The Old Cowboy
Author James H. Wilson
January 8, 2003
© Copyright 2003
THE OLD COWBOY Part Thirty Four
(continued)
"Just as those cows started by, 'Cooky' drove the chuck wagon over a rock
an' broke a wheel. The herd pushed one of the two remainin' water wagons into a
ravine an' split it wide open.
Them bandits disappeared into the mountains. Ol' Jeb said he'd found a little
blood back where all the shootin' started. He knew somebody'd winged 'em. A
couple of the drovers took out after 'em, but they came back shortly an' helped
round up what we could find of the herd.
"Gees Grandpa, you never even saw the bandits!"
"No sir, you're right Grandboy. By the time we parked the chuck, I took
straight out ta get the herd turned back. By the time things settled down that
ol' sun was peekin' over. 'Cooky' made a fresh pot 'a coffee and conjured up
some vittles.
Ya know, not that it was anything dif'rent, but I still taste that bacon that
mornin'. We was all 'bout tired as we'd ever been. A good hot cup 'a coffee...
an' bacon... an' been... Oh yea, I remember it well."
"Grandpa, I'll bet you were glad to see the sun that day!"
"Yes sir, we was mighty glad. Once that ol' sun came up we all got busy. Me
an 'Ol' Tanner' headed out and caught up with some strays that had gotten close
ta three miles out. Well that ate up near half a day, so the boss man decided
he'd let things settle.
When the morrow came we was almost frisky. Almost..." he rubbed his chin
an' gave himself a slap on the knee and got up out of that easy chair. He took
his cane and pointed out at the sky and went on, "but not like when we
started.
No, we'd lost near a hundred head, one dang fine drover, three good horses, two
out 'a three water wagons, and now we had bandits after our herd. The boss man
was a stern man an' hard to read most of the time. Grandboy that day you could
see he'd been broke.
Well, time passed an' the heat..."
To Be Continued. . .
THE OLD COWBOY Part Thirty Four, Copyright © 2003
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