The Flying U Ranch

charge of the bug-chaser and that other unlovable man from Wyoming fed just as close to the Flying U boundary as their guardians dared let them feed; a great deal closer than was good for the tempers

on the wide level beyond Antelope coulee. There were, he said, four men in charge of the band, and he believed they carried guns, though he was not positive of that. They wer

, but implying a good deal by its very omissions, would have been enough to send the Happy Family to

, "I'd see to it them sheep never gits across the coulee, by cripes! I'd send 'em so fa

n't so good along the trail. It's most all prairie-dog towns-but that's good enough for sheep." Jack, in his i

ke trouble if they kin," gloomed Happy Jack. "I betche they'll

orral, where a few saddle horses had been driven in

ep cases on them Dots, if I have to stand an all-night guard on 'em. I don't blame Weary; he's looking out for the law-and-order business-and tha

nest to grandma, I was just b'ginnin' to think this bunch was gitting all streaked up with yeller. 'Course, we ain't goin' to wait for no official orders, by cripes! I'd ruther lock Weary up in the bl

on our land. And, if you don't git killed, old Dunk'll fix yuh like he fixed the Gordon boys-I know him-to a fare-you-well. It'd

Dunk, if he's at home, and burn the house to hide the guilty deed. And, if the sheriff comes snooping around, asking disagreeable questions, we'll all swear you done it. So now you know our plans; shut your face and

'm goin' to swaller all that, you're away off! You wouldn't dast do nothing o

ted, tried and hanged for murder. And all the evidence there was against him was the fact that he was seen within five miles of the place on the same day the murder was committed; and his face. They had

yit that was worth the powder it'd take to blow him up! Aw, you fellers make me sick!" He went off, muttering his opinion of them all, and particularly of the Native

spending the night, and to find out, if possible, what were the herders' intentions. Since the boys were all restless under their worry, and, since there is a contagious element in seeking a

ge they were wont to employ at dances. Andy Green, in particular, seemed rather to look forward with pleasure to the meeting. Andy, by the way, had remained heartbrokenly passive during that whole week, because Weary had extracted

not, in their opinion, exactly pacific-they meant to respect his wishes as far as human nature was able to do so. So that the Happy Family, galloping toward the red sunset and t

band. A hundred yards away was a small tent, with a couple of horses picketed near by and feeding placidly

nce on roundup. Other voices joined in after that first, shrill "Ow-ow-ow-eee!" of Cal's; so that presently the whole lot of them were emitting nerve-crimping yells and spurring their hor

me, jest leave me alo-o-ne!" chanted Big Medicine most horribly, and finishe

t breaking his promise to Weary, and yielding to the temptation of coming as close to the guilty persons as he might; for, while these were not the men w

as he should. The bullet zipped close over the head of Big Medicine, who happened to be opposite the crack between the tent-flaps. The h

ed Miguel. "You aren'

ahead of Miguel. But Miguel's spurs also pressed home, so that the two horses plunged as one. Big Medicine, bellowing one solitary oath, drew his right leg from the st

vement, which the Happy Family had come to know so well. He was speaking to them all, as they crowded up to the scuffle. "The man who feels the trigger-itch had better thro

t. Not if he misses killin' me!" Big Medicine was shaking with rage; but

ng. That's good enough for a sheeph

s jaw relaxed and his pale eyes became more human in their expression. He even permitted Miguel to remove the big, wicked Colt from his hand, a

the gods he knew by name he called upon the offender to come forth, while the others drew up in a rude half-circle to await developments. Heavy silence was the

t interval. "We didn't come here hunting trouble; we want to know where y

one sweeping gesture of his arm Big Medicine made plain his meaning as he rode a few paces away, his fingers fumbling with th

of the ridge-pole in front. Andy's loop sank neatly over it a second later, and the two wheeled and dashed away together, with Pink and Irish duplicating their performance at the other end of the tent. The dingy, smoke-stained canvas swayed, topple

flipping his rope loose and recoiling it m

o off at random before he fled toward the coulee. The other two crouch

made a rush at them. A rifle barked viciously, and Slim, sitting prudently on

bullets, knives, or beating to death. They took away the guns, however, and they told them with extreme bluntness what sort of men they believed them to be. They defined accu

ropes, before they departed, and gave them some very good advice upon the

in such a darned hurry to start something, you'd be a whole lot more comfortable right now. We rode over to tell yuh not to start them sheep across Flying U coulee; because, if you do, you're goin

his head turtlewise that he might glare at the group. "And our bosse

uttered a sentence, and the speaker dropp

them melodiously. "It's liable to get to be all the rage with us. So, if you don't like it, don't come around where we are.

led. "What say we haze them s

sight of those three trussed as he had been trussed, and apparently not liking it any better than he

emphasizing their disapproval any further. They confiscated the rifles, and they told the fellows why they did so. They very kindly pulled a tarpaulin over

on, had arrived at the ranch with his horse in a lather and with a four-inch furrow in the fleshiest part of his leg, where a bul

the fence and letting trouble do some of the hunting," he exclaimed thankfully. "I wish you'd stayed at home and left these blamed Dots alone. But, seeing yuh

in the white house, do yuh?" Pink inquired pointedly. "I kinda think," he added dryly, "those same herders wil

predicted. "Tyin' up three men uh hisn, like that, and ropin' their tent and draggin

d Miguel close beside him. "You're the only one in

ly. "You'll have to take those guns back, though.

minded calmly, "that we left th

aughed and went to offer the