第44章

Shock, who had been singularly attracted by the handsome, boyish face of the rider, walked up to the door and stood looking in, his great form towering above the crowd of men that swayed and jostled, chaffing and swearing, inside.As he stood looking at the boy, sitting his horse with such careless grace, and listening with pleased and smiling face to the varied and picturesque profanity in which the crowd were expressing their admiration, the words of his Convener came to his mind, "They may not want you, but they need you.""Yes," he muttered to himself, "they need me, or, someone better."A great pity for the lad filled his heart and overflowed from his eyes.

The boy caught the look.With a gay laugh he cried, "I would drink to your very good health, sir!" his high, clear voice penetrating the din and bringing the crowd to silence."But why carry so grave a face at such a joyous moment?" He lifted his glass over his head and bowed low to Shock.

Arrested by his words, the crowd turned their eyes toward the man that stood in the door, waiting in silence for his reply.

A quick flush rose to Shock's face, but without moving his eyes from the gay, laughing face of the boy, he said in a clear, steady voice, "I thank you, sir, for your courtesy, and I ask your pardon if my face was grave.I was thinking of your mother."As if someone had stricken him the boy swayed over his horse's neck, but in a moment recovering himself he sat up straight, and lifting high his glass, he said reverently, as if he had been toasting the Queen: "Gentlemen, my mother! God bless her!""God bless her!" echoed the men.

Drinking off the glass he dismounted and, followed by the cheers of the crowd, led his horse out of the room and down the steps, and rode away.

Meantime Shock went in search of the doctor.In a corner of the International bar he found him in s drunken sleep.After vain efforts to wake him, without more ado Shock lifted him in his arms, carried him out to the buckboard and drove away, followed by the jibes and compliments of the astonished crowd.

But what to do with him was the question.There was no room for himself, much less for his charge, in any of the hotels or stopping places.

"May as well begin now," Shock said to himself, and drove out to a little bluff of poplars at the river bank near the town, and prepared to camp.

He disposed of the doctor by laying him in the back of his buckboard, covered with the buffalo.He unhitched and tethered the pony, and, according to his crude notions of what a camp should be, began to make his preparations.With very considerable difficulty, he first of all started a fire.

"Hello! Rather chilly for campin' out yit?"He looked up and saw Ike.

"I guess you aint lived much out of doors," continued his visitor, glancing at the apology for a fire, and noticing the absence of everything in camp-making that distinguishes the experienced camper.

"No, this is my first camp," said Shock."But I suppose every man must make a beginning.""Yes," agreed Ike, "when he's got to.But I have a lingerin'

suspicion that you'd be better inside to-night.It aint goin' to be pleasant.""Oh, I'll be all right," replied Shock cheerfully.

"I have a small tent, a couple of coats, a pair of blankets, and my pony has got his oats.""Yes," drawled Ike, regarding the cayuse with contemptuous eyes, "he's all right.You can't kill them fellers.But, as I remarked, you'd be better inside."He walked around the buckboard and his eyes fell upon the doctor.

"What the--" Ike checked himself, either out of deference to Shock's profession or more likely from sheer amazement.

He turned down the buffalo, gazed at the sleeping figure with long and grave interest, then lifting his head he remarked with impressive solemnity, "Well, I be chawed and swallered! You HAVE got him, eh? Now, how did you do it?""Well," said Shock, "it was not difficult.I found him asleep in the International.I carried him out, and there he is.""Say," said Ike, looking at Shock with dawning admiration in his eyes, "you're a bird! Is there anythin' else you want in that town?

Guess not, else it would be here.The General said you'd kidnap him, and he was right.Now, what you goin' to do when he comes to? There aint much shelter in this bluff, and when he wakes he'll need someone to set up with him, sure.He's a terror, a dog-goned terror!""Oh, we'll manage," said Shock lightly."I mean to start early in the morning.""Before he gets up, eh? As I remarked before, you're a bird!"For some moments Ike hung about the camp, poking the fire, evidently somewhat disturbed in his mind.Finally he said in a hesitating tone, "It aint much to offer any man, but my shack kin hold two men as well as one, and I guess three could squeeze in, specially if the third is in the condition he's in," nodding toward the doctor."We kin lay him on the floor.Of course, it aint done up with no picters and hangin's, but it keeps out the breeze, and there aint no bugs, you bet."Shock's experience of Western shacks had not been sufficiently varied and extensive to enable him to appreciate to the full this last commendation of Ike's.

Ike's hesitation in making the offer determined Shock.

"Thank you very much," he said cordially."I shall be delighted to go with you.""All right, let's git," said Ike, proceeding to hitch up the pony, while Shock gathered his stuff together.In a few minutes they were ready to start.

"Guess he'll ride comfortable where he is," said Ike."You can't kill a drunk man.Strange, aint it?"It was growing dusk as they drove through the town, but the streets, the hotel stoops, and bars were filled with men in various stages of intoxication.As they caught sight of Ike and recognised his companion, they indulged themselves in various facetious remarks.

"Hello, Ike.Goin' to meetin'?"