The Flying U Ranch

s teeth before he went about his work. After a minute of listening to the boys "joshing" old Patsy about some gooseberry

nced in the bellowing tone which was his

h got in town Sunday," Weary explained soothingly. "I've sme

eve I hear 'em, too, by golly." Slim stepped out away f

d, and loitered out to where Slim stood still sniffing. "I wonder if you'r

om within. "When anybody claims there's shee

nantly. "I never seen such an outfit as this is gittin' to be; you

Slim; you can't all be famous," he comforted. "Some day, maybe, I'll teach yuh the fine art of lying more convincingly than the ordinary man can tell the truth.

ing sing-song, which can be made only by a herd of a thousand or more sheep, all blatting in differe

horse. After him went the Native Son, who had not been with the Flying U long enough to sense the magnitude of the affront, and Slim, who

, on the move somewhere," Weary gave as a solution

n who owned them, and the lunatics who watched over the blatting things. They were cattlemen to the m

e grass clean to the sod, and trampled with their sharp-pointed hoofs the very roots into lifelessness; which polluted the water-holes and creeks until cattle and horses went thirsty rather than drink; which, in that land of scant rainfal

the hillsides they spread like a noisome gray blanket. "Maa-aa, maa-aa, maa-aa," two thousand strong they blatted a

were to be gathered and held temporarily at the ranch; for it would save herding, and a week in that pasture would put a keen edge on their spirits for the hard work of the cal

ouped, stiffened in their saddles

laces fine! They'll drive their sheep right into your dooryard and tell 'en to help themse

bsence, was making straight for the nearest herder.

e other side moving. Make 'em travel-back where they came from." He jerked his head toward the north. He knew, just as t

killing the black bugs that scuttled out from the moist earth beneath. He desisted from this unexciting pastime as they drew near, and eyed them with the sullenness that comes of long isolation when the person's nature forbids that other extreme

busy with your dogs, and haze these sheep back on the bench." He waved his hand to the north.

obey the command. The dogs sat upon their haunches and perked their ears inquiringly, as if

with the manner of one who del

on water another hour, yet." He went back to turning over the small rocks and to pur

to condone it as imbecility. "Mamma!" he breathed eloquently, and grinned at Andy and Pink. "This is a rea

ion on those dogs-what?" he considered aloud, glancing back at them where they still sat upon their haunches and watched the strange riders. "Say, Cadwal

ps replied amiably to his boss. "I've g

inned and said n

rd Big Medicine's truculent bellow, as he leaned from the saddle and waved a fist close to the face of the herder, but,

tation-and he knew it. They were seven against one; therefore, after making some caustic remarks, which produced as little effect as had Weary's command upon the firs

and there were faces grown crimson from wrath. Eventually, however, the Happy Family faced the north fence of the Flying

The Happy Family went back and rounded up the herders, and by sheer weight of numbers forced them to the fence without laying so much as

where they belong," We

strands, so that the wires, which had thus been lifted to permit the passing o

d sheep are just about as welcome as smallpox. Haze them stinking things as far north as th

ness," mumbled the

certainly at his fellows. "Well, it don't matter much where it is; you see to it you don't

e hill, and merged into a great, gray blotch against the faint green of the new grass-a blotch from which rose again that vibrant, sing-song humming of many voices mingled. The

py Family awoke the next morning to hear Pink's melodious

nes in the coulee!" Men who know well the

d, brown head from his pillow, and blinked sleepily at

etorted. "The whole blamed coulee's full uh sheep. I woke up a while ago and thought I just imagine

s and reached for his clothes. He did not say anyth

ow then blattin' human apes wouldn't git gay around here if I was runnin' this outfit. The

re were who seemed rather inclined to give Weary good advice while they pulled on their boots and sought for their gloves and

adwalloper?" Weary asked, during a bri

he hill, but they ain't. Why, darn it, they're straggling in

one way or the other." He went out and over to the mess-house to see if Patsy had the coffee ready; for this was a good three-quarters of

le the door was being closed. "Good thing the Old Man ain't here, no

appy Jack. "When sheepherders starts in once to be ornery, there ain't no way uh stop

. "Yuh wouldn't ketch me goin' t' jail for no doggone

zed out yesterday afternoon," said Andy Green thoughtfully. "Looks

duly hurried; there were no biscuits in sight, for one thing, though Patsy was lumbering about the stove frying hot-cakes. They were in too grea

offee so that it would not actually scald his palate. "That's why I wanted you to get some grub into you. Some of you fellows will have to t

man is enough to put the fear uh the Lord into then herde

y chasing sheepherders around over the country. So we'll haze 'em through the fence again, and, seeing you feel that way about it, I'll let you go around and keep 'em going. And, if you locate their camp, kinda impress it on the tender, if y

I'm going to quit handing out any valuab

s plate. "Yuh will try to work some innercent man into sheepherdin', will yuh? Haw-haw-haw-w! You'll come in tonight blat

ob, Weary," Andy suggested. "It won

somebody along," Weary began, soft

ily, and got up from the table. "Being a truthful man, I can't say I'm stuck on the job; but I'm game for it. And I'll promise you there won't be

le. "If they belonged anywhere in this part of the country, though, they wouldn'

pasture. To the nostrils of the outraged Happy Family was borne that indescribable aroma which betrays the presence

unfortunate Andy, who rode slowly up to the mess-house for the lunch which Patsy had waiting for him in a flour sack, and afterward climbed the

. The bug-killer still scowled, but he spoke witho

ee," he growled. "Them's ord

long shot, you don't. You're going back where you