The Pony Rider Boys in Texas Part 30

MAKING NEW FRIENDS

Professor Zepplin, fully as wet as the others, met the returning outfit.

Everybody was wet. It seemed to have become their normal condition.

"Did you get the wagon over?" asked Tad.

"You bet," replied the foreman. "As soon as we get all the water shook out of that heathen we'll set him to making coffee for the outfit. It's too near dark now to do any more work; and, besides, I guess the cattle are bedded down for the night. I think they're ready for a night's rest along with ourselves. What happened to that pony?"

"I'm sure I don't know," answered Tad. "That was too bad, wasn't it?"

"Cramps I guess," suggested Big-foot. "They have been known to have 'em in the water. That water must have had an iceberg in it somewhere up the state. Never saw such all-fired cold water in my life. Whew!"

"That's one pony more we've got to buy, that's all. But I don't care.

I'd rather lose the whole bunch of them than have anything happen to the Pinto," announced the foreman.

"Or the cook," added Tad, with a smile.

"Yes; it's a very serious matter for an outfit of this kind to lose its cook. We could get along without a foreman very well, but not without a cook."

"Especially when you have a bunch of hungry boys with you. What about the new ponies?"

"I'll ride over to Colonel McClure's ranch in the morning and see what we can do. You may go with me if you wish."

"I should like to very much. Is that where you expect to get the other herd of cattle as well?"

"Yes. Better take an earlier trick on guard to-night, for we shall start right after breakfast in the morning."

"Very well," replied Tad. "Guess I'll get my coffee now."

Big-foot Sanders was already helping himself to the steaming beverage, when Tad reached the chuck wagon.

"Well, kid, what about it?" greeted the big cowman.

"What about what?"

"Trouble."

Tad smiled broadly.

"There does seem to be plenty of it."

"And plenty more coming. You'll see more fun before we are clear of this part of the country."

"I don't very well see how we can have much more of it. I should imagine we have had our share."

"Wait. We'll be here three or four days yet and mebby more," warned the cowboy.

Tad went out with the second guard that night. Contrary to the expectations of Big-foot Sanders and some others, the night pa.s.sed without incident, the next morning dawning bright and beautiful.

For some reason the foreman decided, at the last moment, that he would not go to the Ox Bow ranch. Instead, he instructed Big-foot Sanders to take three of the men with him and pick out what ponies they needed from Colonel McClure's stock. They were to bring the animals out to camp where the boys would break them in.

Tad set out with them, after a hurried breakfast, leaving his young companions to amuse themselves as best they could.

"How far do we have to ride, Big-foot?" asked the lad after they were in their saddles.

"Mile or two, I guess. It's been a long time since I was through these parts. There's that church I've been telling you about."

"Where?"

"There, near the bedding-down ground. Seems as though the boss might have put the cows further away from the place."

Tad surveyed the structure with keen interest. The white walls of the old adobe church reflected back the morning light in a whitish glare.

About the place he observed a rank growth of weeds and evil cacti, the only touch of life to be seen being the birds that were perched on its crumbling ridges, gayly piping their morning songs.

"It looks deserted."

"I reckon it is," answered Big-foot. "Anyway, it ought to be. Ain't fit for human beings to roost in."

"Humph! I don't believe there is anything spooky about that building.

I'm going to investigate, the first time I get the chance. Have we time to stop this morning?"

"No; we'll have to be getting along. The ponies we are after will have to be hobbled and got back to camp somehow. I expect we'll have a merry circus with them. If we get back in time for supper we'll be lucky."

"That will be fun," exulted Tad. "Mr. Stallings promised me I might break one of them. My pony having been drowned, I should like to break a fresh one for myself."

"And break your neck at the same time. I know you've got the sand, but you let that job out, kid. You don't know them bronchos."

"I thought you said I was no longer a tenderfoot," laughed Tad.

"Sure thing, but this is different."

"I'll chance it. You show me the pony I cannot ride, and I will confess that I am a tenderfoot."

Their arrival at the Ox Bow ranch was the signal for all the dogs on the place to try out their lungs, whereat a dozen cowboys appeared to learn the cause of the uproar. The McClure house stood a little back, nestling under a bluff covered with scant verdure, but well screened from the biting northers of the Texas winter. Further to the south were the ranch buildings, corrals, the cook house and a log cabin, outside of which hung any number of bridles and saddles, some of which the ranchers were mending and polishing when Stalling's men arrived on the scene.

Big-foot introduced himself and was received with many a shout and handshake. Bill Blake, the foreman of the ranch after greeting the new arrival, turned inquiringly to Tad Butler, who had dismounted.

"I didn't know you used kids in your business, Big-foot," he grinned.

Big-foot flushed under the imputation.

"Mebby you call him a kid, but if you'd see the lad work you'd change your mind mighty quick," answered the big cowman, with a trace of irritation in his voice. He explained to Blake what the boy was doing with the outfit, at the same time relating some of the things that the slender, freckle-faced boy from the East had accomplished.

"Shake, Pinto," exclaimed Bill Blake cordially. "I reckon Mr. McClure would like to talk with you. Big-foot and I have got some business over in the ranch house, you see," smiled the foreman.

"I see," replied Tad, though not wholly sure whether he did or not.

"He's over there talking with his boss wrangler now. Come along and I'll give you a first-cla.s.s knock-down to him."