United States or South Sudan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
There was no trouble in securing the baggage to the rear of the saddles, when Jack and Fred swung themselves upon the backs of the ponies, adjusted their Winchesters across the saddles in front, following the suggestions of Hazletine, and announced themselves ready to set out on the long ride northward.
While they were thus engaged, Ira Garrison sat on a stool a few paces away, smoking his pipe, and was soon joined by Kansas Jim, who brought the saddles and belongings of the ponies that he had turned loose to look after their own wants. Jack and Fred found their new acquaintances typical cowboys, dressed similarly to Hazletine, though neither wore as much beard as he.
"It will as soon as we find Fred," said Jack, with a faint smile; "but what about yourself?" "It's all the same; if we had meat here I'd cook and eat it; but I'm willing to go a day or two, if I haven't the time to take any meals." "That's strange!" broke in Jack; "yonder comes a white man; he must be one of your acquaintances, though I never saw him before." Hazletine turned round in surprise.
The moon had not yet risen, but the bright stars were in the sky, and shining with the brilliancy that he had noticed and admired on the previous evening. He looked around for Hazletine, and, not seeing him, imitated his action by pronouncing his name, but, as he suspected, he was not within hearing. "He has gone off to make some investigations between now and morning.
The two Indians that had flitted across his field of vision were gone, and it was impossible to say what had become of Hazletine. Determined, however, to run no unnecessary risk, Jack remained among the trees and rocks on the upper side of the break, where he could not be seen unless some one almost stepped upon him.
They naturally wondered when nine o'clock passed without bringing Hank Hazletine. "Maybe he has lost his way in the canyon," suggested Fred, giving expression to a fancy which was not serious. "You mean that he has forgotten where the stairs lead up to the top?" "I guess that's what I mean, though I never thought of it before.
"Jack frightened off the Indians, and I think I have given the wild animals a good lesson. At any rate, you won't bother us any more." He supposed that the report of the gun would awaken Hazletine and bring him to the spot to learn the explanation, but nothing of that nature followed.
Less than a year previous, Kansas Jim shot from his horse an Indian whom he caught killing his cattle; and, not many months previous, the five cowmen, under the leadership of Hank Hazletine, had a running fight for half an afternoon with a dozen Bannocks, engaged in the same sport.
The cowman obeyed, and they seated themselves still further from Jack Dudley. "What makes you so afeard he'll hear us?" asked Hazletine, impatiently, noting the suspicious glances which the man cast in the direction of the youth. "For the reason that I don't want him to hear us; I've something to say about him and his friend." "His father owns half of Bowman's ranch."
There the boys remained several days until Fred had recovered to a large extent from his hurts, when they rode to the station at Fort Steele, where they shook hands with the honest Hank Hazletine and bade him good-by.
Word Of The Day