Part 28 (2/2)
”h.e.l.lo, Frank, my lad! I'm mighty glad to find you here, safe and sound.
I saw your pony at the stable, and that you had bound up his leg, showing a sprain. But I was afraid that something more serious had been the matter. You don't know how relieved I was to see your horse; and Reddy, too. The poor fellow has been in a sweat with fear ever since the stampede broke out,” was the hearty way the rancher greeted Frank as he came bustling in.
”Oh, I was right in the line of the rush, but by clever work on the part of my pony managed to reach the trees before they caught me. But what's the report about the cattle, sir?” asked Frank eagerly.
”The boys have halted them about ten miles from here. Thanks to the storm stopping, and the animals getting leg weary, we managed to head them off. Little damage done, except to our feelings. These things happen once in a while, and are really unavoidable. Steers in a panic are crazy; but then I suppose the same would apply to human beings, if all accounts are true that I read about theater fires and such things.”
He asked many questions concerning Frank's adventure.
”You just happened to choose the wrong side, lad. Had you headed the other way you would have had little trouble. The storm came from that quarter, and a cowboy must have known that cattle always run _away_ from the lightning and rain. But fortunately you made the timber, and; as the subject is unpleasant, we'll drop it for the present. Now get off to bed, the lot of you. In the morning, if you want, I'll take you down with me, and show you how we drive a big herd.”
”I've got my last roll of films in the camera, and that would make a mighty fine set of pictures to finish up with; but, oh! what wouldn't I give if I could have caught Frank, here, riding for life on that crippled pony, and the stampede sweeping down on him!” said Will enthusiastically.
”Talk to me about your cold-blooded savages! Does anything equal a crank with a camera, bent on snapping off everything that happens?” muttered Jerry, shaking his head in real or a.s.sumed disgust.
”That is the fate of every genius, to be misunderstood and misrepresented when ready to sacrifice comfort and everything to his art. But I am not the only one who is a crank. I have known fellows so proud of their lungs, that night after night they insisted on filling the air mattresses of the party just to prove which could blow the harder; while the other two members of the party sat by and laughed.”
Frank chuckled at hearing this, and both Bluff and Jerry looked daggers, for the shot hit home with them.
In the morning the boys did accompany the rancher down the valley. Frank showed them his course on the previous night, and they followed his line of travel until the trees were reached. Trail there was none, for hundreds of cloven hoofs had pounded the soil about that spot, showing how narrow had been his escape.
The cowboys were found to have the big herd well in hand. It was even then on the way back to its former feeding ground. Some of the steers showed the effects of the mad rush, in various cuts from the horns of their fellows; and several had tripped and gone down to death in the panic, the herd trampling them into an unrecognizable ma.s.s.
Of course, Will satisfied his longing, and secured what pictures he wanted.
”I'm happy in having carried out my plans. Won't the home folks stare when they see the panorama of views I've gathered!” he said jubilantly.
”I should think they would,” remarked Jerry, shrugging his shoulders, ”for you certainly have a collection of freak pictures, some of which would take the prize.”
”But all of this lot are genuine. n.o.body had to prance around a tree with a dead yellow dog on his feet, pretending to chase after him,”
a.s.serted Will.
”Whose doing was that, eh? Tell me that! Didn't you just plead with me to make a fool of myself, and to save you pain I consented. I suppose I'll never hear the end of that fool joke,” growled Jerry.
”Oh, yes, you will. It's all in the family. Others don't know the dog was dead when he had his picture taken. They all say he looks as though about to snap a piece out of your leg. Now, I think we've just had a glorious time of it up here, with nothing to mar our pleasure,” remarked Frank, the peacemaker.
”Except that miserable job of mine in leaving my knife home,” sighed Bluff.
”Talk to me about that, will you! He hasn't forgotten it yet!” exclaimed Jerry.
”I never can. h.e.l.lo! Here comes Reddy with a bag of mail, the last we'll get, I suppose, before we go home. A letter for me? Now just keep your eyes to yourselves, fellows. I admit it's from Nellie, but no doubt the dear girl is anxious about her brother Frank, and wants information from a thoroughly reliable quarter.”
Bluff sought out a lonesome corner of the big piazza in front of the ranch house, and presently all hands were absorbed in their letters.
Suddenly the others heard Bluff utter an exclamation, and looked up just in time to see him sprint into the building.
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