"Hey, yu lady-slayer," he called. "yank some o' them bawlin' brutes over here an' don't keep me waitin'."
"They'll come so quick yu'll get dizzy," the young man promised. "I'll make yu think it's rainin' cows."
Sudden smiled at the boyish boast. While his was the more dangerous and tricky task, he fancied he could keep ahead of Sandy. But that optimist had helpers and soon the tie-man had his hands full. The rays of the rising sun quickly drove the chill from the air, and growing in intensity, added to the discomfort of the workers. Perspiration drenched their faces but failed to remove the grime from the ever-rising clouds of dust. Sweat caked on the flanks of galloping mustangs. Cows bellowed and frightened calves blatted as they were hauled . willy-nilly to the fire. The shouts and rough banter of the riders merged with the rattle of horns in the milling herd. Sudden, looking up in a moment of respite, found Eden watching him.
"Good work, Green," he said, and as Sandy with a whoop, rushed up another unwilling victim, roped and threw it, he added: "Yore friend seems to know his job too."
He rode off without waiting for a reply, and Sudden was glad ; the praise worried him. He stole a glance at Sandy--who was freeing his rope from the helpless steer--and was surprised to see that the boy's face was redder than even the fierce sun and his exertions warranted. He too had heard what the cattleman had said.
"yu boys have certainly made a hit with Sam," the foreman commented.
Sudden grunted an agreement. He liked the outfit and its owner, and he was there to help ruin him. He tried to tell himself that the world, having made him an outlaw, was to blame for any consequences, but he could not make the argument convincing. Fortunately, he had little time for reflection ; the cutters were doing their work well.
"Told yu I'd make yu hustle, didn't I?" Sandy said, a little later.
"'Pears to me some other fella fetches along a steer now an' then," Sudden replied, as he mopped his dirt-streaked features. "Say, I got an idea. yu swap jobs with me to-morrow an' yu won't have to worry 'bout shavin'."
"Nothin' doin'. Wouldn't change places with yu for a blue stack."
Sudden detected his involuntary glance over the plain to where Miss Carol was busy bunching the branded cattle into a separate herd, and his eyes twinkled understandingly. Sandy's work took him near that trim little figure.
"Shucks, I've done told Jeff yu can tie 'em two at a lick," he said teasingly.
"I'm goin' to tell him that as a liar yu got Ananias beat a mile before he opens his mouth," Sandy retorted, and to his horse, "G'wan, yu son o' sin, we'll give this fella suthin' else to think about."
He shot off towards the herd and had almost reached it when he saw something which made him swerve suddenly : a newly-branded steer, mad with rage and pain, was rushing full at Carol Eden, who, intent on her charges, did not see it. With a yell of warning, Sandy raced and swung his rope. The loop dropped over the brute's horns and with a flip, he sent the slack over the rump and spurred his mount to the left, jerking the hind legs from under the steer. As it crashed down, the girl became aware of her danger and jumped her pony away. The fall had taken the fight out of the steer ; as soon as the rope was removed it scrambled to its feet and lumbered off. Carol's face was pale.
"Thank you," she smiled. "I'm afraid you'll think I'm a tenderfoot to be caught like that."
Sandy's customary assurance had deserted him ; he was the picture of confusion. Also, he was finding breathing difficult, for it had indeed been a near thing ; had he missed his throw. ... He shuddered at what might have been ; the pony rippedup, the rider on the ground, at the mercy of those sweeping, sharp-pointed horns. Hat in hand, he stammered some commonplace, cursing himself inwardly for a tongue-tied fool. Her eyes rested on him kindly.
"you are Mister Green's friend, aren't you?" she asked. "He came to my assistance too, so I'm now obliged to both of you. I ought to be glad you joined the outfit."
"I'm hopin' yu will be," Sandy managed to say, and, as he saw his employer approaching, "Gosh, I'm forgettin' I got a job."
As he dragged a complaining calf on the end of his rope to the branding fire he communed with himself :
"What come over yu, yu lunkhead, to let a bit of a gal like that scare yu all up? She musts thought yu was dumb."
But his eyes were shining when he handed over his prisoner, and his sweaty, grimed face wore such an expression of content that Sudden could not help but notice it.
"yu look like yu was all lit up from inside," he said. "Havin' a good time, huh?"
"Never had a better," came the sober reply.
"It would do Rogue's heart good to see that bunch over there," Sudden said meaningly, nodding in the direction of the gathered cattle.
"yeah," Sandy snarled, whirled his pony, and was gone, leaving his friend in a thoughtful frame of mind.
Days passed, days made up of long hours filled with incessant, monotonous toil in the blistering heat, and steadily the herd increased. The weather remained fine, feed was plentiful on the plain, and the branded cattle gave no trouble.
"For which, thank the Lawd," Jeff said fervently. "If them critters took it into their fool heads to stampede, it'd be just merry hell."
Even when the herd was complete, much remained to be done. The big covered wagon, with its team of six mules, had to be overhauled and loaded with provisions, flour, bacon, coffee, New Orleans molasses--familiarly known as "blackstrap"--pickles, and a limited supply of dried fruits. The remuda had to be selected--five horses for each man--weapons and ammunition prepared.
Twelve men, including the rancher and the cook, were to accompany the herd, two older members of the outfit remain ing behind to "hold down the ranch." These preparations entailed constant effort, for Eden was eager to start.
Sudden had little chance of converse with his friend during these days of stress, for the brief hours of rest were too precious to be wasted, but he got more or less acquainted with the other members of the outfit and decided that Sam Eden was a good judge of a man. Rough, reckless, and shabby-looking, they were nevertheless capable. Only one he did not approve of--a newcomer like himself--a big, dark, be-whiskered fellow named Lasker, who was in charge of the remuda, a position which was poorly-regarded in a cow-camp. He knew nothing against the man but instinctively distrusted him.
"He's got mean eyes," he explained to Sandy.
"Well, I dessay the hosses won't mind," was the indifferent reply.
Sudden looked at him thoughtfully. The boy had changed since they had joined the S E ; his gay impudence had gone, to be replaced by a moody irritability. "He's pretty near played out, like the rest of us," was his unspoken reflection, but he knew it was not a satisfactory solution, for bone-weary as all the men were, enthusiasm prevailed, whereas Sandy appeared disgruntled, sick of the whole business.
"Jeff tells me we're all set for an early start to-morrow," Sudden offered.
"It'll be a relief to get away from this blasted plain," was all Sandy had to say.
When the rancher and his daughter made their appearance in the morning they were accompanied by Baudry. Together they inspected the herd.
"They look good to me, but surely you have some oldish stuff amongst them," the gambler commented.
"Oh, I reckon they'll pass with the rest," Eden said. "Yu remember what the foreman o' one o' the early drives told the buyer who made the same complaint? 'Strangers,' he says, 'if yu'd bin through half what them critters has, yu'd look twice yore age.' "
Baudry laughed. "Well, you know your business, Sam, and I wish you all the luck there is," he rejoined. "I'll be coming north myself and shall expect to see you. Hear of the killing at Littleton?"