the outlet-第26章

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　six…shooters　clicked　within　hearing；　and　he　acted　on　my　advice　and　cut　gun…plays　out。　No　trouble　at　all　except　a　big　medicine　talk；　and　a　heap　of　legal　phrases　that　I　don't　sabe　very　clear。　Turn　your　horses　loose；　I　tell　you；　for　I'm　going　to　kill　a　nice　fat　stray；　and　towards　evening；　when　the　other　herds　come　up；　we'll　have　a　round…up　of　Don　Lovell's　outfits。　I'll　make　a　little　speech；　and　on　account　of　the　bloodless　battle　this　morning；　this　stream　will　be　rechristened　Sheriff's　Creek。〃



CHAPTER　X。　A　FAMILY　REUNION

The　hospitality　of　a　trail　wagon　was　aptly　expressed　in　the　invitation　to　enjoy　ourselves。　Some　one　had　exercised　good　judgment　in　selecting　a　camp；　for　every　convenience　was　at　hand；　including　running　water　and　ample　shade　from　a　clump　of　cottonwoods。　Turning　our　steaming　horses　free；　we　threw　ourselves；　in　complete　abandonment　and　relaxation；　down　in　the　nearest　shade。　Unmistakable　hints　were　given　our　host　of　certain　refreshments　which　would　be　acceptable；　and　in　reply　Forrest　pointed　to　a　bucket　of　creek　water　near　the　wagon　wheel；　and　urged　us　not　to　be　at　all　backward。

Every　one　was　well　fortified　with　brown　cigarette　papers　and　smoking　tobacco；　and　singly　and　in　groups　we　were　soon　smoking　like　hired　hands　and　reviewing　the　incidents　of　the　morning。　Forrest's　cook；　a　tall；　red…headed　fellow；　in　anticipation　of　the　number　of　guests　his　wagon　would　entertain　for　the　day；　put　on　the　little　and　the　big　pot。　As　it　only　lacked　an　hour　of　noon　on　our　arrival；　the　promised　fresh　beef　would　not　be　available　in　time　for　dinner；　but　we　were　not　like　guests　who　had　to　hurry　homewe　would　be　right　there　when　supper　was　ready。

The　loss　of　a　night's　sleep　on　my　outfit　was　a　good　excuse　for　an　after…dinner　siesta。　Untying　our　slickers；　we　strolled　out　of　hearing　of　the　camp；　and　for　several　hours　obliterated　time。　About　three　o'clock　Bob　Quirk　aroused　and　informed　us　that　he　had　ordered　our　horses；　and　that　the　signal　of　Sponsilier's　cattle　had　been　seen　south　on　the　trail。　Dave　was　impatient　to　intercept　his　herd　and　camp　them　well　down　the　creek；　at　least　below　the　regular　crossing。　This　would　throw　Bob's　and　my　cattle　still　farther　down　the　stream；　and　we　were　all　determined　to　honor　Forrest　with　our　presence　for　supper　and　the　evening　hours。　Quince's　wrangler　rustled　in　the　horses；　and　as　we　rejoined　the　camp　the　quarters　of　a　beef　hung　low　on　a　cottonwood；　while　a　smudge　beneath　them　warned　away　all　insect　life。　Leaving　word　that　we　would　return　during　the　evening；　the　eleventh…hour　guests　rode　away　in　the　rough；　uneven　order　in　which　we　had　arrived。　Sponsilier　and　his　men　veered　off　to　the　south；　Bob　Quirk　and　his　lads　soon　following；　while　the　rest　of　us　continued　on　down　the　creek。　My　cattle　were　watering　when　we　overtook　them；　occupying　fully　a　mile　of　the　stream；　and　nearly　an　hour's　ride　below　the　trail　crossing。　It　takes　a　long　time　to　water　a　big　herd　thoroughly；　and　we　repeatedly　turned　them　back　and　forth　across　the　creek；　but　finally　allowed　them　to　graze　away　with　a　broad；　fan…like　front。　As　ours　left　the　stream；　Bob's　cattle　were　coming　in　over　a　mile　above；　and　in　anticipation　of　a　dry　camp　that　night；　Parent　had　been　advised　to　fill　his　kegs　and　supply　himself　with　wood。

Detailing　the　third　and　fourth　guard　to　wrangle　the　remuda；　I　sent　Levering　up　the　creek　with　my　brother's　horses　and　to　recover　our　loaned　saddle　stock；　even　Bob　Quirk　was　just　thoughtless　enough　to　construe　a　neighborly　act　into　a　horse　trade。　About　two　miles　out　from　the　creek　and　an　equal　distance　from　the　trail；　I　found　the　best　bed…ground　of　the　trip。　It　sloped　to　the　northwest；　was　covered　with　old　dry　grass；　and　would　catch　any　vagrant　breeze　except　an　eastern　one。　The　wagon　was　ordered　into　camp；　and　the　first　and　second　guards　were　relieved　just　long　enough　to　secure　their　night…horses。　Nearly　all　of　these　two　watches　had　been　with　me　during　the　day；　and　on　the　return　of　Levering　with　the　horses；　we　borrowed　a　number　of　empty　flour…sacks　for　beef；　and　cantered　away；　leaving　behind　only　the　cook　and　the　first　two　guards。

What　an　evening　and　night　that　was！　As　we　passed　up　the　creek；　we　sighted　in　the　gathering　twilight　the　camp…fires　of　Sponsilier　and　my　brother；　several　miles　apart　and　south　of　the　stream。　When　we　reached　Forrest's　wagon　the　clans　were　gathering；　The　Rebel　and　his　crowd　being　the　last　to　come　in　from　above。　Groups　of　saddle　horses　were　tied　among　the　trees；　while　around　two　fires　were　circles　of　men　broiling　beef　over　live　coals。　The　red…headed　cook　had　anticipated　forty　guests　outside　of　his　own　outfit；　and　was　pouring　coffee　into　tin　cups　and　shying　biscuit　right　and　left　on　request。　The　supper　was　a　success；　not　on　account　of　the　spread　or　our　superior　table　manners；　but　we　graced　the　occasion　with　appetites　which　required　the　staples　of　life　to　satisfy。　Then　we　smoked；　falling　into　groups　when　the　yarning　began。　All　the　fresh…beef　stories　of　our　lives；　and　they　were　legion；　were　told；　no　one　group　paying　any　attention　to　another。

Every　time　I　run　afoul　of　fresh　beef；〃　said　The　Rebel；　as　he　settled　back　comfortably　between　the　roots　of　a　cottonwood；　with　his　back　to　its　trunk；　〃it　reminds　me　of　the　time　I　was　a　prisoner　among　the　Yankees。　It　was　the　last　year　of　the　war；　and　I　had　got　over　my　first　desire　to　personally　whip　the　whole　North。　There　were　about　five　thousand　of　us　held　as　prisoners　of　war　for　eleven　months　on　a　peninsula　in　the　Chesapeake　Bay。　The　fighting　spirit　of　the　soldier　was　broken　in　the　majority　of　us；　especially　among　the　older　men　and　those　who　had　families。　But　we　youngsters　accepted　the　fortunes　of　war　and　were　glad　that　we　were　alive；　even　if　we　were　prisoners。　In　my　mess　in　prison　there　were　fifteen；　all　having　been　captured　at　the　same　time；　and　many　of　us　comrades　of　three　years'　standing。

〃I　remember　the　day　we　were　taken　off　the　train　and　marched　through　the　town　for　the　prison；　a　Yankee　band　in　our　front　playing　national　airs　and　favorites　of　their　army；　and　the　people　along　the　route　jeering　us　and　asking　how　we　liked　the　music。　Our　mess　held　together　during　the　march；　and　some　of　the　boys　answered　them　back　as　well　as　they　could。　Once　inside　the　prison　stockade；　we　went　into　quarters　and　our　mess　still　held　together。　Before　we　had　been　there　long；　one　day　there　was　a　call　among　the　prisoners　for　volunteers　to　form　a　roustabout　crew。　Well；　I　enlisted　as　a　roustabout。　We　had　to　report　to　an　officer　twice　a　day；　and　then　were　put　under　guard　and　set　to　work。　The　kind　of　labor　I　liked　best　was　unloading　the　supplies　for　the　prison；　which　were　landed　on　a　near…by　wharf。　This　roustabout　crew　had　all　the　unloading　to　do；　and　the　reason　I　liked　it　was　it　gave　us　some　chance　to　steal。　Whenever　there　was　anything　extra；　intended　for　the　officers；　to　be　unloaded；　look　out　for　accidents。　Broken　crates　were　common；　and　some　of　the　contents　was　certain　to　reach　our　pockets　or　stomachs；　in　spite　of　the　guard。

〃I　was　a　willing　worker　and　stood　well　with　the　guards。　They　never　searched　me；　and　when　they　took　us　outside　the　stockade；　the　captain　of　the　guard　gave　me　permission；　after　our　work　was　over；　to　patronize　the　sutler's　store　and　buy　knick…knacks　from　the　booths。　There　was　always　some　little　money　amongst　soldiers；　even　in　prison；　and　I　was　occasionally　furnished　money　by　my　messmates　to　buy　bread　from　a　baker's　wagon　which　was　outside　the　walls。　Well；　after　I　had　traded　a　few　times　with　the　baker's　boy；　I　succeeded　in　corrupting　him。　Yes；　had　him　stealing　from　his　employer　and　selling　to　me　at　a　discount。　I　was　a　good　customer；　and　being　a　prisoner；　there　was　no　danger　of　my　meeting　his　employer。　You　see　the　loaves　were　counted　out　to　him；　and　he　had　to　return　the　equivalent　or　the　bread。　At　first　the　bread　cost　me　ten　cents　for　a　small　loaf；　but　when　I　got　my　scheme　working；　it　didn't　cost　me　five　cents　for　the　largest　loaves　the　boy　could　steal　from　the　bakery。　I　worked　that　racket　for　several　months；　and　if　we　hadn't　been　exchanged；　I'd　have　broke　that　baker；　sure。

〃But　the　most　successful　scheme　I　worked　was　stealing　the　kidneys　out　of　beef　while　we　were　handling　it。　It　was　some　distance　from　the　wharf　to　the　warehouse；　and　when　I'd　get　a　hind　quarter