A Horse Called Mogollon (Floating Outfit Book 3) by J.T. Edson Page B

big
stallion’s fast, smart ’n’ tolerable mean. Could be he’ll turn out
like that black cuss today, too mean to be took alive.’
    ‘ He was
captured once.’
    ‘ Why
sure—and got away again.’
    ‘ Could
we get him?’ Colin insisted.
    ‘ You’re
fixing to try, no matter what I say,’ the Kid guessed. ‘So’s soon’s
we’re relieved and I’ve fed, I’ll take my ole Thunder hoss and go
look for him.’ He slapped a hand against his thigh and grinned,
‘Hey! I didn’t know you Scotch fellers did it.’
    ‘ Did
what?’
    ‘ Went
out ’n’ got a real good hoss to give to your gal’s kinfolk. Us
Comanches do it a mite different, though. We have to hand over the
hoss afore the gal’s been asked, said “yes” ’n’ nailed our hides to
the lodge pole.’
    ‘ How do
we go about it?’ Colin inquired, ignoring the comment.
    ‘ Was I
you,’ answered the Kid, ‘I’d talk some to Jeanie about
that.’
    ‘ It’s
to be a surprise,’ Colin protested.
    ‘ And
she’ll act like it is when you tell her,’ grinned the Kid. ‘Then
she’ll set to and help you-all every which-way she can.’
    ‘ You
think I couldn’t do it without the lassie’s help?’
    ‘ Put
your tail down and stop them horns a-hooking, amigo. You’ll need that mestenera’s help. And, believe me, that’s
more damned help ’n’ hoss-savvy than you could get from anybody
else.’
    ‘ More
than from a Nemenuh,’ Colin challenged, his good humor restored.
    ‘ If
saying so’ll get you to ask her,’ drawled the Kid, ‘even from
a Nemenuh.’
    Having asked for advice, Colin
showed sufficient good sense to accept it. On his return to the
camp, he took Jeanie to one side and stated his intentions. She
immediately threw herself wholeheartedly into helping him and
agreed to the Kid departing to locate Mogollon ’s manada.
    Leaving after supper, the Kid
returned while the rest of the party were eating breakfast. Taking
no notice of the manner in which Colin and Jeanie looked at him, he
collected his food. Squatting on his heels, he finished the meal
without saying a word. Not until he had dropped his plate and tin
cup into the dish of hot water by the chuck wagon did he offer to address the
impatient girl and Scot.
    ‘ Ka-Dih’s sure favoring you, Scotch brother.’
    ‘ Scottish,’ Colin corrected almost automatically. ‘“Scotch”
is a drink.’
    ‘ You
can buy the white part of me one next time we’re in town,’
suggested the Kid. ‘I’ve never seed a feller so lucky.’
    ‘ How
come?’ demanded Jeanie.
    ‘ Did I
ever tell you about me ’n’ Grandpappy Long Walker on our first bear
hunt, Dusty?’ the Kid inquired.
    ‘ Did I mention to you how we ought to get somebody out with a shovel to bury that
black manadero, Dusty?’ Jeanie asked, staring pointedly at the Kid. ‘I’d
say it’s a chore for one of your OD Connected hands.’
    ‘ Us
bosses all stick together, Lon,’ Dusty warned, having been an
amused onlooker to that point. ‘And riding the blister end of a
shovel’s hard work.’
    ‘ How’d
you know?’ the Kid said truculently. ‘I’ve never seed a boss riding
one. All right. Peace, white sister.’ The last words, being
accompanied by the traditional sign of peace, came with great
solemnity as Jeanie moved threateningly towards him. ‘I knows when
I’m licked.’
    ‘ I
never figured you knowed nothing,’ Jeanie sniffed.
    ‘ I know
ole Mogollon’s back down this ways,’ stated the Kid. ‘Fact being,
him ’n’ his manada’re heading for the place where we picked up the last
bunch.’
    ‘ Unless
it’s been tried since last year,’ Jeanie put in, eyes dancing with
eagerness, ‘the Caracol de Santa Barbara’s one pen nobody’s tried to run him into.
Colin, this could be our chance.’
    Once a manada had thwarted an attempt to force them into
a caracol, it was impossible to drive them into that location again.
So, if Mogollon’s band had not been pushed towards the Caracol de