INJUN
It was some twenty-two miles out to the ranch, but the wagon rolled
over the prairie at a fast clip, and well inside of two hours they were
inside the boundary of the ranch, and saw, here and there, herds of
cattle grazing. Jordan called their attention to both the boundary and
the cattle, and Whitey felt a sense of elation when he thought that all
of this belonged to his father. Also, he felt that, for once, he had a
yard big enough for him to play in without feeling crowded.
In the distance, loomed the mountains, and Whitey promised himself
that he would explore them some afternoon--they didn't look very far
off. But when he spoke of it, Jordan laughed and said, "When you pick
out the day you're goin', it'll be jest as well to start kind o'
early--them mountains is more 'n fifty miles away."
Mr. Sherwood explained to Whitey that the apparent nearness of the
mountains was on account of the clear and rarefied air. But to tell the
truth, Whitey was frankly incredulous; he had a good pair of eyes, and
if he could believe them at all, those mountains were certainly not
fifty miles away! He made up his mind that he would test it, sometime,
and he did. He came to the conclusion that instead of being fifty miles
away, the mountains were at least five times that distance!
As the wagon neared the ranch-house, they came upon a strange figure
on a small, but very wiry pinto, moving almost directly across their
trail. It was an Indian boy, apparently about the same age as Whitey,
and picturesquely clad in a "hickory shirt," open at the neck and
leaving a good part of his breast exposed, "buck-skin" trousers, and
rudely made moccasins. A bow and a quiver containing a number of arrows
were slung over his shoulder. The boy had neither saddle nor bridle,
and seemed to be a part of his horse, guiding and controlling him
solely by the pressure of his knees.
"Here's a card!" said Jordan, to Mr. Sherwood and Whitey. "Just look
this bird over for a minute. He's a queer duck!" Then raising his
voice, he shouted, "Hello, 'Injun!'"
The boy stopped the pinto suddenly, without any perceptible movement,
and raised his hand in salutation, and waited for the wagon to come up.
As they ranged alongside of him, Jordan pulled up the horses:
"'Injun,'" said Jordan, "this here is the new Boss," pointing to Mr.
Sherwood. "An' this here is his boy," and Jordan indicated Whitey. "You
come over to the ranch-house to-morrow; I've got somethin' fer you to
do."
The boy looked calmly at them, but gave no sign that he understood.
His face was most intelligent and not at all unpleasant, though as far
as any change of expression is concerned, it might have been carved
out of stone. His eyes, however, were keen and restive, and he looked
from one to another of the party in a shrewd, appraising way. He seemed
slight, compared to Whitey, even a little scrawny, with very thin arms
and legs; but as keen an observer of physical condition as Whitey had
become by this time was not to be deceived thereby. A steel wire is
thin and attenuated, but it is very strong; and to Whitey's practiced
eye those arms and legs were simply bundles of wire.
"Well," said Jordan, after he had allowed the boys to size each other
up for a time, "I guess that'll be about all, 'Injun.' So long!" and
Jordan clucked to the horses.
The Indian boy raised his hand in a peculiar sort of salute as he
turned his horse slightly and galloped away. Whitey watched him with
admiration on every line of his face as far as he could distinguish his
movements; and Jordan watched Whitey, smiling.
"Who is he?" asked Whitey, at last, turning to Jordan, and Mr. Sherwood
also looked an inquiry.
"He's some kid!" laughed Jordan. "He don't belong to nobody, an' he
don't live nowhere! Wherever he builds his camp-fire is home! He's
took care of hisself ever sence he was big 'nuff to kick a duck in the
ankle, an' he don't ask no odds o' nobody! Him an' that pinto is jes'
one--they're part of each other. That there hoss knows what thet kid is
_thinkin'_ 'bout! You talk 'bout yer Centaurs, er whatever they was,
they didn't have nuthin' on that pair!"
"Did he understand what you said to him?" asked Whitey. "He didn't seem
to."
Jordan laughed: "Oh, he understood, all right! He'll be there the first
thing in the mornin', with bells on!" Jordan looked smilingly at Whitey
for a moment, and then added, "I kind o' figured him an' you'd sort o'
team up, mebbe?"
Whitey was plainly pleased, and he looked at his father inquiringly.
"If you are asking my permission, Son," said Mr. Sherwood, "I have no
hesitation in granting it. No doubt this Indian boy will teach you a
lot of useful things; and perhaps you can teach him something, too."
Then turning to Jordan, Mr. Sherwood said, "I suppose the boy is all
right, isn't he? By that I mean, he doesn't take too many chances and
get into trouble?"
"I guess he takes chances a-plenty," said Jordan, slowly, "but what boy
won't--providin' he's a reg'lar boy? Er a man either? Y' can't keep a
squirrel on the ground, as the sayin' is. But I'll take a ticket on
that 'Injun' to git out 'n any fix he gits into. He's a pretty wise
fish, that kid," said Jordan; and then looking at Whitey, he added,
"An' this here youngster don't look like no mollycoddle, neither. Long
as they don't set out t' deevastate the grizzly crop an' they let
painters alone, I don't reckon nuthin' 's goin' to muss 'em up much.
Let 'em go to it!"
This seemed to settle it, much to Whitey's relief; and Jordan did not
speak again until they drove into the ranch-yard.