Part 36 (1/2)
Tenderly the lad lifted the rancher from the saddle, stretching him out on the gra.s.s. His first care was to determine whether the man were alive or dead.
”He's alive!” cried Tad exultingly. ”He's only stunned.”
A bullet had grazed the rancher's head, ploughing a little furrow as it pa.s.sed, but there was nothing more. Had Tad not reached him in time no doubt he would have been killed.
Getting water from the chuck wagon, Tad bathed the wound and dashed water into the rancher's face until signs of returning consciousness were evident. After a little while Mr. Simms opened his eyes and asked what had happened.
Tad told him, leaving out his own part in the rescue entirely, save that he had brought him in.
The lad, after telling Mr. Simms that the cowboys had been driven off, helped the rancher to his tent and put him to bed, or rather induced him to lie down on his cot, for Mr. Simms's head was whirling.
No sooner had Tad done this than he heard a galloping pony rapidly approaching the camp. The lad stepped out as the horseman pulled up. It was the foreman. He threw himself from his mount and started on a run for Mr. Simms's tent.
”h.e.l.lo!” he exclaimed, bringing up short. ”Where's the boss? Is he hurt? What happened to him?” he demanded excitedly, without giving Tad a chance to answer between questions.
”I think he is all right, Mr. Larue. He had a close call”----
”Was he shot?”
”A bullet grazed the side of his head, and then his pony ran away. I guess that came nearer killing him than did the bullet.”
”He owes his life to you, and that's no joke,” answered the foreman shortly. ”We didn't see that he was in trouble till one of the boys discovered you chasing his pony. Then we saw you rope the critter and pack the boss on your own cayuse.”
”Was--was anybody killed?” asked Tad hesitatingly.
”No. Mary got a bullet through the calf of his right leg, and Bat Coyne lost a piece of an ear. Guess that's about all.”
”Yes; but what of the others? Were any of the cowmen killed?”
”No such luck,” growled the foreman. ”We pinked a few of them, but they're too tough to kill. We come mighty near having a fight, however,” he mused.
”Near!” exploded the boy. ”I should say you were right up to it.”
”We've lost a lot of sheep, boy; that's of more consequence.”
”How many?”
”No telling. Can't tell till morning. It'll take all day to round up the scattered bunches--those that were not killed.”
”Where are the boys--Ned and the rest of them?” asked Tad, suddenly bethinking himself of his companions.
”Oh, that's what I came back here for--one of the things. They're all right. That is, they're out there with the bunch, except Phil. Have you seen him?”
”Phil? No. Where is he?”
”He was with me, but he got away somewhere.”
”Phil gone?”