Part 40 (1/2)

”Who said so?” retorted Blinky, aggressively.

”I heard it at the Yellow Mine.”

That name, and the implication conveyed by Pan made Blinky drop his head. But his somber shame quickly fled.

”Wal, pard, I'll stay sober as long as you. Shake on it.”

Pan made his plans to leave next morning as early as the wild horses they had hobbled could be gotten into shape to travel. Wiggate expected the riders he had sent for to arrive before noon the next day; and it was his opinion that he would have all the horses he had purchased out of there in a week. Pan and Blinky did not share this opinion.

Wiggate and his men were invited to try one of Lying Juan's suppers, which was so good that Juan had the offer of a new job. Upon being urged by Pan to accept it, he did so.

”I can recommend Lying Juan as the best cook and most truthful man I ever knew,” remarked Pan.

Blinky rolled on the ground.

”Haw! Haw! Wait till Lyin' Juan tells you one of his whoppers.”

”_Lying Juan_! I see. I was wondering about such a queer name for a most honest man,” replied Wiggate. ”I know he's a capital cook. And I guess I can risk the rest.”

After supper Pan and Blinky took great pains cutting and fixing the ropes which they intended to use on the wild horses that were to be taken along with them.

”Wal, now thet's done, an' I reckon I'd write to my sweetheart, only I don't know nothin' to write aboot,” said Blinky.

”Go to bed,” ordered Pan. ”We've got to be up and at those horses by daylight. You ought to know that tieing the feet of wild horses is sure enough work.”

Next morning it was not yet daylight when Blinky drawled: ”Wal, cowboys, we've rolled out, wrangled the hosses, swallered some chuck, an' now fer the h.e.l.l!”

In the gray of dawn when the kindling east had begun to dwarf the glory of the morning star, the cowboys drove all the hobbled horses into the smaller corral. There they roped off a corner and hung a white tarpaulin over the rope. This was an improvised second corral where they would put the horses, one by one, as they tied up their feet.

Blinky and Gus made one unit to work together, and Pan, his father, and Brown const.i.tuted another.

Blinky, as usual, got in the first throw, and the hungry loop of his la.s.so circled the front feet of the plunging roan. He stood on his head, fell on his side, and struggled vainly to get up. But he was in the iron hands of masters of horses. Every time the roan half rose, Blinky would jerk him down. Presently Gus flopped down on his head and, while the horse gave up for a moment, Blinky slipped the noose off one foot and tied the other foot up with it. They let the roan rise.

On three feet he gave a wonderful exhibition of bucking. When he slowed down they drove him behind the rope corral.

”The night's gone, the day's come, the work's begun,” sang out Blinky.

”Eat dust, you buckaroos.”

Pan chose the little bay to tie up first. But after he had roped her and got up to her there did not appear to be any urgent reason for such stringent measure. Little Bay was spirited, frightened, but not wild.

”I'll risk it,” said Pan, and led her to the rope corral.

The sun rose hot and, likewise, the dust. The cowboys did not slacken their pace! It took two hours of exceedingly strenuous labor to tie up all the wild horses. Each horse had presented a new fight. Then came the quick job of packing their outfits, which Juan had gotten together.

Everyone of the men had been kicked, pulled, knocked down, and so coated with sweat and dust that they now resembled Negroes. Their hands were fairly cooked from the hot ropes' sizzling when the horses plunged. And at nine o'clock they were ready for the momentous twenty-five mile drive to Marco.

”All ready for the parade!” yelled Blinky. ”Go ahaid, you fellars.

Open the gate, an' leave it fer me to close.”

Pan and the others were to ride in front, while Blinky drove the horses. The need for men was in front, not behind. As they started down the wing of the trap to open the gate the roped wild horses began a terrific plunging, kicking, bucking and falling down. Some of them bit the rope on their feet. But little by little Blinky drove them out into the open. Pan and his father dropped back to each side, keeping the horses in a close bunch. That left Gus and Brown in front to run down those that tried to escape. The white-footed stallion was the first to make a break. He ran almost as well on three feet as on four, and it took hard riding to catch him, turn him and get him back in the bunch. The next was Pan's roan. He gave a great deal of trouble.

”Haw! Haw! Thet's Pan's hoss. Kill him! I guess mebbe Pan cain't pick out the runners.”