"That's for you to take care of. Good evening. The contract is declared off."
* * *
CHAPTER XXVI.
A COMPROMISE.
Ted hurried back to the cow camp.
"Stuff's off," he shouted, when he came within shouting distance. The boys, who were lounging around the fire, resting from their arduous drive, sprang to their feet.
"What's the row?" asked big Ben Tremont.
"They insist upon our driving the herd about five miles farther into the reservation to-night, so that that lazy lieutenant who is to do the inspecting in the morning will have as little trouble as possible. I refused to do it, and they tried to run a sandy on me, but I wouldn't stand for it. If they'd been white to me I would have had the cattle in there if it took me all night."
"That duck o' a lootenant wuz a trifle gay," said Bud. "He tried to run a blazer on yer Uncle Dudley, but I told him to run along, an' I reckon he'll have no Christmas present for me this year."
"Did you tell the boss there was nothing doing in the moving line?" asked Ben.
"You bet I did," answered Ted. "That gay lieutenant who was here ran at once to the boss with his tale of woe, and the boss threw his chest out at me and tried the little-boy game on me. He thought he had me bluffed when in comes another officer, who told him that a beef issue to the Indians was due to-morrow, and that there wasn't an animal in the post pasture."
"Wow!" exclaimed Bud. "That means trouble for some one, unless they can dig up something to take its place, for an Indian who has his mouth made up fer fresh meat is lierble ter become rantankerous if he don't get it."
"I guess that's why they were so anxious to get the beef up to the pasture to-night," said Kit.
"Of course. When I heard that all my nerve came back to me, and I decided that I would give those officers a lesson."
"What are you going to do?" asked Ben.
"Drive the herd off the reservation."
"Gee, that will put us in the hole bad."
"Oh, I don't know. We'll trail them a little farther north, keep them a few months on free range, then drive them to the railroad and slide them into Chicago on a rising market. I had the whole thing figured out in case we got here too late, which I expected to do on account of our being held back by dry weather and too much water, coming in streaks."
"I'd like to have been there when you were throwing your bluff into the colonel. I suppose he had the surprise of his life."
"He looked like it. By Jove, he has a mighty pretty daughter, if he is a grouch himself."
"Seem to have an eye for beauty yourself."
"Not as keen as yours." Ben blushed when Ted said this, for Ben was always having a new girl and talking about her.
"I noticed her because she was so pleasant, and so different from her father, and that fellow Barrows, who seems to be very soft on her."
"Well, we have no fight with the ladies of the post," said Ben.
"How did it end?" asked Kit, who always wanted results.
"I simply told them that they couldn't have the cattle now, and walked away."
"That must have been a facer."
"Seemed to be, for the colonel called after me to know if I was aware that if the beef issue didn't come off there would probably be an Indian uprising, and I told him it was up to him."
"Well, I suppose it's hike," said Bud, pulling on his boots.
"Yes, get the dogies up, and we'll trail them back until we are out of the reservation. It's not far."
The boys mounted, and rode among the cattle, getting them to their feet.
Soon the herd was moving slowly along the back trail, with Ted and Bud pointing them out.
Suddenly, from the woods to the right rode a band of horsemen in the dark, for the sun had long since gone down.
"What's this? A holdup?" asked Bud.
"Can't tell yet. By Jove, I believe they are soldiers. I wonder if they are going to try to stop us."
"S'posing they try it?"
"We'll have to ride it out. I wouldn't be held up on the reservation now for anything. That would spoil it all. They would do anything they wanted with us if we stood for that, and throw out a lot of legitimate stock to get square with us."
"What do you mean?"
"If they're soldiers, and try to keep us in, you ride back and start the herd to stampeding. Let the soldiers take care of themselves. If they're regular cavalry, they will be able to ride well enough to get out of the way."
"Bully idea. O' course, we can't help it if the cattle get scared at them bright uniforms, an' git ter runnin'." Bud chuckled at the thought.
"Halt!"
The voice of Lieutenant Barrows rang out commandingly.
"Now's your chance, Bud," said Ted. "Mind you, get them started good and plenty. I don't care if they run five miles."
Presently, from the rear of the herd came a shout of warning, and the herd increased its speed from a lazy walk into a trot.
Back in the darkness the cowboys were riding through the herd hurrying up the cattle with their quirts.
From a trot they broke into a gallop, and this soon grew into a perfect rout, for cattle are easily frightened at night.
As soon as Ted saw that the cattle were going to run, sure enough, he dashed across the intervening space to where the dark forms were standing in the path of the oncoming cattle.
He saw at once that it was Lieutenant Barrows and a squad of cavalrymen, and that they were armed with carbines. He resented this, as the lieutenant had no business to arm his men in this way for such an errand.
As Ted rode up, he shouted:
"Get out of the way, if you don't want to be trampled to death."
"What do you mean, you scoundrel?" shouted Barrows. "Halt, when I give the command, or take the consequences."
"Out of the way, you fool!" shouted Ted, as he swept past. "Don't you see that the cattle are stampeding?"
If the lieutenant did not know it, being so recently out of West Point, the men did, for with a yell they turned and rode like mad for the side lines.
Then, for the first time, the young officer, hearing the sullen bellow of the cattle and the thunder of the hoofs, turned and followed Ted.
But the leaders were almost upon him, and, realizing that death was following him fast, he gave an agonizing cry.
Ted heard the cry, and understood its import.
While he disliked and despised the bullying officer, he had no desire to see harm come to him.
The lieutenant's horse, while a good-enough cavalry animal in times of peace, was not the match of the cow ponies, and was already badly winded, as well as frightened, and was losing ground steadily.
"Bear off to the right!" shouted Ted repeatedly. But the officer was evidently too frightened or rattled to understand, and kept blundering along.
Ted saw that disaster was sure to follow in a short while if Barrows didn't change his tactics.
The herd was going at regulation stampede speed now, but this did not cause Ted to think of his own danger when he deliberately turned Sultan and came galloping back upon the advancing sea of sharp horns.
In a moment he was beside Barrows, wheeled suddenly, and began to ride against the cavalry horse, forcing it to one side, and urging it on with lashes of his quirt.
At last he got the heavy brute going the way he wanted and soon it was out of danger, as the frantic herd swept by with a roar like that of a lightning express rushing over a culvert.
Barrows was sitting on his trembling horse, pale, and with beads of perspiration standing out on his forehead.
"You did that on purpose, curse you," snarled the lieutenant. "You made those cattle run."
Ted looked at him in astonishment. He thought at least that the soldier would murmur some few words of gratitude for having been saved from a horrible death.
"You're a grateful chap, I must say," said Ted. "You weren't far from kingdom come then, I can tell you."
"I'll see that you are
punished for this," said Barrows, wheeling his horse and riding out of sight in the direction of the post.
It was two hours before the boys headed the cattle and got them to milling, and then broke them up and succeeded in getting them bedded down.
As they got a new camp fire made, and were lying around it, Bud said, with a laugh:
"That was a mighty slick trick o' yours, Ted. It certainly took ther herd off ther reservation in a hurry."
"I don't see yet why it was necessary to stampede them," said Ben, who was sore at having had to do so much work getting the herd together again.
"Can't, eh?" said Bud. "That's all er collidge eddication done fer yer? Why, if we hadn't got them cattle off'n thar pretty pronto, thet thar lootenant would hev bagged every animile on foot. But Ted, he foresee what they wuz up ter, an' ther simplest way wuz ter run 'em off in a fake stampede. It done ther work, too, fer we're out o' ther reservation whar they can't touch us."
Except for the night guard, the boys rolled themselves in their blankets and were soon sound asleep.
The next morning Ted began to drift the herd slowly into the north, where there was plenty of free range. They were still well within view of the fort.
It was almost time for the beef issue at the post, and Ted and Bud, walking their ponies slowly along in the lead of the herd, were talking about it.
"Wonder they ain't been out to head us off this morning?" said Bud.
"They know they cannot take forcible possession of our cattle when we are off the reservation," answered Ted. "Hello, what's that heading this way?"
Coming toward them from the direction of the fort, several riders were kicking up the dust in lively fashion.
As they got nearer the riders revealed themselves as four soldiers, accompanied by two ladies.
Suddenly Ted pulled in his pony, and grasped Bud's arm.
"If that don't look like Stella I'll eat my saddle blanket fried in butter," he said.
"Shore do look some like her," answered Bud, "an' that's ther same little ole red jacket what she wears."
In a few moments they heard Stella's hail, and answered it.
Then up galloped Stella and Miss Croffut, accompanied by the commandant of the post, Lieutenant Barrows, and two other officers, a captain and a major.
After greeting the boys, and formally introducing Miss Croffut, Stella told them that from their last telegram she thought she might be able to catch them at Fort Felton, and had not hesitated in coming on, particularly as she happened to know Miss Croffut.
"What's this trouble you fellows have been getting into with the folks at the fort?" asked Stella.
"We're not having any trouble, but we had some in the night when the dogies stampeded us," replied Ted, with an almost imperceptible wink at her.
"None of my business, I suppose?"
"None in the least."
"See here, Mr. Strong," the colonel broke in, "I suppose I was somewhat hasty last night in talking with you, especially as you had arrived on time. I wish you'd turn back, and let us have those cattle."
"Like to if you'd said so a little earlier, but since morning, and the expiration of the contract, beef has gone up."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that you haven't money enough to buy these cattle. What's the matter? Want a few head to feed to the Indians?"
"We want the whole herd, but as you have guessed the truth, we must have a few head to keep those crazy Indians from making trouble. They have heard that the cattle are gone, and I'm afraid that they will break loose and murder a lot of settlers to get even with Uncle Sam."
"What are the troops for?"
"We wouldn't dare go after them without orders from Washington."
"Well, you started it, and I would advise you to go on to the finish."
"If we don't get enough cattle to feed the Indians the post is ruined."
"You should have thought of that contingency when you sent your amiable young assistant out to me." He looked at Barrows.
"Well, I apologize for him. He was dead wrong, but so was I."
"Nothing doing! You would have given me the worst of it if I had been chump enough not to know the cow business as I do. But these cattle are due on the high range in a few days, and we must be moving on. Adios."
"Oh, Mr. Strong, please do let us have enough cattle for those poor Indians. The squaws and babies and growing children are actually starving, for the government has kept them on short allowance lately. Let a few head go to us."
Ted said nothing for several moments, during which they all looked at him anxiously.
"Come on, Ted, be a good fellow," said Stella, with a laugh.
"All right," said Ted. "How many do you want cut out?" Ted was looking at the colonel.
"I'd like to have the whole herd," answered the colonel.
"They're not for sale. They're going up to the high range for the rest of the summer, then to market, and I hope it will be a fairer one than this. But for the sake of the young ladies, who have more influence with this bunch in a minute than all the officers at Fort Felton have in a year, I'll cut out enough for the beef issue. How many head do you need for the Indians?"
"About five hundred," answered the colonel, in a very different voice from that he had used the night before.
"Bud, cut out, count, and deliver five hundred head at the post pasture. Stella, we're going on. Where's your aunt?"
"Up at the post. Say, Ted Strong, don't believe for a minute that I'm not going, too. I'll get a wagon for auntie, and we'll hit your trail in a couple of hours."
* * *
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE BEEF ISSUE.
When Bud and the boys rode into the herd to cut out the five hundred head of cattle, the four officers went away to inspect the animals as they came out, leaving Ted to talk to the two girls.
Nothing was said about the unpleasant interview on the colonel's veranda the evening before, but Stella laughingly told how she had decided at the last moment to follow the fortunes of the boys, and had dragged her aunt off to Montana without giving her time to think about it.
While they were chatting the colonel rode up.
"Mr. Strong, I wish you would come up to headquarters and get your voucher for these cattle before you go. I should like you to dine with us, also."
"Please do, Ted," said Stella. "Then you can ride back to camp with aunt and I. I have been trying to persuade Hallie to join our party for a week or two, and experience the joys and excitement of the cattle trail."
"I should like very much to go with you, but——"
Miss Croffut looked at her father with some apprehension.
"If Mrs. Graham will consent to add to her burdens as a chaperon I have no objections," said the colonel whose manner toward Ted had been simply reversed by the independence and manliness the broncho boys had exhibited.
"We should be very glad to have you with us, Miss Croffut," said Ted. "And if you have never been on the long drive I believe you would find much that would interest you."
"Then it's all settled," cried Stella. "I'm sure aunt would be delighted to have you, and you will like the boys. They are like a lot of brothers to me, only they are better than most brothers, for they let me do what I please, and are a help instead of a nuisance."
They all laughed at Stella's estimate of the usefulness of brothers, and rode away toward the fort, Ted leading the way with Miss Croffut, whom he found to be an exceedingly interesting companion, and who expressed her love for riding and other outdoor sports.
"We're going to see the beef issue," Stella called to Ted.
"All right," he answered. "It will be some time before the cattle are up to the pens, and, in the meantime, we'll leave you there, and ride over to headquarters and settle the business end of it."
The girls were left at the office of the Indian agent near the place where the cattle were to be issued to the Indians.
Scattered over the prairie near the agent's office we
re the members of the tribe, waiting patiently for their portion of the fresh meat, which, at certain times of the year, Uncle Sam doled out to them.
It was a savage sight. Here and there were the smoke-browned tepees of the Indians, before which sat the squaws and papooses, and the old men and women.
The bucks, heads of families, strode back and forth majestically, with their rifles and old muskets in the hollow of their arms, while the young men and half-grown boys dashed here and there on their ponies.
It was an animated scene, and the two girls looked at it curiously, for neither of them had seen anything like it before.
While they were looking out of the window a shadow darkened the doorway, and they looked up to see a tall young buck Indian standing on the threshold.
He was very tall for a Northern Indian, and his broad, bronze-colored face, with its high cheek bones, and prominent, aquiline nose, with the black, beady eyes between, and the wide, loose-lipped mouth beneath, caused Miss Croffut to shudder unknowingly.
To her there was something repulsive about the fellow. But Stella looked at him boldly and inquiringly.
"How?" grunted the Indian.
"What you want?" asked Stella, in a business-like way.
"Me want agent," he answered, with a leer, which evidently he intended for a smile of fascination.
"Not here," said Stella sharply.
"Where go?"
"Get out."
The Indian stared at her with an expression of amazement, which gradually turned to one of admiration.
"Heap good-looking squaw," he grunted.
"Get out," said Stella again.
She was not frightened, only disgusted.
"Me Running Bear. Heap big chief. Heap rich. Heap brave. Running Bear want white squaw. Heap other wives cook for white squaw. Make plenty red dress."
When the Indian had first entered the room Stella thought that there was something decidedly familiar about the redskin, but when the name "Running Bear" fell from his lips, her worst fears were confirmed—this was the Indian with whom Ted had had trouble during the winter, when he had broken up the Whipple gang.
As he strode into the middle of the room, with his hand on the butt of the revolver that hung on his left hip, Miss Croffut uttered a faint scream.
Ted Strong in Montana Page 20