The Bird Boys would not soon forget that invigorating ride. On all
sides they saw a thousand things that excited their wonder; and
which they did not hesitate to ask about. And Uncle Jethro was only
too willing to explain; he wanted these bright-faced boys who had
come to visit him, to learn all about the things with which they
would come in daily contact, and the sooner the better.
From this time on there would be a complete change in the air around
Frank and Andy. The talk of the cowboys was along the line of ranch
life; and by degrees many of the phrases that went to describe such
things entering into the daily life of these wild plains riders,
would become familiar to the “tenderfeet.”
They saw the cactus that grew along the border of the desert; the
tufts of what Uncle Jethro called “buffalo grass,” possibly because
the bison that formerly covered these same plains in countless tens
of thousands used to feed upon it; watched the queer antics of a
village of prairie dogs they passed on the way to the ranch; and
heard the boys speak of a muddy hole as a “buffalo wallow,” though
the chances were it had been half a century since such an animal had
lain down to rid himself of the flies, by wallowing in the mud and
water that came from a rainfall.
Here were a few stray cattle which the rancher termed “Mavericks;”
and called to the foreman to mark down, so they could be rounded-up
and branded on the morrow; there they overtook an Indian family on
the move, with a calico horse harnessed to a couple of long
drag-poles, upon which were piled all their worldly possessions,
including the squaw herself and a dusky papoose; and once in the
distance they saw a line of white-topped wagons that gave the boys a
thrill, thinking of those old days when emigrants were in the habit
of crossing the plains in such vehicles; until Uncle Jethro kindly
explained that this was a freighter’s caravan, the prairie schooners
being loaded with supplies for the mines that were located away up
in the mountains, where it was difficult to get such material, the
smelting being done on the ground, and only the pure copper shipped
out to the market.
It was altogether too short a ride, Andy loudly declared, when his
uncle announced that the ranch buildings were in sight ahead. He had
seen so many new and interesting sights that he thought he could
never drink in enough of this air, heated though it might be.
All the same, both lads looked eagerly ahead, anxious to know what
the Double X Ranch would turn out to be like.
They saw a cluster of white buildings, none of them over one story
in height; and partly surrounded by green trees, that had doubtless
influenced the owner to make his headquarters in this particular
spot, where good water was to be had in abundance.
Already the boys had started on a gallop for the house, whooping as
usual. A genuine happy-go-lucky cow puncher is probably about the
noisiest creature on the face of the earth; he never seems to be
fully satisfied unless he is making some sort of a racket, either
chasing cattle, cavorting on his pony amidst his comrades, or
shooting up a border town when on one of his “pay-day” outings.
Before they reached the buildings they had drawn close enough to the
passing freight caravan for the boys to even hear the vicious crack
of the teamster’s long blacksnake whips, and to hear a choice
collection of words when some little accident happened to delay the
creaking wagons a brief time. Uncle Jethro was an old bachelor. He
had a very efficient housekeeper in a Mrs. Ogden, a middle-aged
widow, whose husband had been some sort of cousin to the owner of
the ranch, and connected with him slightly in the business, at the
time he died.
A beaming Celestial cook, who sailed under the name of Charley Woo,
looked after the kitchen, and seemed to satisfy the demands of the
vigorous punchers. When he was out with the boys in charge of the
“grub wagon,” during their round-ups, those left at home were well
taken care of by the housekeeper herself.
Everything was so fine that both Andy and Frank knew they were going
to have the time of their lives; and would begrudge the days that
slipped past. They meant to soak in all the information possible, as
well as show these dashing riders that if they were greenhorns in
all that was connected with cattle punching, at least they occupied
a high standard when it came to bold exploits away up in the clouds.
During the remainder of the day they went here and there, making
fresh discoveries at every turn, and fairly saturating themselves
with the multitude of things that were associated with this new
life.
One of the cowboys in particular had attracted the attention of
Andy; and Frank also admitted having taken an immediate liking for
the same fellow. He was a lively boy, full of vim and go, and yet
with something winning about his ways. They called him “Buckskin,”
and it was quite a long time before either of the newcomers learned
that he had another name, Oliver Cromwell Jones.
He seemed more eager to hear about the exploits of the young
aviators than any of the rest; though for that matter they were
every one of them hanging around every minute they could spare from
their duties, showing the newcomers their bunkhouse, the big
stables, the enclosure where the saddle band of horses was usually
kept when not in use, and everything else they could think of, until
both Andy and Frank felt that they were growing confused under so
much attention.
And what pleased Frank most of all was a rude building or shed which
Uncle Jethro had had built to serve as a hangar for the biplane.
Where he got his ideas from they did not know; but it must have been
some magazine article; because the affair seemed to answer all
requirements; though of course it was a mere shed, and not intended
to be locked up.
But such a thing as injury coming to the precious aeroplane in this
isolated place never once occurred to the boys. Surely there was no
malicious Percy Carberry, and his shadow Sandy Hollingshead, away
down here to want to render the biplane worthless for use; and every
one of the punchers acted as though he believed the greatest treat
of his whole life would arrive when he actually saw with his own
eyes those daring young aviators mount upward toward the sky, until
they seemed like a mere speck in the blue vault.
There was one occupant of the ranch building whom the boys were
pleased indeed to meet. This was a little fairy of five, named
Becky, a blue-eyed child, daughter of a niece of Mr. Witherspoon,
who had departed this life. She was a winsome little thing, and the
cow punchers seemed to fairly worship her.
Frank guessed that there was a little mystery attached to her, but
he did not mean to seem curious, and ask any questions. In due time
they learned from Buckskin that this niece had run away with a
dashing Mexican named Jose Sandero; and after being cruelly treated
by him, had fled once more across the border, arriving with her tiny
baby at the Double X Ranch so worn out with fatigue that she had
soon passed away. Her child had been left to Uncle Jethro; but not
wanting to risk any chances, he had taken legal means to make
himself the guardian of little Becky. And ever since she had been
the sunlight of the whole ranch. The boys would stop in the midst of
any wordy war, or wild singing, just to listen to the music of her
sweet childish voice, that seemed capable of arousing all the best
emotions in their natures.
Nothing had ever been seen of the father, and it was taken for
granted that he must either be dead, or never wanted to attempt to
claim his child. And, Buckskin declared that if ever he did show up
round that region, he stood the finest possible chance of pulling
hemp that any man ever knew.
That supper was one never to be forgotten. With the smiling Chinaman
waiting on the noisy crowd, and appeasing every demand, Andy thought
he had never enjoyed anything half so much in all his life. He had
often camped out, and eaten the fare that is so greatly relished by
every healthy lad with red blood in his veins, but there were so
many things connected with this meal at the long table, where some
ten ranch riders sat, and exchanged comments characteristic of their
occupation, with everything so strange to the tenderfoot, that it
made a deep impression on both the newcomers, never to be
eradicated.
Then the punchers trooped off to their bunkhouse, to leave the
travelers alone, for they felt that they needed considerable of a
rest to make up for the fatigues of their long journey.
The man who drove the double team connected with the wagon must have
coaxed considerable speed out of them after all without meeting with
any accident on the road, for the freight had shown up an hour
before sunset, and ere the call came for supper it had all been
safely stowed away in the rude hangar, where Frank and his cousin
could work at it on the morrow.
It was rather early when the boys sought their comfortable little
room, where the white sheets invited them to sound slumber; and the
soft night breeze fanned their cheeks, coming through the many
windows that were always open.
They sat at the window some time, talking in low tones about many of
the strange things they had already seen, and speculating on how
this dry air of the desert border would affect them, when they made
their first ascension.
Far away the mysterious lowing of herds came faintly to their ears;
they could also catch the whinnying of horses in the stockade; and
now and then the sound of music in the shape of a deftly manipulated
accordion; or it might be the soft twanging of a Mexican mandolin,
while one of the boys warbled softly about some black-eyed senorita
he had left behind him in the country of the dons.
After a while the cousins decided that they ought to be in bed, and
getting rested for the labors that awaited them in the morning. And
once they threw themselves down, they were lost to the world in a
few minutes.
Of course they dreamed as every boy does pretty much all the time.
And it was only natural that Andy’s mind should go back while he
slept to other days, when he and Frank were engaged in the hottest
of races with their rival, Percy Carberry, who was just as deeply
interested in all matters connected with aviation as they had been.
Many a time had they found themselves compelled to sit up and guard
their property when they had by some successful exploit aroused the
worse elements in the jealous nature of this rival. And even now,
though removed from the home town and Percy by several thousand
miles, Andy had to dream that once again a dark cloud was hovering
over their fortunes, and all caused by the hatred of this boy who
for more than two years had been the one thorn in their flesh.
So vivid had been his dream that Andy actually suddenly awoke with a
low cry, and sat up in bed, trembling all over.
“What’s the matter?” demanded Frank, also springing up.
Before Andy could frame any sort of answer, owing to the confusion
of ideas that seemed to be tumbling pell mell through his brain,
both of them were thrilled to hear a voice from somewhere outside
shouting:
“Wake up! help! help! fire! Whoop! get busy there, fellows!”
As though governed by a couple of springs the cousins leaped from
their comfortable bed, and rushing over to one of the windows that
looked toward where the new shed covering the precious aeroplane
stood, they saw a sight that thrilled as well as alarmed them.