第66章 CROSSING THE NIOBRARA(2)

The Niobrara was a fine grazing country.Since we had over two months at our disposal, after leaving the North Platte, every advantage was given the cattle to round into form.Ten miles was a day's move, and the different outfits kept in close touch with each other.We had planned a picnic for the crossing of the Niobrara, and on reaching that stream during the afternoon, Sponsilier and myself crossed, camping a mile apart, Forrest remaining on the south side.Wild raspberries had been extremely plentiful, and every wagon had gathered a quantity sufficient to make a pie for each man.The cooks had mutually agreed to meet at Sponsilier's wagon and do the baking, and every man not on herd was present in expectation of the coming banquet.One of Forrest's boys had a fiddle, and bringing it along, the festivities opened with a stag dance, the "ladies" being designated by wearing a horse-hobble loosely around their necks.

While the pies were baking, a slow process with Dutch ovens, Isat on the wagon-tongue and played the violin by the hour.A rude imitation of the gentler sex, as we had witnessed in dance-halls in Dodge and Ogalalla, was reproduced with open shirt fronts, and amorous advances by the sterner one.

The dancing ceased the moment the banquet was ready.The cooks had experienced considerable trouble in restraining some of the boys from the too free exercise of what they looked upon as the inalienable right of man to eat his pie when, where, and how it best pleased him.But Sponsilier, as host, stood behind the culinary trio, and overawed the impetuous guests.The repast barely concluded in time for the wranglers and first guard from Forrest's and my outfit to reach camp, catch night-horses, bed the cattle, and excuse the herders, as supper was served only at the one wagon.The relieved ones, like eleventh-hour guests, came tearing in after darkness, and the tempting spread soon absorbed them.As the evening wore on, the loungers gathered in several circles, and the raconteur held sway.The fact that we were in a country in which game abounded suggested numerous stories.The delights of cat-hunting by night found an enthusiast in each one present.Every dog in our memory, back to early boyhood, was properly introduced and his best qualities applauded.Not only cat-hounds but coon-dogs had a respectful hearing.

"I remember a hound," said Forrest's wrangler, "which I owned when a boy back in Virginia.My folks lived in the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in that state.We were just as poor as our poorest neighbors.But if there was any one thing that that section was rich in it was dogs, principally hounds.This dog of mine was four years old when I left home to go to Texas.Fine hound, swallow marked, and when he opened on a scent you could always tell what it was that he was running.I never allowed him to run with packs, but generally used him in treeing coon, which pestered the cornfields during roasting-ear season and in the fall.Well, after I had been out in Texas about five years, Iconcluded to go back on a little visit to the old folks.There were no railroads within twenty miles of my home, and I had to hoof it that distance, so I arrived after dark.Of course my return was a great surprise to my folks, and we sat up late telling stories about things out West.I had worked with cattle all the time, and had made one trip over the trail from Collin County to Abilene, Kansas.

"My folks questioned me so fast that they gave me no show to make any inquiries in return, but I finally eased one in and asked about my dog Keiser, and was tickled to hear that he was still living.I went out and called him, but he failed to show up, when mother explained his absence by saying that he often went out hunting alone now, since there was none of us boys at home to hunt with him.They told me that he was no account any longer;that he had grown old and gray, and father said he was too slow on trail to be of any use.I noticed that it was a nice damp night, and if my old dog had been there, I think I'd have taken a circle around the fields in the hope of hearing him sing once more.Well, we went back into the house, and after talking awhile longer, I climbed into the loft and went to bed.I didn't sleep very sound that night, and awakened several times.About an hour before daybreak, I awoke suddenly and imagined I heard a hound baying faintly in the distance.Finally I got up and opened the board window in the gable and listened.Say, boys, I knew that hound's baying as well as I know my own saddle.It was old Keiser, and he had something treed about a mile from the house, across a ridge over in some slashes.I slipped on my clothes, crept downstairs, and taking my old man's rifle out of the rack, started to him.

"It was as dark as a stack of black cats, but I knew every path and byway by heart.I followed the fields as far as I could, and later, taking into the timber, I had to go around a long swamp.

An old beaver dam had once crossed the outlet of this marsh, and once I gained it, I gave a long yell to let the dog know that some one was coming.He answered me, and quite a little while before day broke I reached him.Did he know me? Why, he knew me as easy as the little boy knew his pap.Right now, I can't remember any simple thing in my whole life that moved me just as that little reunion of me and my dog, there in those woods that morning.Why, he howled with delight.He licked my face and hands and stood up on me with his wet feet and said just as plain as he could that he was glad to see me again.And I was glad to meet him, even though he did make me feel as mellow as a girl over a baby.