THE OLD COWBOY Part Thirty Seven
(continued)

"They came in from the southern rim of the canyon. Stayin' in the shadows and behind the rocks. Workin' their way north around the herd.

Well Grandboy, I sp'ose they figured we'd all be sleepin', too worn out to be any good. We let 'em get behind the herd. Just when they started their push we surrounded 'em and took 'em down with out firin' a shot. Jack an' Jeb was at their sides when Ralph, Leo, Tom, and me lassoed the three of 'em from the rear.

Yes sir, it was a real good plan. Them boys never new what hit them. Jack and Jeb grabbed their horses while the rest of us pulled them walkin' behind us back to the bunk house."

"So you got 'em then Grandpa?"

"Yep, well we got them... We took 'em in to town the next day. We told the sheriff all they'd done to us along the trail the past few days. He had to keep 'em there 'till the marshall came to move them to Carson City in a couple of weeks.

Yep, we figured we was done with band-dit-os that time, but they had friends. When they didn't show up with our herd. Their friends came. They came to get their buddies out of jail. They were very mean, bad men. Real outlaws. They left the constable badly shot up, but not dead. A bullet cut through him and broke his back. Left him paralyzed in the legs. A young man, he was. Two little boys ta raise...

They got a posse together, and came a shootin'. That gunfire meant trouble, and all us drovers hit the floor with our boots on. We had our saddles on and ridin' toward the herd in about five minutes.

The band-dit-os had started their push when their friends and the posse caught up with them. As we arrived we knew we had a stampede. Me, Tom, and Leo took after the herd. The rest after them criminals.

When all was said and done,..."

To Be Continued. . .