　in　Flying　U　coulee；　that's　straight

loco。〃



〃Come　on　out　here　and　smell　'em　yourself；　then！〃　Slim　bawled

indignantly。　〃I　never　seen　such　an　outfit　as　this　is　gittin'　to

be；　you　fellers　don't　believe　nobody；　no　more。　We　ain't　all　Andy

Greens。〃



Upon　hearing　this　Andy　pushed　back　his　chair　and　strolled

outside。　He　clapped　his　hand　down　upon　Slim's　fat…cushioned

shoulder　and　swayed　him　gently。　〃Never　mind；　Slim；　you　can't　all

be　famous；〃　he　comforted。　〃Some　day；　maybe；　I'll　teach　yuh　the

fine　art　of　lying　more　convincingly　than　the　ordinary　man　can

tell　the　truth。　It　is　a　fine　art；　it　takes　a　genius　to　put　it

across。　Now；　the　only　time　anybody　doubts　my　word　is　when　I'm

sticking　to　the　truth　hike　a　sand　burr　to　a　dog's　tail。〃



From　away　to　the　west；　borne　on　the　wind　which　swept　steadily

down　the　coulee；　came　that　faint；　humming　sing…song；　which　can　be

made　only　by　a　herd　of　a　thousand　or　more　sheep；　all　blatting　in

different　keysor　by　a　distant　band　playing　monotonously　upon

the　middle　octave　of　their　varied　instruments。



〃Slim's　right；　by　gracious！　It's　sheep；　sure　as　yuh　live。〃　Andy

did　not　wait　for　more；　but　started　at　a　fast　walk　for　the　stable

and　his　horse。　After　him　went　the　Native　Son；　who　had　not　been

with　the　Flying　U　long　enough　to　sense　the　magnitude　of　the

affront；　and　Slim；　who　knew　to　a　nicety　just　what　〃cowmen〃

considered　the　unpardonable　sin；　and　the　rest　of　the　Happy

Family；　who　were　rather　incredulous　still。



〃Must　be　some　fool　herder　just　crossing　the　coulee；　on　the　move

somewhere；〃　Weary　gave　as　a　solution。　〃Half　of　'em　don't　know　a

fence　when　they　see　it。〃



As　they　galloped　toward　the　sound　and　the　smell；　they　expressed

freely　their　opinion　of　sheep；　the　men　who　owned　them；　and　the

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。