Part 16 (1/2)
”Not with the Bar-Cross-Naught outfit, Miss Jinny,” agreed Bud, fervently.
”But it must be a wonderful sight to see so many steers rus.h.i.+ng over the plain at once-all running as tight as they can run,” urged the innocent Helen.
”Ya-as,” drawled Jimsey. ”But I want it to be some other man's cattle.”
”But do you really ever have much trouble with the cattle?” asked Helen.
”They all look so tame.”
”Except Old Trouble-Maker,” laughed her twin, who stood beside her.
”Looks jest like a picnic, herdin' them mooley-cows, don't it?” scoffed Jimsey.
”They'd ought to be on the night trick, once,” said Jane Ann. ”It's all right punching cows by daylight.”
”What's the night trick?” asked Heavy.
”Night herding. That's when things happen to a bunch of cows,” explained the ranchman's niece.
”I believe that must be fun,” cried Ruth, who had come out upon the porch. ”Can't we go out to one of the camps and see the work by night as well as by day?”
”Good for you, Ruth!” cried Tom Cameron. ”That's the game.”
”Oh, I wouldn't want to do that,” objected Mary c.o.x. ”We'd have to camp out.”
”Well, them that don't want to go can stay here,” Jane Ann said, quickly. If anything was needed to enlist her in the cause it was the opposition of The Fox. ”I'll see what Uncle Bill says.”
”But, will it be dangerous?” demanded the more careful Madge.
”I've ridden at night,” said Jane Ann, proudly. ”Haven't I, Jimsey?”
”Just so,” admitted the cowboy, gravely. ”But a whole bunch o' gals might make the critters nervous.”
”Too many cows would sure make the girls nervous!” laughed Bob, grinning at his sister.
But the idea once having taken possession of the minds of Ruth and her girl friends, the conclusion was foregone. Uncle Bill at first (to quote Jane Ann) ”went up in the air.” When he came down to earth, however, his niece was right there, ready to argue the point with him and-as usual-he gave in to her.
”Tarnashun, Jane Ann!” exclaimed the old ranchman. ”I'll bet these yere gals don't get back home without some bad accident happening. You-all are so reckless.”
”Now Uncle Bill! don't you go to croaking,” she returned, lightly.
”Ain't no danger of trouble at all. We'll only be out one night. We'll go down to Camp Number Three-that's nearest.”
”No, sir-ree! Them boys air too triflin' a crew,” declared the ranchman.
”Jib is bossing the Rolling River outfit just now. You can go over there. I can trust Jib.”
As the rest of the party was so enthusiastic, and all determined to spend a night at Number Two Camp on the Rolling River Range, Mary c.o.x elected to go likewise. She declared she did not wish to remain at the ranch-house in the sole care of a ”fat and greasy Mexican squaw,” as she called the cook.
”Ouch! I bet that stings Maria when she knows how you feel about her,”
chuckled Heavy. ”Why let carking care disturb your serenity, Mary? Come on and enjoy yourself like the rest of us.”