CHAPTER IX
AFTER BIG GAME
Attracted by the noise of Will's fall, and the sound of the buckingbronco, Mr. Harrison turned quickly. He leaped from his horse andhurried to where the lad was stretched out near the bronco. The steed,now that it had gotten rid of the person on his back, was quiet.
"What happened? What's the matter, Will?" asked Gabe.
"That bronco threw him," explained Mr. Hurd. "I just caught a glimpse ofit. A nasty fall, too. Is he badly hurt?"
"There don't seem to be any bones broken," replied Mr. Harrison, as hebegan feeling of Will's arms and legs.
"Oh, Will! Are you killed?" cried Jed, jumping from the saddle andkneeling beside his brother.
At that moment the boy on the ground opened his eyes.
"Did I--did I stay on?" he asked, as he put his hand to his head.
"Not very long," replied Mr. Hurd. "How do you feel?"
"Somewhat dizzy. I guess I'm not hurt much."
"How did it happen?" asked Jed. "Where's your horse? How did you come toget on this one?"
"They said I couldn't ride him," explained Will, nodding in thedirection of the cattlemen, who were slowly approaching.
"I thought so," murmured John Curtin. "It was a trick of that bigcowboy. He knew this was a bucking bronco, yet he let this lad mount it,knowing the beast would throw him off."
"So, that's the kind of men they are, eh?" spoke Gabe Harrison. "Then Iguess the less we have to do with them the better. Jed, you look afterWill a bit. Get him some water. There's a spring just ahead."
"Where are you going?" asked Mr. Hurd of the old miner, as he saw himturn back on the trail, and walk toward the cattlemen.
"I'm going to have a talk with that big cowboy," replied Gabe.
Bill Case and his chum, Tim Walsh, were laughing heartily as Gabeapproached.
"It's a good joke, isn't it?" asked Gabe sternly. "I suppose you thinkyou did a smart thing, Bill Case, when you got that tenderfoot to ridethat bucking bronco."
"He sure is a tenderfoot," replied the cowboy, who did not exactly catchGabe's sarcasm.
"He wanted to ride," put in Tim Walsh.
"Well, if a baby wanted to play with a loaded gun, would you let him?"asked Gabe scornfully.
"How was I to know he didn't know the difference between a buckingbronco and a cow pony?" asked Bill Case.
"You knew well enough," declared Gabe. "I think it was a mean, cowardlyact, and the sooner we part company, the better I'll like it. There'sthe trail. We'll wait until you get far enough ahead on it so we can'tsee your dust. I have no use for such fellows as you."
"Hold on there!" exclaimed Bill Case, an ugly look coming over his face."Maybe you don't know who you're talking to."
"I know I'm talking to a coward who'll take advantage of a tenderfoot'signorance to let him ride a dangerous horse," replied Gabe.
"Say, old man," began the cowboy, preparing to dismount from his horse,"me and you is going to have trouble, right now, unless you take backthem words. Bill Case is a hard case when it comes to that, and I ain'tused to such talk from nobody."
"Well, you'll listen to it from me," retorted the fearless miner. "Isay you're a coward, and I'm not afraid of you."
In an instant the cowboy was off his steed and was striding toward theold man, who, nothing daunted, awaited his approach. Tim Walsh moved upcloser, as if he, too, would take a hand in the affair.
Gabe looked back to where the two miners and Jed were taking care ofWill. Mr. Hurd and Mr. Curtin were aware that something unusual wastaking place, and they made ready to go to the aid of Gabe.
There was an ugly air about Bill Case, and he had the appearance of aman who would resort to desperate measures in a fight, such as nowseemed imminent. Gabe was unarmed, having left his revolver and rifle inhis saddle pack, but the cowboy wore in a belt two large revolvers. Hemade no motion to draw one, however, but, with clenched fists, strodecloser to Gabe.
"Are you going to take back what you said about me?" he asked.
"No, I'm not," replied the old miner. "I'm not afraid of you, even ifyou are a hard case."
Bill raised his hand, as if to strike Gabe, but, at that instant, AdeBryant, for whose father the two cattlemen worked, exclaimed:
"Don't, Bill. I'm sure dad wouldn't like it. Besides, you were in thewrong to let that boy ride that bronco, without telling him he bucked.Don't get into a fight."
"Well, of all things!" murmured Bill. "Am I going to stand still and becalled a coward? I guess not!"
"Don't you hit him!" cried Ade. "It was your own fault, for trying toplay a joke on a tenderfoot. I'm sorry it happened," the young cowboywent on to Gabe. "I shouldn't have allowed it. But I didn't think itwould result so seriously. Is he much hurt?"
"No, just shaken up, I guess. But I'm glad you didn't really have a handin this. I should hate to think Colonel Bryant's son would do such athing."
"It was thoughtlessness," went on young Bryant. "I don't suppose you'llcare to travel with us after this. We'll take the lower trail. Bill, goand get the bronco, and here's Will's horse," he added to Gabe Harrison."Tell him I'm sorry it happened, and don't let him think we intended toinjure him."
"I'm glad to hear you say so," responded Gabe. "I didn't think youlooked like that kind of a lad. You're right; I guess there wouldn't bethe best feelings if we traveled together."
He turned back to meet the two miners, to whom he explained matters, andthen the three men returned to where Jed was caring for Will. Thelatter was speedily recovering.
"Was he going to show fight?" asked Mr. Hurd.
"He was, but he couldn't scare me," answered Gabe, as he explained theoutcome of the interview. One of the miners led the bronco back to thecattlemen, receiving Will's horse in exchange, and then the three fromthe Diamond T Ranch turned off on another trail, and were soon lost tosight.
"Cowboys are all right," said Mr. Harrison, "but they're too much up totricks to suit me. Hereafter, we'll be more careful who we travel with.How are you feeling, Will?"
"Pretty fair, now, Mr. Harrison, but that was certainly a shock to mysystem."
"Yes, a bucking bronco is about as bad a proposition as anything I wantto tackle. I got fooled with one once, and later on I got kicked by amule. I still prefer the mule."
"Suppose we stop here for grub?" proposed John Curtin. "That will giveWill a chance to rest."
"Oh, I'm all right," protested the boy, who did not want to put othersto trouble on his account.
"You're all right, except for what happened to you," remarked Jed, withjust the suspicion of a smile. He had been quite alarmed at hisbrother's fall, but he was now relieved, when he found there wasnothing serious the matter with him.
"Well, we'll stop here a few hours," decided Gabe. "Jed, if you'll makea fire, I'll get ready to fry some bacon."
"Say, I've eaten so much bacon lately," remarked Jed, "that I'm ashamedto look a pig in the face."
"Some fresh meat wouldn't go bad," added Fred Hurd.
"Well, maybe we can get some soon," said his partner. "We'll soon be inthe elk country, and I don't see why we can't knock over a good fatbuck."
"Do you think we'll have a chance to shoot such big game?" asked Jed,who had never hunted anything larger than foxes or rabbits.
"I'm pretty sure we will. I have hunted around here."
This was good news to the two boys. Mr. Harrison was not so muchinterested, as he was anxious to push on to the mines, but he well knewthe camp larder could stand a little addition in the way of fresh meat,and he agreed to go hunting with the others.
It was two days after this, when, having traveled several miles furtheralong the northwest trail, that Mr. Curtin announced that they mightnow get their rifles ready for elk, or any other big game that crossedtheir path.
The two boys had brought with them serviceable rifles, and they werefair shots. As they knew nothing of trailing after big game they had tobe guided by the advice of the two mining partners.
/> It was decided, when they reached a good spot, they would establish acamp, and remain there a day or so, meanwhile hunting in the surroundingcountry. Gabe announced that he would stay in camp, and that afternoon,having found a suitable spot, a lean-to was erected, a fire built, andpreparations made to stay there that night.
"In the morning we'll try our luck hunting," said Mr. Hurd.
Every one was up early, before the sun in fact, and all ate heartily ofthe breakfast which Gabe had prepared. The two boys, and the miners,leaving Mr. Harrison in camp, then set off in search of an elk or adeer, of which there were signs, according to Mr. Curtin.