the flying u ranch-第8部分

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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　he　is；〃　Cal　Emmett　muttered

while　the　door　was　being　closed。　〃Good　thing　the　Old　Man　ain't

here；　now。　He'd　go　straight　up　in　the　air。　He　wouldn't　wait　for

no　breakfast。〃



〃I　betche　there'll　be　a　killin'　yet；　before　we're　through　with

them　sheep；〃　gloomed　Happy　Jack。　〃When　sheepherders　starts　in

once　to　be　ornery；　there　ain't　no　way　uh　stoppin'　'em　except　by

killin'　'em　off。　And　that'll　mean　the　pen　for　a　lot　of　us

fellers〃



〃Well；　by　golly；　it　won't　be　me；〃　Slim　declared　loudly。　〃Yuh

wouldn't　ketch　me　goin'　t'　jail　for　no　doggone　sheepherder。　They

oughta　be　a　bounty　on　'en　by　rights。〃



〃Seems　queer　they'd　be　right　back　here　this　morning；　after　being

hazed　out　yesterday　afternoon；〃　said　Andy　Green　thoughtfully。

〃Looks　like　they're　plumb　anxious　to　build　a　lot　of　trouble　for

themselves。〃



Patsy；　thumping　energetically　the　bottom　of　a　tin　pan；　sent　them

trooping　to　the　mess…house。　There　it　was　evident　that　the

breakfast　had　been　unduly　hurried；　there　were　no　biscuits　in

sight；　for　one　thing；　though　Patsy　was　lumbering　about　the　stove

frying　hot…cakes。　They　were　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　wait　for

them；　however。　They　swallowed　their　coffee　hurriedly；　bolted　a

few　mouthfuls　of　meat　and　fried　eggs；　and　let　it　go　at　that。



Weary　looked　at　then　with　a　faint　smile。　〃I'm　going　to　give　a　few

of　you　fellows　a　chance　to　herd　sheep　to…day；〃　he　announced；

cooling　his　coffee　so　that　it　would　not　actually　scald　his

palate。　〃That's　why　I　wanted　you　to　get　some　grub　into　you。　Some

of　you　fellows　will　have　to　take　the　trail　up　on　the　hill；　and

meet　us　outside　the　fence；　so　when　we　chase　'em　through　you　can

make　a　good　job　of　it　this　time。　I　wonder〃



〃You　don't　need　to　call　out　the　troops　for　that　job；　one　man　is

enough　to　put　the　fear　uh　the　Lord　into　then　herders；〃　Andy

remarked　slightingly。　〃Once　they're　on　the　move〃



〃All　right；　my　boy；　we'll　let　you　be　the　man；〃　Weary　told　him

promptly。　〃I　was　going　to　have　a　bunch　of　you　take　a　packadero

outfit　down　toward　Boiler　Bottom　and　comb　the　breaks　along　there

for　horsesand　I　sure　do　hate　to　spend　the　whole　day　chasing

sheepherders　around　over　the　country。　So　we'll　haze　'em　through

the　fence　again；　and；　seeing　you　feel　that　way　about　it；　I'll　let

you　go　around　and　keep　'em　going。　And；　if　you　locate　their　camp；

kinda　impress　it　on　the　tender；　if　you　can　round　him　up；　that　the

Flying　U　ain't　pasturing　sheep　this　spring。　No　matter　what　kinda

talk　he　puts　up；　you　put　the　run　on　'em　till　you　see　'em　across

One…Man　coulee。　Better　have　Patsy　put　you　up　a　lunchunless

you're　fond　of　mutton。〃



Andy　twisted　his　mouth　disgustedly。　〃Say；　I'm　going　to　quit

handing　out　any　valuable　advice　to　you；　Weary；〃　he　expostulated。



〃Haw…haw…haw…w…w！〃　laughed　Big　Medicine；　and　slapped　Andy　on　the

shoulder　so　that　his　face　almost　came　in　contact　with　his　plate。

〃Yuh　will　try　to　work　some　innercent　man　into　sheepherdin'；　will

yuh？　Haw…haw…haw…w！　You'll　come　in　tonigh