The Flying U Ranch

er his eyes, so that the sun could not shine upon his lids so hotly; when he discovered that he c

of body movements; Andy, with his arms pinioned tightly the whole length of them, rolled over on his fac

r his voice sweeping up to a certain rhetorical climax, pausing there and commencing again with a rhythmic fluency of intonation, might have thought that he was repeating poetr

ong legs outstretched behind cast a beady eye upon him, and shrilled

the bird whimsically, with a reaction to his normally cheerful outlook. "Sheepherders

g young man, and one with a ready wit, he managed at length to wriggle himself back upon the slope from which he had slid in his sl

e hoped to be able to retrieve, in a measure, his self-respect, which he had lost when the first three feet of his o

to him in his present position. His hands he could not move from his thighs; he could wiggle his fingers-which he did, to relieve as much as possible that unpleasant, prickly sensation which we call a "going to sleep" of the afflicted members. When it occurred to him that he could not do a

specially since the Happy Family, believing that he was forcing them steadily to the north, would not be watching for sheep. The barbed wire barrier bothered him somewhat. He was compelled to lie down and roll under the fence, in the most undignified manner, and, when he was through, the

arbed tongues. But he was hungry, and his arms had reached the limit of prickly sensations and were numb to his shoulders. He shook his hair back from his beaded forehead, cast a wary glance at the silent st

of good things to eat. The door was closed. Andy stood before it as a guilty-conscienced child stands before its teacher; cli

hen a heavy tread. Patsy opened the door, gasped and st

dy demanded querulously, and

e into the Bad Lands next to the river; but there were enough left to make the soul o

s inquiry, grinned wisely and warily, and went on with their dinner. At least they pretended to go on

t last in a choked tone, "maybe one of you

ith cheerful alacrity. "I'll do it now, if you say so; I

ated the word li

r that there style," Slim stated solemnly. "I need m'

onspicuous," Pink observed, while he fumbled at the knot, which was i

herders make a monkey of me.... They slipped up behind, going down into Antelope coulee, and slid down the bluff onto me; a

xplainable sense which warns us when our

a hostile jackrabbit, or something," Pink pu

tardy bellow. "That's more reasonable

y, with a trembling of the muscles around his mouth. He was quite white, considering how tan

ke still in that peculiar, husky tone, and, when the l

regarding Andy steadily, as one gazes upon a tangled rope, l

'd better untie him," he advised in his soft drawl. "He may

Andy, going over to him,

till they're dead shy of anything they can't see through. And, besides, it sure does look like a plant. I'd back you single-handed again

allered too many baits, by golly. He's figurin' on gettin' us all out on the war-path, runnin' around in circles, s

t!" Big Medicine thumped him painfully upon the back by way

numbed arms with some difficulty, and displayed to the d

ours, you-" Well, never mind, he merely repeated a part of what he had recited aloud in Antelope coulee, the only difference being that he applied the

ness, in that the Happy Family were absolutely convinced of his sincerity, and the feelings of Andy greatly relieved, so that, when

, by this tine," Weary observed, as casually as

savagely: "He wasn't in sight, as I came along. I didn't follow the trail; I struck straigh

"Strange as it may seem, I believe you, Andy. What I want to know is this: Who owns them Dots? And what are they chasing all over the Flying U range for? It looks plumb malicious, to me. Did

mised, thawing to his normal tone, which was pleasant to the ear. "I didn't find out much abo

r! Well, what d'yuh think uh that!" He glared from one face to the oth

Andy with that concentration of attention which means so much more

ay to his mouth. "Sure-Whittaker and Oleson. I nev

smiled, but his eyes had quite los

work, and-well, he sold out to the Old Man. The old party with the hoofs and tail can't be everywhere at once, t

job on the Gordon boys, and r

with enlightenment. "I've heard a lot abo

ing to a sheep outfit would make the old devil feel kinda uneasy, talking to us-" Pink's eyes were big and

face was lowering. "And he'd better not monkey with the Flying U eithe

n in his tone, as though his mind was busy with more important things. "Maybe Andy'll feel able to help you set those posts, Bud-and you'd better go along the upper

zzically just behind him. "I thought sur

is own brand of poison to that bunch. You and I will take a ride over to Denson's and see what's going on