the flying u ranch-第21节

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he　poured　coffee　muddy　from　long　boiling。　〃Looks　like　dey　know　so

soon　you　ride　away；　und　dey　cooms　cheeky　as　you　pleece；　und　eats

der　grass　und　crawls　under　der　fence　and　leafs　der　vool　sthicking

by　der　vires。　I　goes　out　mit　a　club；　py　cosh；　und　der　sheeps

chust　looks　und　valks　by　some　better　place　alreatty；　und　I　throw

rocks　and　yells　till　mine　neck　iss　sore。



〃Und'　dose　herders；　dey　sets　dem　by　der　rock　and　laugh　till　I

felt　like　I　could　kill　der　whole　punch；　by　cosh！　Und　von　yells；

'Hey；　dutchy；　pring　me　some　pie；　alreatty！'　Und　he　laughs　some

more　pecause　der　sheeps　dey　don't　go　avay；　dey　chust　run　around

und　eat　more　grass　and　baa…aa！〃　He　turned　and　went　heavily　back

to　the　greasy　range　with　the　depleted　coffee　pot；　lifted　the　lid

of　a　kettle　and　looked　in　upon　the　contents　with　a　purely

mechanical　glance；　gave　a　perfunctory　prod　or　two　with　a　long…

handled　fork；　and　came　back　to　stand　uneasily　behind　Weary。



〃If　you　poys　are　goin'　to　shtand　fer　dot；〃　he　began　querulously；

〃Py　cosh　I　von't！　Py　myself　I　vill　go　and　tell　dot　Dunk　W'ittaker

vot　lowdown　skunk　I　t'ink　he　iss。　Sheep's　vool　shtickin'　by　der

fences　efferwhere　on　der　ranch；　py　cosh！　Dot　vould　sure　kill　der

Old　Man　quick　if　he　see　it。　Shtinkin'　off　sheeps　py　our　noses　all

der　time；　till　I　can't　eat　no　more　mit　der　shmell　of　dem。　Neffer

pefore　did　I　see　vool　on　der　Flying　U　fences；　py　cosh；　und　sheeps

baa…aain'　in　der　coulee！〃



Never　had　they　seen　Patsy　take　so　to　heart　a　matter　of　mere

business　importance。　They　did　not　say　much　to　him；　there　was　not

much　that　they　could　say。　They　ate　their　fill　and　went　out

disconsolately　to　discuss　the　thing　among　themselves；　away　from

Patsy's　throaty　complainings。　They　hated　it　as　badly　as　did　he；

with　Weary's　urgent　plea　for　no　violence　holding　them　in　leash；

they　hated　it　more；　if　that　were　possible。



The　Native　Son　tilted　his　head　unobtrusively　stableward　when　he

caught　Andy's　eye；　and　as　unobtrusively　wandered　away　from　the

group。　Andy　stopped　long　enough　to　roll　and　light　a　cigarette　and

then　strolled　after　him　with　apparent　aimlessness；　secretly

curious　over　the　summons。　He　found　Miguel　in　the　stable　waiting

for　him；　and　Miguel　led　the　way；　rope　in　hand　across　the　corral

and　into　the　little　pasture　where　fed　a　horse　he　meant　to　ride。

He　did　not　say　anything　until　he　had　turned　to　close　the　gate；

and　to　make　sure　that　they　were　alone　and　that　their　departure

had　not　carried　to　the　Happy　Family　any　betraying　air　of

significance。



〃You　remember　when　you　blew　in　here；　a　few　weeks　or　so　ago？〃　the

Native　Son　asked　abruptly；　a　twinkle　in　his　fathomless　eyes。　〃You

put　up　a　good　one　on　the　boys；　that　time；　you　remember。　Bluffed

them　into　thinking　I　was　a　hero　in　disguise；　and　that　you'd　seen

me　pull　off　a　big　stunt　of　bull…fighting　and　bull…　dogging　down

in　Mexico。　It　was　a　fine　josh。　They　believe　it　yet。〃



Andy　glanced　at　him　perplexedly。　〃Yesbut　when　it　turned　out　to

be　true；〃　he　amended；　〃the　josh　was　on　me；　I　guess；　I　thought　I

was　just　lying；　when　I　wasn't。　I've　wondered　a　good　deal　about

that。　By　gracious；　it　makes　a　man　feel　funny　to　frame　up　a　yarn

out　of　his　own　think…machine；　and　then　find　out　he's　been　telling

the　truth　all　the　while。　It's　like　a　fellow　handing　out　a

twenty…four　karat　gold　bar　to　a　rube　by　mistake；　under　the

impression　it　only　looks　like　one。　Of　course　they　believe　it！

Only　they　don't　know　I　just　merely　hit　the　truth　by　accident。〃



The　Native　Son　smiled　his　slow；　amused　smile；　that　somehow　never

failed　to　be　impressive。　〃That's　the　funny　part　of　it；〃　he

drawled。　〃You　didn't。　I　just　piled　another　little　josh　on　top　of

yours；　that's　all。　I　never　throwed　a　bull　in　my　life；　except　with

my　lariat。　I'd　heard　a　good　deal　about　you；　andwell；　I　thought

I'd　see　if　I　could　go　you　one　better。　And　you　put　that　Mexico

yarn　across　so　smooth　and　easy；　I　just　simply　couldn't　resist　the

temptation　to　make　you　think　it　was　all　straight　goods。　Sabe？〃



Andy　Green　did　not　say　a　word；　but　he　looked　exceedingly　foolish。



〃So　I　think　we　can　both　safely　consider　ourselves　top…hands　when

it　comes　to　lying；〃　the　Native　Son　went　on　shamelessly。　〃And　if

you're　willing　to　go　in　with　me　on　it　and　help　put　Dunk　on　the

run〃　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　saw　that　Happy　Jack；　on

horseback；　was　coming　out　to　haze　in　the　saddle　bunch；　and　turned

to　stroll　back　as　lazily　as　he　had　come。　He　continued　to　speak

smoothly　and　swiftly；　in　a　voice　that　would　not　carry　ten　paces。

While　Andy　Green；　with　brown　head　bent　attentively；　listened

eagerly　and　added　a　sentence　or　two　on　his　own　account　now　and

then；　and　smiledwhich　he　had　not　been　in　the　habit　of　doing

lately。



〃Say；　you　fellers　are　gittin'　awful　energetic；　ain't

yuh？wranglin'　horses　afoot！〃　Happy　Jack　bantered　at　the　top　of

his　voice　when　he　passed　them　by。　〃Better　save　up　your　strength

while　you　kin。　Weary's　goin'　to　set　us　herdin'　sheep　aginand　I

betche　there's　goin'　to　be　something　more'n　herdin'　on　our　hands

before　we　git　through。〃



〃I　wouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　there　was；〃　sang　out　Andy；　as

cheerfully　as　if　he　had　been　invited　to　dance　〃Ladies'　choice〃

with　the　prettiest　girl　in　the　crowd。　〃Wonder　what　hole　he's

going　to　dump　this　bunch　into；〃　he　added　to　the　Native　Son。　〃By

gracious；　he　ought　to　send　'em　just　as　far　north　as　he　can　drive

'em　without　paying　duty！　I'd　sure　take　'em　over　into　Canada；　if

it　was　me　running　the　show。〃



〃It　was　a　mistake；〃　the　Native　Son　volunteered；　〃for　the　whole

bunch　to　go　off　like　we　did　to…day。　They　had　those　sheep　up　here

on　the　hill　just　for　a　bait。　They　knew　we'd　go　straight　up　in　the

air　and　come　down　on　those　two　freaks　herding　'em；　and　that　gave

them　the　chance　to　cross　the　other　bunch。　I　thought　so　all　along；

but　I　didn't　like　to　butt　in。〃



〃Well　Weary's　mad　enough　now　to　do　things　that　will　leave　a　dent；

anyway；〃　Andy　commented　under　his　breath　when；　from　the　corral

gate；　he　got　a　good　look　at　Weary's　profile；　which　showed　the　set

of　his　mouth　and　chin。　〃See　that　mouth？　It's　hunt　the　top　rail；

and　do　it　quick；　when　old　Weary　straightens　out　his　lips　like

that。〃



Behind　them；　Happy　Jack　bellowed　for　an　open　gate　and　no

obstructions；　and　they　drew　hastily　to　one　side　to　let　the　saddle

horses　gallop　past　with　a　great　upflinging　of　dust。　Pink；　with　a

quite　obtrusive　facetiousness；　began　lustily　chanting　that　it

looked　to　him　like　a　big　night　to…nightwith　occasional；　furtive

glances　at　Weary's　face；　for　he；　also；　had　been　quick　to　read

those　close…pressed　lips；　which　did　not　soften　in　response　to　the

ditty。　Usually　he　laughed　at　Pink's　drollery。



They　rode　rather　quietly　upon　the　hill　again；　to　where　fed　the

sheep。　During　the　hour　or　so　that　they　had　been　absent　the　sheep

had　not　moved　appreciably；　they　still　grazed　close　enough　to　the

boundary　to　make　their　position　seem　a　direct　insult　to　the

Flying　U；　a　virtual　slap　in　the　face。　And　these　young　men　who

worked　for　the　Flying　U；　and　who　made　its　interests　right　loyally

their　own；　were　growing　very；　very　tired　of　turning　the　other

cheek。　With　them；　the　time　for　profanity　and　for　horseplay

bluffing　and　judicious　temporizing　was　past。　There　were　other

lips　besides　Weary's　that　were　drawn　tight　and　thin　when　they

approached　that　particular　band　of　sheep。　More　than　one　pair　of

eyes　turned　inquiringly　toward　him　and　away　again　when　they　met

no　answering　look。



They　topped　a　rise　of　ground；　and　in　the　shallow　wrinkle　which

had　hidden　him　until　now　they　came　full　upon　Dunk　Whittaker；

riding　a　chunky　black　which　stepped　restlessly　about　while　he

conferred　in　low　tones　with　a　couple　of　the　herders。　The　Happy

Family　recognized　them　as　two　of　the　fellows　in　whose　safe

keeping　they　had　left　their　ropes　the　night　before。　Dunk　looked

around　quickly　when　the　group　appeared　over　the　little　ridge；

scowled；　hesitated　and　then　came　straight　up　to　them。



〃I　want　you　rowdies　to　bring　back　those　sheep　you　took　the

trouble　to　drive　off　this　morning；〃　he　began；　with　the　even；

grating　voice　and　the　sneering　lift　of　lip　under　his　little；

black　mustache　which　the　older　members　of　the　Happy　Family

rememberedand　hatedso　vividly。　〃I've　stood　just　all　I'm　going

to　stand；　of　these　typically　Flying　U　performances　you've　been

indulging　in　so　freely　during　the　past　week。　It's　all　very　well

to　terrorize　a　neighborhood　of　long…haired　rubes　who　don't　know

enough　to　teach　you　your　places；　but　interfering　with　another

man's　property　is〃



〃Interfering　with　anotherwhat？〃　Big　Medicine；　his　pale　blue

eyes　standing　out　more　like　a　frog's　than　ever　upon　his　face；

gave　his　horse　a　kick　and　lunged　close　that　he　might　lean　and

thrust　his　red　face　near　to　Dunk's。　〃Another　what？　I　don't　see

nothin'　in　your　saddle　that　looks　t'me　like　a　man；　by　cripes！　All

I　can　see　is　a　smooth…skinned；　slippery　vermin　I'd　hate　to　name　a

snake　after；　that　crawls　around　in　the　dark　and　lets　c