UNDER A STRANGE INFLUENCE
"We will move to-morrow shortly after daybreak," announced the foreman
at supper that night.
"Will you put me on the fourth guard this evening, Mr. Stallings?" asked
Tad Butler.
"You take the fourth guard? A cowpuncher who hasn't had a wink in more
than two days? Why, I wouldn't ask a steer to do that! No kid, you roll
up in your blankets and sleep until the cook routs you out for
breakfast."
"I'll take my trick just the same. I can sleep at home when I get back.
I don't want to miss a minute of this fun," returned Tad.
"Fun--he calls it fun!" grunted Lumpy.
"It's just the beginning of the fun," answered Big-foot. "I knew things
would begin to happen when we got near the Nueces."
"Why?" asked Ned Rector.
"I don't know. There seems to be some queer influence at work round
these parts. Last time I was over this part of the trail we had a
stampede almost every night for a week. Two months ago I heard of an
outfit that lost more'n half its stock."
"How about it, Mr. Stallings?" laughed Tad. "Are you superstitious,
too?"
The boys noted that the foreman frowned and would not answer at once.
"Not exactly. Big-foot means the adobe church of San Miguel."
"What's that?" interrupted Chunky.
"An old Mexican church on the plains. Probably hasn't been used for a
hundred years or more. You boys will have a chance to explore the place.
It's not far from the Ox Bow ranch, where we take in another herd. We
shall be there a couple of days or so until the cattle get acquainted.
Besides, we shall have to buy some fresh ponies. Four of ours broke
their legs in the stampede and had to be shot."
"Oh, that's too bad," answered Tad. "I'm sorry. I don't like to see a
horse get hurt."
"No more do I, Master Tad. But in this business it is bound to happen. I
think we shall be able to get some green bronchos. They usually have a
bunch of them at the Ox Bow ranch. You will see some fun when we break
them in," laughed the foreman.
"I think I should like to take a hand in that myself. But I am anxious
to hear more about the haunted church."
"Who said anything about a haunted church?" demanded Stacy Brown.
"The gopher is right. The church isn't haunted. It just happens that
cowmen fall into a run of hard luck in that neighborhood now and then."
"Do you believe in spooks, Mr. Stallings!" asked Walter.
"Never having seen one, I don't know whether I do or not. Were I to see
one I might believe in them," laughed the foreman.
"I saw a ghost once," began Stacy Brown.
"Never mind explaining about it," objected Ned. "We'll take your word
for it and let it go at that."
Tad Butler had gotten into a fresh change of clothes after having taken
a bath in a wash tub behind the trail wagon. His wounds pained him, and
he was sleepy, so the lad turned in shortly after his supper, and was
soon sound asleep.
Nothing occurred to disturb the camp that night, and when finally Tad
was awakened to take his watch, it seemed as if he had been asleep only
a few minutes. However, he sprang up wide awake and ready for the work
ahead of him. As usual, he went out with Big-foot. A warm friendship had
sprung up between the big cowboy and Tad Butler. They were together much
of the time when their duties permitted.
"Is there any truth in that spook story?" asked Tad, as the two rode
slowly out to where the herd was bedded down.
Big-foot hesitated.
"You can call it whatever you want to. I only know that things happen to
most every outfit that gets within a hundred miles of the place. Why,
out at the Ox Bow ranch, they have the worst luck of any cattle place in
the state. If it wasn't for the fact that they keep their cows fenced in
with wire fences, they wouldn't have a critter on the place."
"But, I don't understand," protested Tad. "I don't seem to get it
through my head what it is that causes all the trouble you tell me
about."
"No more does anybody else. They just know that hard luck is lying
around waiting for them when they get near and that's all they know
about it."
"When shall we be near there?" asked Tad Butler.
"We are near enough now. Our troubles have begun already. Herd
stampeded. Ponies broke their legs and had to be shot. Nobody knows what
else will break loose before we get a hundred miles further on."
"I am anxious to see the place," commented Tad.
"You won't be after you've been there. I worked on a cow herd near the
place two years ago."
"Yes?"
"Well, I got out after I'd been pitched off my pony and got a broken
leg. That was only one of the things that happened to me, but it was
enough. I got out. And here I am running my head right into trouble
again. Say, kid!"
"Yes."
"You'd better ask the Herr Professor to let you carry a gun. You'll need
it."
"What for--to lay ghosts with?" laughed the boy.
"Well, mebby something of that sort."
"Don't need it. I guess my fists will lay out any kind of a ghost that I
run against. If they won't, no gun will do any good. I don't believe in
a boy's carrying a pistol in his pocket. It will get him into more
trouble than it will get him out of."
"Well, that's some horseback sense," grunted Big-foot. "I never built up
against that idee before, but I reckon it's right. We don't need 'em
much either, except to frighten the cows with when they start on a
stampede, and----"
"It doesn't seem to stop them," retorted Tad, with a little malicious
smile. "It strikes me that a boy without a gun can stop a runaway herd
about as quickly as can a cowboy with one."
"Right again, my little pardner. Scored a bull's-eye that time. I guess
Big-foot Sanders hasn't any call to be arguing with you."
"We were talking about spooks," the boy reminded him. "I am anxious to
see that church. I've wanted to see one all my life----"
"What? A church?"
"No; a spook."
"Oh! Can't promise to show you nothing of the sort. But I'll agree to
stack you up against a run of hard luck that will make you wobbly on
your legs."
"That will be nothing new, Big-foot. I've had that already."
"Sure thing. That's the beginning of the trouble. As I was saying
before, we don't need the guns for any other reason unless it's against
cattle rustlers. Sometimes they steal cattle these days, but not so much
as they did in the early days of the cattle business."
"Think we will meet any rustlers?" asked Tad, with sudden interest.
"Nary a rustler will tackle this herd. First place, we are not yet in
the country where they can work profitably----"
"Where's that?"
"Oh, anywhere where there's mountains for them to hide in. I'll show you
where the rustlers used to work, when we get further along on the trail.
But, as I was saying, there are no rustlers hereabouts."
"Oh," answered Tad Butler, somewhat regretfully.
"You never mind about hunting trouble. Trouble is coming to this outfit
good and plenty, and I reckon a kid like you will be in the middle of
it, too. You ain't the kind that goes sneaking for cover when things are
lively. I saw that the other night. Stallings is going to write to Boss
Miller about the way you stuck to the herd when it ran away."
"What for?"
"I dunno. Guess 'cause he knows it'll make the old man smile. We boys
will come in for an extra fiver at the end of the trip, for saving the
herd, I reckon."
"That's where you have the best of me," laughed Tad. "No fives for me. I
get my pay out of the fun I am having. I think I am overpaid at that.
Well, so long, Big-foot," announced the lad as they finally reached the
herd.
"So long," answered the cowman, turning his pony off to take the
opposite side of the sleeping cattle. In a few moments Tad heard his
strident voice singing to the herd again.
The hours passed more quickly than had been the case the last time Tad
was on guard, for he had much to think of and to wonder over.
Daybreak had arrived almost before he knew it and the call for breakfast
sounded across the plain.
As soon as he had been relieved, Tad Butler galloped back to camp,
bright-eyed and full of anticipation, both for the meal and for the ride
that was before them that day.
Corn cakes were on the bill of fare that morning and the Pony Riders
shouted with glee when they discovered what Pong had prepared for them.
"Bring on the black strap," called Stallings.
Stacy Brown glanced at the foreman suspiciously.
"Why do you want a black strap for breakfast?" he demanded.
"To put on the corn cakes of course, boy," laughed Stallings.
"I've heard of using a black strap to hitch horses with----"
"And to correct unruly boys," added Professor Zepplin.
"But I never did hear of eating it on corn cakes."
Everybody laughed at Chunky's objection.
"You will eat this strap when you see it," answered Stallings, taking a
jug from the hands of the Chinaman and pouring some of its contents over
the cakes on his plate.
"What is it!" asked Ned Rector.
"Molasses. It's what we call black strap. Help yourselves. Never mind
the gopher there. He never eats black straps for breakfast," the foreman
jeered.
"Here, I want some of that," demanded Stacy, half-rising and reaching
for the jug. "My, but it's good!" he decided with his mouth full.
"That's all right," answered Walter. "But please do not forget that
there are some others in this outfit who like cakes and molasses. Please
pass that jug this way."
"Yes, the pony won't be able to carry him to-day if he keeps on for ten
minutes more, at the rate he's been going," laughed Ned Rector. "I never
did have any sort of use for a glutton."
"Neither did I," added Chunky solemnly, at which both Pony Riders and
cowboys roared with laughter.
"Going to be another scorcher," decided the foreman, rising and
surveying the skies critically. "We shall not be able to make very good
time, I fear."
"When do you expect to reach the Nueces River?" asked the Professor.
"I had hoped to get there by to-morrow. However, it doesn't look as if
we should be able to do so if it comes off so hot."
"Is the Nueces a large river?" asked Walter.
"Sometimes. And it is a lively stream when there happens to be a freshet
and both forks are pouring a flood down into it. We will try to bed down
near the river and you boys can have some sport swimming. Do all of you
swim?"
"Yes," they chorused.
"That's good. The cowpunchers will have a time of it, too."
"I can float," Stacy Brown informed him eagerly.
"So could I if I were as fat as you. I could float all day," retorted
Ned Rector. "You couldn't sink if you were to fill your pockets with
stones. There is some advantage in being fat, anyway."
"He didn't seem to float the day he fell in among the steers," said one
of the cowboys.
"That isn't fair," interrupted Stallings. "The steers put the gopher
under, that day. Any of you would have gone down with a mob of cows
piling on top of you."
"The river is near the church you were telling me about, isn't it?"
inquired Tad of Big-foot in a low tone.
Sanders nodded solemnly.
Tad's eyes sparkled eagerly. He finished his breakfast rather hurriedly
and rose from the table. As he walked away he met the horse wrangler
bringing the day ponies. The lad quickly saddled his own mount after a
lively little struggle and much squealing and bucking from the pony.
Tad was eager to reach the river and get sight of the mysterious church
beyond. Yet, he did not dream of the thrilling experiences that were
awaiting them all at the very doors of the church of San Miguel.