by Gary Paulsen
CHAPTER 11
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Alex leaned on a nearby boulder.
Bobbie sat beside her. “Like I said, it’s a shortcut.”
“I hope it beats your last shortcut.”
“Give me a break. How was I supposed to know that canyon would be full of running water? I didn’t know it had rained that hard up here.”
“How soon before we get to this ‘Turkey Roost,’ anyway?”
“Not long. Just over the next ridge.”
“What makes you think that’s where the cows are?”
“The Bledsoes wouldn’t take them home because it would be too easy for them to get caught. They’re not smart enough to think of using the box canyon. So that leaves the Turkey Roost. It’s the only other place on this whole mountain with even a piece of a fence that will hold cattle.”
Alex stood up. “If we’re that close, let’s get going.”
Bobbie’s shoulders drooped. Her ankle was starting to throb and she noticed that her breathing was a little ragged. “I can’t remember the last time I walked this far.”
“That’s because you’re spoiled. Every time you step out of the house you probably jump on a horse.”
Bobbie thought about telling Alex a thing or two about being spoiled. Then she remembered the morning she had actually tried to do her chores while riding Sonny. She half smiled and decided to save it for another time.
“Listen.” Alex held up her hand. “Do you hear that?”
Wolf’s ears were up. He was alert and started for the next ridge.
Bobbie called him back. She tried to get a grip on her breathing. “It’s the cattle. They’re bawling because those idiots have them penned up with no water.”
Alex stayed low and climbed to the top of the ridge. She could see the cows. They were in a small clearing just on the other side of some trees. Diablo wasn’t with them. The Bledsoe boys had made camp and were sitting near the fire laughing about something.
Bobbie crawled up behind her. “I don’t see the horses or the bull.”
Alex worked her way around a stand of pine trees. She motioned for Bobbie to follow and pointed to a spot on the other side of the cattle. “The horses are over there. They’re not even tied up.” She spoke in a low voice. “They must not be too worried about us coming after them.”
“They need to start worrying.” Bobbie squared her shoulders and headed down the hill.
“Hold on.” Alex grabbed the back of Bobbie’s shirt. “We need a plan.”
“Why? Aren’t you the one who said they were my cows and I should just go get them?”
“If you go rushing down there, who knows what those two might do? They could turn the cattle loose and we’d wind up chasing them all over again.”
The corner of Bobbie’s mouth twitched furiously. “I know one thing, we’re not going to get them back by standing around here talking about it all day.”
“Right.” Alex picked up the saddlebags and moved under a tree and sat down. She rummaged inside and pulled out a can of tomatoes. “Yechh. Don’t you eat anything besides beans, peaches, and tomatoes?”
“You’re going to eat at a time like this?”
Alex nodded. “Those guys aren’t going anywhere. Besides, it will give us time to make our plan.”
CHAPTER 12
“This idea of yours better work.” Bobbie stroked Wolf as she put her arm through the coiled rope.
“At least in the dark we have the element of surprise on our side.”
They stood on the hill above the Bledsoes’ camp. The fire had gone down to a dull glow. Both boys seemed to be asleep in their bedrolls. Alex could hear them snoring all the way to the top of the ridge.
The cousins made their way silently down the hillside and found their horses’ halters and lead ropes in a heap next to a tree stump where the Bledsoes had tossed them. Bobbie handed Alex the roan’s halter and moved to untangle Sonny’s.
Alex slipped the halter over the roan’s ears. The old horse seemed glad to see her. Alex patted him and scratched his neck.
They untied the Bledsoes’ horses and pushed them gently away into the brush, then slipped Jesse’s and Calvin’s saddles onto their own mounts. Working silently, in a short time they were ready for the cows.
Across the opening, in the pale moonlight, Alex could see the Bledsoe boys still sleeping. She saw something else too.
Their boots.
Quickly she dismounted and tiptoed to the bedrolls.
Bobbie tried to grab her as she went past but Alex was too fast.
One pair wasn’t enough. Alex reached for the second pair.
A large hand clamped around her ankle.
She fell forward.
The older Bledsoe had her foot. She twisted and threw the boots at him, pounding him in the chest and face. Jesse loosened his grip and Alex scrambled to stand up. He tackled her. The air blew out of her lungs. She felt as if someone had dropped a house on her.
Calvin sat up, reached his hand down the back of his long underwear, and scratched. He squinted out into the darkness. “What’s going on, Jesse?”
“Get over here and help me, stupid. She’s getting away!”
Alex squirmed out from under Jesse and managed to get to her knees. Calvin kicked off his sleeping bag and reached for her arm. She swung wildly with the other one.
Calvin yelled and held his eye. “She hit me!”
Bobbie rode up with Wolf by her side. The big dog snarled menacingly. “What do you think, Alex? Is it suppertime for Wolf?”
The boys froze as the dog neared them. Alex looked up. Bobbie was sitting on Sonny, laughing. She struggled to her feet, threw her hair back, and glared at Bobbie. “It took you long enough.”
Bobbie smiled. “Yeah, I thought I better bust this up before one of these poor boys got hurt.” She turned to the Bledsoes. “Seems we have a small case of cattle rustling going on here.” She rubbed her chin. “If I remember right, that’s still a hanging offense.”
“Want me to get a rope?” Alex asked.
Jesse shook his head nervously. “We were just having a good time with you, Bobbie. You know that. Shoot—we ain’t no rustlers.”
“Maybe we’ll just let the sheriff decide about that, Jesse. Although it looks like a pretty clear-cut case to me.”
Calvin looked worried. “Our dad will kill us if you call the law. He’s running for county commissioner next month.”
Alex moved beside Bobbie. “Maybe you clowns should have thought about that before you stole our cows.”
“Our cows?” Jesse looked confused. “Who are you, anyway?”
Bobbie laughed. “Boys, I’d like you to meet another Walker. And in case you haven’t figured it out yet—messing with her was probably the biggest mistake of your lives.”
CHAPTER 13
Bobbie crawled out of her bedroll the next morning to see Alex already saddling the horses.
“Too bad we lost Diablo,” Alex said.
Bobbie shrugged. “There’s always next year.”
“Maybe we should stay up here a few more days and look for him.”
“Naw. We better get these cows on home. Grandpa will start to get worried if we stay up here too long. And besides, we probably need to let somebody know about them.” Bobbie pointed to a big pine tree. On either side was a Bledsoe, still dressed in his long underwear and tied securely to the trunk.
Jesse strained against the ropes. “You can’t leave us here, Walker. There are bears up here.”
“Don’t worry,” Alex yelled, “one sniff of you and they’ll run the other way.” She leaned close to Bobbie. “What are you really going to do with those two?”
“I figured we’d start the cows down the trail a ways and then I’d come back and untie them later.”
Alex looked over at the boys. “Sure you don’t want to go ahead and hang them?”
“It’s tempting, but I guess I’ll pass.”
Alex pulled the barbed-wire gate op
en and the cows started filtering out. She stepped up onto her horse and began working to keep them bunched.
Bobbie watched her as she cut left to keep one of the calves from turning back. “Say, Alex, I was just wondering …”
Alex trotted closer. “What was that? I didn’t hear you.”
“I said I was just wondering about something.”
“What?”
Bobbie cleared her throat and her mouth started twitching. “I was just thinking that if you weren’t doing anything next spring …”
Alex’s face broke into a grin.
CHAPTER 14
Bobbie leaned down from the saddle and pulled the mailbox open. She took out a handful of letters and shut the box. One was postmarked Los Angeles. She ripped it open.
Dear Bobbie,
Just a line to let you know I made it home okay. I told my friends all about you and we’re agreed. You should break one less colt this summer and come out for a visit. I told them it wasn’t your fault that you were a just a hick from the country and made them promise not to be too rough on you.
Of course you realize it might not be as exciting as watching flies on manure or going to a movie on Saturday night, but we’ll see what we can do.
Seriously, I would like to see an old cowpoke like you try to stand up in a pair of Rollerblades. So let me know.
Alex
P.S.
By the way, what does “hook ’em, snotty” mean anyway?
Bobbie folded the letter and stuffed it inside her shirt pocket. “Shoot, Sonny,” she said, “everybody knows that’s what you yell to a rider before he mounts a bull.” She smiled, remembering the sight of Alex on Diablo’s back. “So what do you think, Sonny? Want to go to California and hang out?”
The big horse shook a fly off his neck.
“I know what you mean.” Bobbie moved him into a slow lope. “On the other hand, maybe you and I should go on out there. We’d show those city slickers a thing or two for sure.”
RIDING
A horse is a large, strong, and beautiful animal. But remember, a horse is not a plaything, and it can hurt you. Always stay by the front half of a horse’s body, even when grooming or mounting. Never make any sudden movements. Horses scare easily.
Equipment is very important to riding. Your saddle should not only fit you comfortably, it should also fit your horse, leaving it free from gall, or rub marks. A bit should suit your skill and your horse’s mouth. Reins should be made of a material you feel comfortable handling.
Mount your horse from the left side, remembering to stay well away from those back hooves. Place your left foot in the stirrup, hold the reins in your left hand, grab the saddle horn, and step up. Throw your right leg over the saddle.
Gather your reins in one hand. Leave enough slack so that you are not bearing down hard on the horse’s mouth. To go forward, gently nudge the horse with the heels of your boots. To back up, pull the reins evenly straight back toward the saddle horn. To turn right or left, simply pull the reins in the direction you want to go. Make sure you are sitting up straight. Your heels should be down.
If you are an inexperienced rider, practice riding your horse at a walk in an enclosed area. Later you can move up to a faster gait. When you are finished with your ride, be sure to give the horse a good rubdown.
ROPING
Roping is a challenging test of technique and accuracy. There are more than a hundred different brands and styles of ropes. Beginners should choose an inexpensive nylon rope. Shake the rope out in the store and see how the loop hangs. If it’s lopsided, don’t buy it.
Start by practicing roping on the ground. If you’re lucky enough to have a plastic steer or calf head that you can stick in a bale of hay to use as a target, great. If not, you may have to choose something different. Fence posts or bicycle handlebars work just fine. (Little brothers and sisters do not!)
Coil your rope from the straight end. If you are right-handed, hold the end with the loop in that hand, with your index finger pointed. Let the coils rest loosely in your left hand. (If you are left-handed, do the opposite.) Shake your loop out a little larger than your coils.
Twirl your loop over your head in a flat, circular motion. Point your index finger at the target and throw the loop as if you were throwing a rock. The coils should slide through your left hand. When the loop settles around the target, pull out the slack.
One important reminder: Horses can be dangerous. Do not attempt to rope from horseback unless both you and the horse are experienced.
Don’t miss all the exciting action!
Read the other action-packed books
in Gary Paulsen’s
WORLD OF ADVENTURE!
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Devil’s Wall.
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