Jack Ranger's Western Trip Part 28

CHAPTER XVIII

THE OLD STOCKMAN

"Someone will get hurt!" cried Jack.

"Here, hold my coat and hat!" exclaimed John, as he thrust those articles of wearing apparel into Nat's hands.

"What are you going to do?" asked Jack.

"I'm going to rope that steer!" yelled the Indian lad.

He ran to where the cattleman had fallen from his horse. The rider's leg was caught, and when he tried to stand, as John helped him up, it was seen that it was broken.

"Is the horse a fast one?" John asked, pulling in the lariat, and coiling it.

"He sure is," was the answer, while the man stretched out on the ground to wait for aid, which was on the way.

A moment later John had mounted the horse and was off on a gallop after the steer, which was circling around in a wild endeavor to escape into the open. It's wild bellows were producing a panic among the other animals, that were das.h.i.+ng about in the pens, in imminent danger of knocking the sides down.

As John, who seemed to be perfectly at home in the saddle, rode at the animal, it gave a snort and dashed off down a railroad track.

Just ahead of it a freight train was coming, but the steer did not see it, as it dashed on, with lowered head.

Straight down the track after the steer, raced John, urging the horse to top speed. Above his head swung the la.s.so, which the boy handled almost with the skill of a veteran.

"Come back!" yelled Mr. Post. "Don't you see the train?"

Evidently John did see, but he was not going to stop. He realized that unless he stopped the maddened steer it would dash ahead on into the locomotive. While it could not do the ponderous machine any harm, there was every chance of derailing it, if the wheels ground over the lifeless body, and a wreck might follow.

"He's a plucky fellow!" exclaimed the cattleman, as some of his friends came to carry him to a place where his injured leg could be set.

The pony John was riding entered into the spirit of the race. It was work for which he had been trained, and, though chasing after wild steers down a railroad track was not like doing it out on the plains, it was "all in the day's work." With nimble feet the pony leaped from tie to tie, on and on and on after the maddened brute.

The engineer of the freight was blowing the whistle in frantic toots to warn the steer from the track, but the animal did not heed.

"He'll never make it," exclaimed Jack.

"Timbuctoo and turntables!" cried Nat. "He's a brave one. Never knew he could ride like that."

John dug his heels into the pony's side to urge it to another burst of speed. Then, with a shout, he whirled the la.s.so in ever widening circles about his head. Suddenly he sent it whirling straight ahead.

Like a thin snake the rope hissed forward, and then fell in coils about the neck of the steer. John had taken a turn or two about the pommel of the saddle, and, true to its training, the little pony settled back on its haunches.

The next instant it seemed as if the steer had met a cyclone. It went down in a heap, a wild mixture of horns and flying hoofs. And, not a second too soon, for, as it rolled from the track, being fairly s.n.a.t.c.hed from the rails by the taut-ness of the rope, the train came gliding up, though under reduced speed, and severed the lariat.

Then John, with a motion of his wrist, guided the pony from the path to the train, which the engineer was doing his best to bring to a stop. The boy and steed easily got out of the way, and then, turning the pony, John rode to where he had left his companions. The steer, all the desire for fight gone, stood dejectedly beside the track, and a number of men, who had hurried up, took charge of it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: IT SEEMED AS IF THE STEER HAD MET A CYCLONE-Page 154]

"Say, that was the best bit of work I ever saw done!" commented Mr.

Post, as he came from the office where he and Mr. Liggins had been talking. "I watched you through the window. Put it there, pardner,"

and he extended his hand, which John grasped.

"Where'd you learn to ride, young man?" asked Mr. Liggins, in business-like tones.

"Some of my Indian relatives taught me," replied John modestly, as he dismounted. "I'm not very good at it though. Haven't had any practice."

"You don't need it!" exclaimed Mr. Liggins.

"Say, young fellow, I'd like to hire you. I need you out here. We have accidents like this every day, only not so sensational, and if you can save a steer that way once in a while you'd more than earn your salary."

"Much obliged," John said, "but I can't take your offer."

"Why didn't you tell us you could rope a steer and handle a cow pony?" inquired Jack,

"You never asked me," was John's reply. "You see I have some Indian traits in me, even if I am only a half-breed."

"Well, you certainly can throw a rope," Jack admitted. "Wish I could do half as well."

"Rollicking rattlesnakes! But I'm going to learn as soon as we get out on the ranch," put in Nat.

"I guess you'll both have plenty of opportunity," John remarked.

"Well, what are you boys going to do now?" asked Mr. Post. "I'm through with my business, and I've got to stay in town a few days, but I'll be so busy I'm afraid I'll not get much chance to see you.

Besides you're going right on, aren't you?"

"That's our plan," said Jack.

"Well, I'll leave you then," went on the miner, "got to see another man in the yards. I may meet you again, some day, and I may not. This world's an uncertain place. Anyway, I'm glad I met you, and if you ever get into trouble and I can help you, why just wire me. My general address, for a year or two, will be Chicago, care of Lemuel Liggins. He'll see that you get into the city from here, all right, and will take good care of you. Now I'm off," and shaking hands with the boys and with Mr. Liggins, the miner hurried away down the maze of stock yards.

"Come inside the office and rest a bit," invited Mr. Liggins. "You've got lots of time, and I'll drive you to town later."

"Wait a minute!" cried Jack, darting after Mr. Post.

He ran from the office and started down the maze of tracks in the direction the miner had taken. But Mr. Post was not to be seen. He had either met some acquaintance and gone into one of the numerous small offices and shacks that dotted the yards, or else was lost in the crowds. Jack soon came back, looking disappointed.

"What did you want of him?" asked Nat.

"I wanted to find out more about Orion Tevis," replied Jack. "You remember he spoke of him just before the accident when we collided with the freight, and I meant to ask him if he knew the man on whom the finding of my father may depend. But I forgot about it in all the excitement. Now it's too late."

"Who did you want to inquire about?" asked Mr. Liggins, coming forward. "Excuse me, but I happened to hear you mention a strange sounding name."

"Orion Tevis," said Jack. "Do you know anything about him, Mr.

Liggins?"

"Do I? Well I guess I do. Me and him didn't work as mining pardners for ten years for nothing. I reckon I do know Orion Tevis. So does Josh Post."

"Where is he now?" asked Jack eagerly. "I must find him. He may know where my father is, who is in hiding because of the scheming of some wicked men."