the flying u ranch-第16节

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near　by　and　feeding　placidly。　The　men　turned；　gazed　long　at　their

approach；　and　walked　to　the　tent；　which　they　entered　somewhat

hastily。



〃Look　at　'em　dodge　outa　sight；　will　you！〃　cried　Cal　Emmett；　and

lifted　up　his　voice　in　the　yell　which　sometimes　announced　the

Happy　Family's　arrival　in　Dry　Lake　after　a　long；　thirsty　absence

on　roundup。　Other　voices　joined　in　after　that　first；　shrill

〃Ow…ow…ow…eee！〃　of　Cal's；　so　that　presently　the　whole　lot　of　them

were　emitting　nerve…crimping　yells　and　spurring　their　horses　into

a　thunder　of　hoofbeats；　as　they　bore　down　upon　the　tent。　Between

howls　they　laughed；　picturing　to　themselves　four　terrified

sheepherders　cowering　within　those　frail；　canvas　walls。



〃I'm　a　rambler；　and　a　gambler；　and　far　from　my　ho…o…me；　And　if

yuh　don't　like　me；　jest　leave　me　alo…o…ne！〃　chanted　Big　Medicine

most　horribly；　and　finished　with　a　yell　that　almost　scared

himself　and　set　his　horse　to　plunging　wildly。



〃Come　out　of　there；　you　lop…eared　mutton…chewers；　and　let　us　pick

the　wool　outa　your　teeth！〃　shouted　Andy　Green；　telling　himself

hastily　that　this　was　not　breaking　his　promise　to　Weary；　and

yielding　to　the　temptation　of　coming　as　close　to　the　guilty

persons　as　he　might；　for；　while　these　were　not　the　men　who　had

tied　him　and　left　him　alone　on　the　prairie；　they　belonged　to　the

same　outfit；　and　there　was　some　comfort　in　giving　them　a　few

disagreeable　minutes。



Pink；　in　the　lead；　was　turning　to　ride　around　the　tent；　still

yelling；　when　someone　within　the　tent　fired　a　rifleand　did　not

aim　as　high　as　he　should。　The　bullet　zipped　close　over　the　head

of　Big　Medicine；　who　happened　to　be　opposite　the　crack　between

the　tent…flaps。　The　hand　of　Big　Medicine　jerked　back　to　his　hip；

but；　quick　as　he　was；　the　Native　Son　plunged　between　him　and　the

tent　before　he　could　take　aim。



〃Steady；　amigo；〃　smiled　Miguel。　〃You　aren't　a　crazy　sheepherder。〃



〃No；　but　I'm　goin'　to　kill　off　one。　Git　outa　my　way！〃　Big

Medicine　was　transformed　into　a　cold…eyed；　iron…jawed　fighting

machine。　He　dug　the　spurs　in；　meaning　to　ride　ahead　of　Miguel。

But　Miguel's　spurs　also　pressed　home；　so　that　the　two　horses

plunged　as　one。　Big　Medicine；　bellowing　one　solitary　oath；　drew

his　right　leg　from　the　stirrup　to　dismount。　Miguel　reached　out；

caught　him　by　the　arm；　and　held　him　to　the　saddle。　And；　though

Big　Medicine　was　a　strong　man；　the　grip　held　firm　and　unyielding。



〃You　must　think　of　the　outfit；　you　know；〃　said　Miguel；　smiling

still。　〃There　must　be　no　shooting。　Once　that　begins〃　He

shrugged　his　shoulders　with　that　slight；　eloquent　movement；　which

the　Happy　Family　had　come　to　know　so　well。　He　was　speaking　to

them　all；　as　they　crowded　up　to　the　scuffle。　〃The　man　who　feels

the　trigger…itch　had　better　throw　his　gun　away；〃　he　advised

coolly。　〃I　know；　boys。　I've　seen　these　things　start　before。　All

hell　can't　stop　you；　once　you　begin　to　shoot。　Put　it　up；　Bud；　or

give　it　to　me。〃



〃The　man　don't　live　that　can　shoot　at　me；　by　cripes；　and　git　away

with　it。　Not　if　he　misses　killin'　me！〃　Big　Medicine　was　shaking

with　rage；　but　the　Native　Son　saw　that　he　hesitated；

nevertheless；　and　laughed　outright。



〃Call　him　out　and　give　him　a　thumping。　That's　good　enough　for　a

sheepherder；〃　he　suggested　as　a　substitute。



Perhaps　because　the　Native　Son　so　seldom　offered　advice；　and；

because　of　his　cool　courage　in　interfering　with　Big　Medicine　at

such　a　time；　Bud's　jaw　relaxed　and　his　pale　eyes　became　more

human　in　their　expression。　He　even　permitted　Miguel　to　remove　the

big；　wicked　Colt　from　his　hand；　and　slide　it　into　his　own　pocket；

whereat　the　Happy　Family　gasped　with　astonishment。　Not　even　Pink

would　have　dreamed　of　attempting　such　a　thing。



〃Well　he's　got　to　come　out　and　take　a　lickin'；　anyway；〃　shouted

Big　Medicine　vengefully；　and　rode　close　enough　to　slap　the　canvas

smartly　with　his　quirt。　By　all　the　gods　he　knew　by　name　he　called

upon　the　offender　to　come　forth；　while　the　others　drew　up　in　a

rude　half…circle　to　await　developments。　Heavy　silence　was　the

reply　he　got。　It　was　as　though　the　men　within　were　sitting　tense

and　watchful；　like　cougars　crouched　for　a　spring；　with　claws

unsheathed　and　muscles　quivering。



〃You　better　come　out；〃　called　Andy　sharply；　after　they　had　waited

a　decent　interval。　〃We　didn't　come　here　hunting　trouble；　we　want

to　know　where　you're　headed　for　with　these　sheep。　The　fellow　that

cut　loose　with　the　gun〃



〃Aw；　don't　talk　so　purty！　I'm　gitting　almighty　tired；　just

setting　here　lettin'　m'　legs　hang　down。　Git　your　ropes；　boys！〃

With　one　sweeping　gesture　of　his　arm　Big　Medicine　made　plain　his

meaning　as　he　rode　a　few　paces　away；　his　fingers　fumbling　with

the　string　that　held　his　rope。　〃I'm　goin'　to　have　a　look　at　'em；

anyway；〃　he　grinned。　〃I　sure　do　hate　to　see　men　act　so　bashful。〃



With　his　rope　free　and　ready　for　action；　Big　Medicine　shook　the

loop　out；　glanced　around；　and　saw　that　Andy；　Pink　and　Cal　Emmett

were　also　ready；　and；　with　a　dexterous　flip；　settled　the　noose

neatly　over　the　iron　pin　that　thrust　up　through　the　end　of　the

ridge…pole　in　front。　Andy's　loop　sank　neatly　over　it　a　second

later；　and　the　two　wheeled　and　dashed　away　together；　with　Pink

and　Irish　duplicating　their　performance　at　the　other　end　of　the

tent。　The　dingy；　smoke…stained　canvas　swayed；　toppled；　as　the

pegs　gave　way；　and　finally　lay　flat　upon　the　prairie　fifty　feet

from　where　it　had　stood；　leaving　the　inmates　exposed　to　the　cruel

stare　of　eight　unfriendly　cowpunchers。　Four　cowering　figures　they

were；　with　guns　in　their　hands　that　shook。



〃Drop　them　guns！〃　thundered　Big　Medicine；　flipping　his　rope　loose

and　recoiling　it　mechanically　as　he　plunged　up　to　the　group。



One　man　obeyed。　One　gave　a　squawk　of　terror　and　permitted　his　gun

to　go　off　at　random　before　he　fled　toward　the　coulee。　The　other

two　crouched　behind　their　bed…rolls；　set　their　jaws　doggedly　and

glared　defiance。



Pink；　Andy；　Irish；　Big　Medicine　and　the　Native　Son　slid　off　their

horses　and　made　a　rush　at　them。　A　rifle　barked　viciously；　and

Slim；　sitting　prudently　on　his　horse　well　in　the　rear；　gave　a

yell　and　started　for　home　at　a　rapid　pace。



Considering　the　provocation　the　Happy　Family　behaved　with　quite

praiseworthy　self…control　and　leniency。　They　did　not　lynch　those

two　herders。　They　did　not　kill　them；　either　by　bullets；　knives；

or　beating　to　death。　They　took　away　the　guns；　however；　and　they

told　them　with　extreme　bluntness　what　sort　of　men　they　believed

them　to　be。　They　defined　accurately　their　position　in　society　at

large；　in　that　neighborhood；　and　stated　what　would　be　their

future　fate　if　they　persisted　in　acting　with　so　little　caution

and　common　sense。



At　Andy　Green's　earnest　behest　they　also　wound　them　round　and

round　with　ropes；　before　they　departed；　and　gave　them　some　very

good　advice　upon　the　matter　of　range　rules　and　the　herding　of

sheep；　particularly　of　Dot　sheep。



〃You're　playing　big　luck；　if　you　only　had　sense　enough　to　know

it；〃　Andy　pointed　out　to　the　recumbent　three　before　they　rode

away。　〃We　didn't　come　over　here　on　the　warpath；　and；　if　you

hadn't　got　in　such　a　darned　hurry　to　start　something；　you'd　be　a

whole　lot　more　comfortable　right　now。　We　rode　over　to　tell　yuh

not　to　start　them　sheep　across　Flying　U　coulee；　because；　if　you

do；　you're　going　to　have　both　hands　and　your　hats　plumb　full　uh

trouble。　It　has　taken　some　little　time　and　fussing　to　get　yuh

gentled　down　so　we　can　talk　to　you；　and　I　sure　do　hope　yuh

remember　what　I'm　saying。〃



〃Oh；　we'll　remember　it；　all　right！〃　menaced　one　of　the　men；

lifting　his　head　turtlewise　that　he　might　glare　at　the　group。

〃And　our　bosses'll　remember　it；　you　needn't　worry　about　that

none。　You　wait　till〃



The　next　man　to　him　turned　his　head　and　muttered　a　sentence；　and

the　speaker　dropped　his　head　back　upon　the　ground；　silenced。



〃It　was　your　own　outfit　started　this　style　of　rope　trimming；　so

you　can't　kick　about　that　part　of　the　deal；〃　Pink　informed　them

melodiously。　〃It's　liable　to　get　to　be　all　the　rage　with　us。　So；

if　you　don't　like　it；　don't　come　around　where　we　are。　And　say！〃

His　dimples　stood　deep　in　his　cheeks。　〃You　send　those　ropes　home

to…morrow；　will　yuh？　We're　liable　to　need　'em。〃



〃by　cripes！〃　Big　Medicine　bawled。　〃What　say　we　haze　them　sheep　a

few　miles　north；　boys？〃



〃Oh；　I　guess　they'll　be　all　right　where　they　are；〃　Andy

protested；　his　thirst　for　revenge　assuaged　at　sight　of　those

three　trussed　as　he　had　been　trussed；　and　apparently　not　liking

it　any　better　than　he　had　liked　it。　〃They'll　be　good　and　careful

not　to　come　around　the　Flying　Uor　I　miss　my　guess　a　mile。〃



The　others　cast　comprehensive　glances　at　their　immediate

surroundings；　and　decided　that　they　had　at　least　made　their

meaning　plain；　there　was　no　occasion　for　emphasizing　their

disapproval　any　further。　They　confiscated　the　rifles；　and　they

told　the　fellows　why　they　did　so。　They　very　kin