The Andre Norton Megapack - 15 Classic Novels and Short Stories

pawin’ an’ bellerin’ left in him when Muller’s boys brought him to town. Been gittin’ a little of it back, though, seems like. But maybe this here will learn him a little hoss sense—”
    “It was Kitchell’s men who shot him?” León wanted to know.
    “Could be. Warn’t no Apaches, that’s for certain. No Injun would have jus’ shot him down an’ not made sure he was crow bait. Sure a fool thing to do, ridin’ there alone. Anyway, th’ Old Man’ll stick him into bed here, an’ I’ll bet you Johnny ain’t gonna ride out anywhere without an eye on him—not for a good long while.”
    “Long Canyon—” Perse Donally, one of the other Anglo riders, paused in shucking his shirt to look inquiringly over his shoulder. “That sure is off th’ trail th’ kid was supposed to be followin’. How come he ever drifted that far north from th’ wells round, anyway?”
    “You ask him.” Nye sat down on a bunk, flipped his hat away, and lay back. “Sure feels good jus’ to stretch out a mite,” he observed. “Th’ Old Man, he was movin’ like he warn’t on speakin’ terms with th’ law an’ there was a sheriff behind every rock. Usually he’s calm as a hoss trough on a mild day. Johnny gittin’ his hair cut with a slug sure shook Rennie up some, almost as much as it shook Johnny. As for th’ kid ridin’ north—well, I’d say that was some more of his tryin’ to make a real big brag. Maybe he thought he could run down Kitchell all by hisself. Which is jus’ about as straight thinkin’ as kickin’ a loaded polecat on th’ tail end. But Johnny’s always been like that. Do it now, think ’bout it later. Got him into more scrapes ’n I can count me on both hands. Hope th’ Old Man gives it to him this time, hot an’ heavy, both barrels plumb center!”
    “ Sí , it is true that Juanito looks for trouble.” Chino Herrera rolled a cornshuck cigarette with precise, delicate twists of his fingers. “He is el chivato —the young billy goat—that one. Ready to take on el toro himself and lock horns. Such a one learns from knocks, not from warning words. But he is yet a boy. Give him time.”
    “He’d better give himself some time,” Nye announced. “Next time it may be in th’ head, not ’longside it, that he gits his lead. See you got back in one piece, you two fightin’ wildcats,” Nye said, grinning at Drew and Anse. “Nothin’ like tryin’ to take on th’ army—two to one—with th’ army havin’ th’ advantage. That eye’s fadin’ good, Drew, only two colors now, ain’t it?”
    Drew grunted and Nye laughed. “Bet th’ captain is as techy as a teased snake every time he thinks ’bout you two. Wanted to have you all corralled nice an’ neat out to th’ camp where he could use his hooks an’ make at least three ride mounts outta you. I’d walk soft near him for a while, or you’ll have about as much chance as hens amblin’ into a coyote powwow.”
    “Don’t look like they was so tough they had to sneak up on th’ dipper to take a drink, do they now?” Donally asked of the room at large.
    “Don’t never judge no hoss by his coat an’ curryin’,” Anse retorted.
    “I don’t, son. I never do,” Nye replied. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re both so wild they have to tie a foot up when they give you a haircut. Only, that sort of rep don’t go down good with th’ Old Man.”
    “We figured it might not,” Drew agreed. Nye’s warning was only another confirmation of Drew’s fears. Topham, Nye, all the rest, had made it only too plain: no trouble on the Range and no troublemakers.
    He gathered up clean underrigging, another shirt. If Rennie did order him up to the big house for firing, Drew was not going to meet him stinking of horse and sweat. In the stream back of the water corral there was a bathing place, and chilly as it was, Drew intended to take advantage of it.
    “A mite cold, ain’t it?” Anse demanded from the bank as Drew splashed vigorously to offset the chill. But the Texan was shucking boots and clothing in turn.
    There were a lot of shadows this close to twilight. Lamps twinkled in the Stronghold. A horse nickered from the corrals, was answered from the barn. Then a bray—Croaker sounding off. From the hills came the far-off yip-yip-yip of a coyote.
    “Hey!” Anse stood up knee-high in the water.
    “What’s the matter?” Drew called.
    “Thought I saw somethin’ movin’ over there!”
    Drew took a scrambling