Part 4 (1/2)
Rob fished his map out of his pocket ”I see,” said he ”The river bends south froo up the Sun Dance Creek and cut across to the other end of the bend--the place they call White Mud Creek Then we hang to the McLeod straight on to the Leavings?”
”That's right It's the best part of twenty-five ”
”Well, what is a , anyhow,” asked Jesse, ”unless it's just a mud-hole?”
”That's precisely what it is--just athere is clay or hardpan which won't let the water through So it is always full of ets dry They'll have to do a lot of that work up here one of these days But now I've told you why I want to ; and I want you to help hustle with the packs too
It's tiht,” said Rob, ”we'll take half the horses, and you and Moise take the other half Mollycoddles are no good on the trail”
”They're no good anywhere And the way to learn to do a thing is to do it Rob, take the off side of the first horse, and let John see if he can remember how to throw the hitch on the near side”
”I'll tell you what you are, Uncle dick,” said John, leaving the fire with a piece of bannock still in his hand
”Well, what then?” sineer--you're a contractor! That's what you are”
”It co You'll have to learn howlittle things well”
The boys now busied themselves about their first horse After a while, with considerable trouble and a little study, Rob turned to Uncle dick ”How's that for the cinch, sir?” he asked
Uncle dick tried to run his finger under the lash-hook and nodded approvingly
”Didn't it hurt hih it did”
”Don't believe all the groans of a pack-horse in cairth a half-mile out on trail But now hurry up with the next ones That's right, John, you're throwing the cross loop all right That's right--just reet to pull it tight”
The boys got on very ith their packing until they caiven Moise soand ju about when they tried to put a blanket and saddle on hi to do with him, Uncle dick?” asked Rob ”The three of us can hardly hold him”
”Oh, that's easy Tie him to a tree and put this blinder over his eyes” He kicked toward Rob a heavy piece of leather se tied at the corners Rob picked it up, and after studying it for a moment dropped the blinder over the claybank's face
To his surprise the horse now stood quite still
”Well, what do you know about that? He thinks he's blind!” said Rob
”Never o ahead and pack him”
Veryas the claybank had the blinder over his eyes he stood quite patient and docile, not h when they removed the blinder he snorted and kicked about quite a bit, testing thoroughly the hitch-rope by which he had been made fast When the tied his mind, and took his place meekly at the end of the train
Meantime Moise had started up all the saddle-ponies, and the boys, slinging their rifles and other gear to the saddles, all were soon mounted and on the trail even before the sun was fifteen h
”Well, that's what I call work,” said John ”I don't know but I'd rather travel in a boat than go this way You don't have to saddle up a boat everytra like the mountains, fellows,” said Rob; ”and a pack-train will take us right into the hts are so short away up here north in Canada and Alaska that a fellow has to go to bed in the daylight and get up in the dark