Part 16 (1/2)
And then as the cowboys sat about in the evening they indulged in various forms of sport and fun, in which the boy ranchers joined.
Bright and early those who were to take the trail after the cattle thieves were on their way, taking with them enough food to last for several days. They were now better prepared than when they had first started out from Diamond X.
It was comparatively easy to pick up the trail left by the rustlers and soon our friends were riding after them, though of course several hours behind them. But as had been said, the ground was of a nature that did not lend itself well to haste, and if the thieves stampeded their animals they would, very likely, lose them. They could only go so fast and Billee and his cowboys hoped soon to come up to the raiders.
It was nearly noon when one of the cowboys who was riding on ahead, came to a stop on a little rise of land and, shading his eyes from the sun, looked long and earnestly off to his left.
”See anything?” asked Bud, who with his cousins rode up.
”I think so, but I'm not sure,” was the reply. ”But doesn't it look like a bunch of cattle there?” and he pointed.
The boy ranchers gazed earnestly.
”It sure does look like 'em to me!” declared Nort.
”Could it be one of our regular herds?” d.i.c.k asked.
”None of our cattle are down that way,” the cowboy said.
”Then they're rustlers!” cried Bud. ”After 'em, boys!”
CHAPTER XIII
A CLOUD OF DUST
Flappings of heels to the flanks of horses, the tightening of reins, firmer seats in the saddles and glances at the heavy revolvers swinging in their holsters at the sides of the riders came as a prelude to the burst of speed which immediately followed the sight of the distant herd of cattle being hazed across the prairie.
”Whoop-ee!” cried Yellin' Kid. ”We'll show 'em what's what! Whoop-ee!”
”Reckon you can stand a fight?” asked Nort, looking at the leg of the cowboy, which had been severely injured.
”Shucks, yes! I'm all right now! I'd a leetle mite ruther lick a bunch of sheep herders than jest plain onery cattle rustlers,” went on Yellin' Kid, ”but anythin' for a fight!”
”You said it!” chimed in some of the other rough but ready and earnest punchers.
”I s'pose there will be a fight,” mused d.i.c.k.
”Unless they quit and run,” said Bud. ”You don't mind a little thing like a fight, do you?” he asked his cousin. ”Of course not! I was only joking!” he quickly added as he saw a look on d.i.c.k's face.
”It won't be the first time we've had a sc.r.a.p,” remarked Nort.
All this while they were riding hard toward the distant group which, at first had been but a cloud of dust, but which now resolved itself into forms of hors.e.m.e.n and cattle.
And as the outfit from Diamond X approached nearer, it could be seen that the drivers of the cattle were not regulation cowboys from any ranch north of the Rio Grande. There was an air and manner about the hors.e.m.e.n urging on the weary cattle which betokened them as irregulars--rustlers, in other words.
The advantage--such as it was--appeared to be with the boy ranchers and their friends, for they were on fresh horses, and could ride hither and yon without having to drive before them, and keep from stampeding, a bunch of cattle. As for the rustlers the success of their raid depended on keeping the cattle they had stolen. Once the small herd got beyond their control, they might as well cut and run for it, since it would be a case of everyone save himself, and every man for himself.
”Some of you cut out the cattle, boys,” advised Old Billee, as he spurred along with the youngest rider. For though this veteran more than doubled the years of the boy ranchers, he was almost as ”spry” as any of them. ”Cut out the cattle, and we'll look after these rustlers.”
There were members enough in the outfit from Diamond X to provide for a division of forces--enabling them to execute a flank movement, as it were, though this does not exactly describe it.