by B. M. Bower
CHAPTER 11. Rowdy Promoted.
Rowdy rode closer. "If you don't mind paying duty," he begantentatively, "I can put you next to a range over the line, where I'llguarantee feed and water the year round for every hoof you own."
Eagle Creek lifted his head and looked at him "Whereabouts?" he demandedskeptically.
"Up in the Red Deer country. Pink knows the place. There's rangea-plenty, and creeks running through that never go dry; and the countryisn't stocked and fenced to death, like this is."
"And would we be ordered off soon as we got there?"
"Sure not--if you paid duty, which would only be about double what youwere going to pay for one year's pasture."
Eagle Creek breathed deeply, like a man who has narrowly escapedsuffocation. "Young man, I b'lieve you're a square dealer, and that yuhsavvy the cow business. I've thought it ever since yuh started t' work."His keen old eyes twinkled at the memory of Rowdy's arrival, and Rowdygrinned. "I take yuh at your word, and yuh can consider yourself incharge uh this herd as it stands. Take it t' that cow heaven yuh tellabout--and damn it, yuh won't be none the worse for it!"
"We'll pass that up," said Rowdy quietly. "I'll take the herd through,though; and I'd advise you to get the rest on the road as soon as theycan be gathered. It's a three-hundred-mile drive."
"All right. From now on it's up to you," Eagle Creek told him briskly."Take 'em back t' the Rockin' R field, and I'll send the wagons backt' you. Old Mullen'll likely make a roar--but that's most all gove'mentland he's got fenced, so I guess I can calm him down. Will yuh go nearthe ranch?"
"I think so," said Rowdy. "It will be the shortest way."
"Well, I'll give yuh some blank checks, an' you can load up with gruband anything else yuh need. I'll be over there by the time you are, andfix up that duty business. Wooden Shoes'll have t' get another outfittogether, and get another bunch on the trail. One good thing--I gotthirty days t' get off what cattle is on there; and thirty days uh grassand water'll put 'em in good shape for the trip. Wish this bunch was aswell fixed."
"That's what," Rowdy assented. "But I think they'll make it, all right."
"I'll likely want yuh to stay up there and keep cases on 'em. Anyobjections?"
"Sure not!" laughed Rowdy. "Only I'll want Pink and the Silent One tostay with me."
"Keep what men yuh want. Anything else?"
"I don't think of anything," said Rowdy. "Only I'd like to havea--talk--with Conroy." Creek eyed him sharply. "Yuh won't be apt t'meet him. Old Bill Brown, up home, would like to see him, too. Bill'sa perseverin' old cuss, and wants to see Conroy so bad he's got thesheriff out lookin' for him. It's about a bunch uh horses that was runoff, three years ago. Yuh brought one of 'em back into the country lastspring, yuh mind."
Rowdy and Pink looked at one another, but said nothing.
"Old Bill, he follered your back trail and found out some things hewanted t' know. Conroy got wind of it, though, and he left the agencykind-a suddint. No use yuh lookin' for him."
"Then we're ready to hit the grit, I guess." Rowdy glanced again at Pinkwho nodded.
"Well, I ain't stoppin' yuh," Eagle Creek drawled laconically. "S'-long,and good luck t' yuh."
He waited while Pink and the Silent One swung the point back down thehill, with Rowdy helping them, quite unmoved by his sudden promotion.When the herd was fairly started on the backward march, Eagle Creeknodded satisfaction the while he pried off a corner of plug-tobacco.
"He's all right," he asserted emphatically. "That boy suits me, fromthe ground up. If he don't put that deal through in good shape, it'll bebecaus' it can't be did."
Wooden Shoes, with whom Rowdy had always been a prime favorite, agreedwith Dutch heartiness. Then, leaving the herd to its new guardian theyrode swiftly to overtake and turn back the wagons.
"Three hundred miles! And part of it across howling desert!" Rowdy drewhis brows together. "It's a big thing for me, all right, Pink; but it'ssure a big contract to take this herd through, if anybody should happento ask yuh."
"Oh, buck up! You'll make good, all right--if only these creeks wasn'tso bone dry!"
"Well, there's water enough in the Rocking R field for to-day; we'llthrow 'em in there till tomorrow. And I've a notion I can find a bettertrail across to North Fork than the way we came. I'm going to strikeout this afternoon and see, anyway, if Quitter Creek hasn't got waterfarther up. Once we get up north uh the home ranch, I can see my wayclear."
"Go to it, boss," Pink cried heartily. "I don't see how I'm goin t'keep from sassing yuh, once in a while, though. That's what bothers me.What'll happen if I turn loose on yuh, some time?"
"You'll get fired, I expect," laughed Rowdy, and rode off to announcethe news to the rest of the outfit, who were very unhappy in theirmystification.
If their reception of the change of plans and foreman was a bit profane,and their manner toward him a bit familiar, Rowdy didn't mind. He knewthat they did not grudge him his good luck, even while they hatedthe long drive. He also knew that they watched him furtively; fornothing--not even misfortune--is as sure a test of a man's characteras success. They liked Rowdy, and they did not believe this would spoilhim; still, every man of them was secretly a bit anxious.
On the trail, he rode in his accustomed place, and, so far asappearances went, the party had no foreman. He went forward and helpedPink take down the fence that had been so carefully put up a few hoursbefore, and he whistled while he put it in place again, just as ifhe had no responsibility in the world. Then the cattle were left tothemselves, and the men rode down to their old campground, marked byempty tin-cans and a trodden place where had been the horse corral.
Rowdy swung down and faced the men gravely. Instinctively they stood atattention, waiting for what he had to say; they felt that the situationwas so far out of the ordinary that a few remarks pertaining to theirnew relations would not be out of place.
He looked them over appraisingly, and met glances as grave as his own.Straight, capable fellows they were, every man of them.
"Boys," he began impressively, "you all know that from to-day on you'reworking under my orders. I never was boss of anything but the cayuse Ihappened to have under me, and I'm going to extract all the honey thereis in the situation. Maybe I'll never be boss again--but at present I'mit. I want you fellows to remember that important fact, and treat mewith proper respect. From now on you can call me Mr. Vaughan; 'Rowdy'doesn't go, except on a legal holiday.
"Furthermore, I'm not going to get out at daylight and catch up my ownhorse; I'll let yuh take turns being flunky, and I'll expect yuhto saddle my horse every morning and noon, and bring him to thecook-tent--and hold my stirrup for me. Also, you are expected, atall times and places, to anticipate my wants and fall over yourselveswaiting on me. You're just common, ordinary, forty-dollar cow-punchers,and if I treat yuh white, it's because I pity yuh for not being up whereI am. Remember, vassals, that I'm your superior, mentally, morally,socially--"
"Chap him!" yelled Pink, and made for him "I'll stand for a lot, butdon't yuh ever think I'm a vassal!"
"Mutiny is strictly prohibited!" he thundered. "Villains, beware!Gadzooks--er--let's have a swim before the wagons come!"
They laughed and made for the creek, feeling rather crestfallen and abit puzzled.
"If I had an outfit like this to run, and a three hundred-mile drive tomake," Bob Nevin remarked to the Silent One, "blessed if I'd make a joshof it! I'd cultivate the corrugated brow and the stiff spine--me!"
"My friend," the Silent One responded, "don't be too hasty in yourjudgment. It's because the corrugated brow will come later that helaughs now. You'll presently find yourself accomplishing the impossiblein obedience to the flicker of Rowdy Vaughan's eyelids. Man, did younever observe the set of his head, and the look of his eye? RowdyVaughan will get more out of this crowd than any man ever did; and if hefails, he'll fail with the band playing 'Hot Time.'"
"Maybe so," Bob admitted, not quite convinced; "but I wonder if herealizes what he'
s up against." At which the Silent One only smiledqueerly as he splashed into the water.
After dinner Rowdy caught up the blue roan, which was his favorite fora hard ride--he seemed to have forgotten his speech concerning"flunkies"--and rode away up the coulee which had brought them into thefield the night before. The boys watched him go, speculated a lot, andwent to sleep as the best way of putting in the afternoon.
Pink, who knew quite well what was in Rowdy's mind, said nothing at all;it is possible that he was several degrees more jealous of the dignityof Rowdy's position than was Rowdy himself, who had no time to think ofanything but the best way of getting the herd to Canada. He would liketo have gone along, only that Rowdy did not ask him to. Pink assuredhimself that it was best for Rowdy not to start playing any favorites,and curled down in the bed-tent with the others and went to sleep.
It was late that night when Rowdy crept silently into his corner ofthe tent; but Pink was awake, and whispered to know if he found water.Rowdy's "Yes" was a mere breath, but it was enough.
At sunrise the herd trailed up the Rocking R coulee, and Pink and theSilent One pointed them north of the old trail.