Chapter Nine The Lost Horse
Business took a midsummer slump, and Jim found time hanging heavy on hishands. There were few calls for his services from the general public, andeven Colonel Flesher had no cattle to be driven to market. Jim tried topersuade the stock buyer that it would be cheaper to drive hogs to townthan to truck them. While the colonel had much confidence in his youngassistant, he wisely concluded that driving hogs was beyond even Jim andTicktock.
Jim still went to town almost daily, partly to exercise his mustang andpartly because he liked to hang around the newspaper office. He helpedwherever possible, but probably hindered more than he helped, as he hadso many questions. The linotype machine fascinated him, and he beggedBill Arnold to let him learn how to operate it.
"If I do," said the editor jokingly, "the first thing I know you'll havethat horse in here helping you. I'm afraid his feet would be too heavyfor the keys."
"I need something to do," urged Jim. "There's a fierce depression in myline of business."
"Your overhead is low though," pointed out Arnold. "That cayuse of yoursis getting his feed from my back yard."
"Operating expenses may be low right now, but there is a long winterahead," said Jim with a worried frown. His cash was accumulating tooslowly to suit him.
One day Arnold came out of his office waving a slip of paper. "Here's afine opportunity for you and that wonderful horse to show your stuff."
"A big job?" asked Jim excitedly.
"Do you happen to know Mr. Hernstadt?" asked the editor.
"I know where his farm is," said Jim. "He has all those big fat workhorses." Any horse that didn't resemble Ticktock in size and build was anobject of contempt to Jim.
"Well, those big fat horses are very valuable Percherons. Hernstadt isone of the finest breeders in the Middle West. Anyhow, his prize mare gotout of the pasture somehow and is lost."
"Work horses must be dumb," said Jim with conviction. "You could neverlose Ticktock."
"Young man, will you quit bragging about that mustang long enough tolisten to what I am telling you?"
"I'm sorry," said Jim, who really wasn't at all.
"This mare strayed away two days ago, and Hernstadt has looked all overfor her. Now he is advertising, offering a reward of twenty-five dollarsfor her return."
"Twenty-five dollars!" exclaimed Jim. "How I'd like to find that horse!"
"This is scarcely ethical," said Arnold. "The paper isn't delivered untiltomorrow; so I'm giving you a twenty-four-hour advantage over my othersubscribers."
"I wouldn't give you away for anything. When I find the horse, I'll waituntil the paper is out before I take it back to Mr. Hernstadt."
"Rather confident, aren't you?" asked Arnold laughing.
"Well, it couldn't very well be stolen; a big horse like that would betoo easy to trace. She's just strayed, and Ticktock and I will find her."Jim got up decisively. "If I can take a look at your big map, I'll be onmy way to locate that dumb horse that got lost."
After carefully studying the map, Jim drew a little sketch. He put Mr.Hernstadt's farm in the middle and then drew in all the roads in thesurrounding territory. He mounted Ticktock and galloped importantly outof town. It was only midmorning, and he explored the country roads andlanes for several hours before hunger drove him home.
"I have to be gone all afternoon on a very important mission," heannounced as he was eating lunch.
Mr. and Mrs. Meadows just smiled and asked no questions. They were usedto Jim's acting mysterious and important. Jean, however, followed him outinto the yard. Her curiosity was definitely aroused.
"Where are you going?" she teased. "I won't tell on you."
"I gave a cowboy's word not to tell," said Jim saddling Ticktock.
"Well, I think you're mean," said Jean. "You aren't good to me at all anymore."
Jim considered this a moment as he cinched up the saddle. He still felt alittle guilty about the matter of the hideaway. After all, Jean wouldn'tbe going anywhere to tell anyone. The secret would be safe.
"There's a big reward going to be offered tomorrow for a lost horse," hesaid finally. "I'm going to find him before anyone knows about thereward."
"What kind of a horse?"
"A prize Percheron mare of Mr. Hernstadt's."
"If you find her, how are you going to catch her?" asked Jean, who was apractical young lady.
"Why, Ticktock could catch any slow old Percheron," said Jim scornfully.Actually he hadn't thought about what he would do after locating themissing horse.
"I don't mean catch up _with_ her. How are you going to put a halter onher if she's the kind of horse that runs away?"
"Well," drawled Jim, who had just had an idea. "I've been doing a lot ofpracticing with my lariat. I think I could lasso a slow-moving horse."
While his admiring and envious sister gazed after him, Jim rode away. Allafternoon he jogged back and forth, up and down the hills, carefullycovering the territory of his map. The sun was hot and the country roadswere dusty.
What had begun as an adventurous hunt, turned out to be a tedious job. Atsundown he turned toward home. He was very tired and so was Ticktock.Most of the roads were now crossed off the map. Only a few were leftunexplored.
That night Jim lay in bed considering the problem. The mail would bedelivered at about eleven the next morning and then everyone would be onthe lookout for the missing mare. He would have to work fast.
At breakfast the next morning Jim asked to be excused from the remainingchores.
"What is this mysterious mission?" asked Mr. Meadows good-naturedly.
"Jean can tell you," said Jim who was deep in thought as to the possiblewhereabouts of the stray. They would know as soon as the paper arrivedanyhow.
"Mr. Hernstadt lost one of his Percherons. There is going to be a rewardin the morning paper and Jim is going to find her before anyone elseknows about it," said Jean importantly. It never occured to her to doubther brother's abilities or success. After all, he had said he would findthe horse so find the horse he would.
"Oh, he is, is he?" asked Mr. Meadows. "How?"
"He has a map," said Jean who considered that a final answer. "After hefinds her he is going to catch her with Ticktock and then rope her. Allhe has to do then is collect the reward."
"I hope it's as simple as it sounds," said Mr. Meadows. "Anyhow, I thinkI can do the rest of the chores myself while you're off performing thislittle task."
Jim also hoped it was as simple as it sounded. As he rode off he wishedhe hadn't spoken so confidently either to the editor or to Jean. He wason the spot now. He had to find the horse. He urged Ticktock to a fasterpace.
Noon found the boy and his horse covered with a blanket of dust anddiscouragement. The allotted territory was exhausted and there was stillno horse. Of course, the Percheron could have strayed farther than Jimhad expected. He considered enlarging his area. That idea didn't seem toopromising, as by now everyone in the countryside would know about thereward. Feeling rather low in spirits and very hot, he turned towardBriggs Woods. He had already explored the road through the woods and allthe open trails, but at least it was cool there and Ticktock could have adrink of water.
Once in the cool cover of the forest, Jim turned toward his hideaway. Hewould take a rest there and eat his lunch. He was picking his way moodilythrough the trees when Ticktock suddenly decided to go off toward theleft. Somewhat annoyed, Jim pulled the mustang back in the direction ofthe hideout. A few minutes later the pony again veered off to the left.This time he put his nose in the air and neighed.
"What is it, boy?" asked Jim.
Ticktock stood still and neighed a second time. This time there was ananswer from the depths of the woods. Excitedly Jim urged the ponyforward, giving him his head. Ticktock threaded his way through the treesconfidently. After a short distance Jim suddenly saw through the woodsthe figure of a big gray horse.
"Hurrah! Ticktock, you fou
nd her!" he shouted.
He uncoiled his lasso as he approached. He was going to make good hisboasts after all. Triumphantly he started to swing his rope. He made twocircles around his head and the rope caught on the limb of a tree andfell in a tangle about his shoulders. He straightened out the lariat andtried again. This time the noose caught on a limb and refused to comeloose. Feeling very uncowboylike, Jim dismounted, climbed the tree, andfreed his lasso.
Half an hour later Jim was still trying. Either the rope would catch on abranch or the horse would move away just as he cast. He couldn't use avery large noose due to the crowding branches, and somehow a limb alwaysprotected the mare's head or she moved just in time to make the smallnoose whiz by harmlessly. Being hit on the head a number of times by arope wasn't making the Percheron any more approachable either. She wasdefinitely getting tired of the game and fast becoming skittish.
Ticktock watched his master's endeavors patiently for a long time. He wasused to Jim's games and at first thought this was another form of ropingpractice. Gradually, however, he began to realize that Jim was reallytrying to rope the mare for some purpose. He could sense thedisappointment after each unsuccessful try. Also, Ticktock was gettingtired of going through trees after the mare. He had been going steadilyall morning and felt like stopping. So he decided to end all thisnonsense. While Jim was resting after a particularly strenuous cast,Ticktock took charge. He gave a soft neigh and then waited. The mareneighed back.
Ticktock turned his head around and gave a long look at his rider. Therewas no mistaking his meaning. "You've had your chance, now let me try,"he seemed to say. Very slowly and patiently he made his way toward themare. Jim sat quietly in the saddle. Finally Ticktock stopped and stoodwaiting. After a few more exchanges of nickers, the mare walked over tothe mustang and the two horses began to rub noses. Gradually Ticktockedged around until they were side by side. Jim reached over and slippedone end of his rope around the mare's neck. The chase was ended.
He led the mare back to the hideaway and tied her to a tree. He took offTicktock's saddle and the pony rolled gratefully in the tall grass. Jimsat down to eat his lunch, feeling very satisfied and happy. Ticktock wascertainly a smart horse; he knew how to do everything. Now they could goback home in triumph. That seemed even more important than the reward.There was no question about it; his horse had saved the day.
Roping a horse]
As he thought about how creditable Ticktock's part had been, Jim began togrow dissatisfied with his own performance. He had fallen down on theroping. He couldn't very well go back and tell how he had finally caughtthe horse. There wasn't anything very dashing about that. Something hadto be done.
He got up, saddled Ticktock, and led the mare out to the middle of theclearing. Very gently he undid the rope from her neck, talking soothinglyall the time. While the mare contentedly cropped the grass, Jim backedTicktock away a few feet. He swung his lariat quietly and slowly. Heleaned forward and when the mare looked up he cast. The noose droppedsquarely over her head.
With a sigh of relief, Jim rode up to the mare. He tied a knot so thenoose would not choke the Percheron and then rode off through the trees,leading his valuable captive.
Home was only slightly out of his way to the Hernstadt farm and Jim couldnot resist the temptation to display the mare. Trying to appear verycasual and unexcited, he rode up the lane. His father had just come infrom the field when he arrived; so the entire family came out to meethim. It was a very satisfactory entrance.
"Where did you find her?" asked Mr. Meadows who was plainly amazed.
"Over in Briggs Woods. Ticktock found her and I roped her," said Jim verycalmly, but with a twinge of conscience.
"You and that horse continually dumfound me," said Mr. Meadows.
Jim went inside and telephoned Mr. Hernstadt that his missing horse hadbeen found. The pleased owner offered to come over after the mare but Jiminsisted on delivering her. Before he left he called the editor.
"You can take that ad out of the paper," he told Arnold with a pardonableamount of pride in his voice. "I am on my way to take the mare home rightnow."
Arnold insisted on knowing a few details which Jim gave him withpretended reluctance. After all, as Mr. Morgan had said, what a businessneeds is publicity. Besides it would look nice in the paper about hisroping the runaway horse. That would really make the other boys' eyes bugout.
When Jim delivered the horse that afternoon, Mr. Hernstadt handed himtwenty-five dollars gladly. He listened to the account of how the horsehad been found.
"The man that helped me take care of the horses left a few months ago torun a farm of his own," the horse breeder explained. "I've been so busythat I didn't notice the fence needed repairing in one corner. That's howshe got out. Now that you have found the horse you don't suppose youcould find me a good man to help take care of her and the other horses?"
"Well," said Jim considering the matter seriously, "the Pony Express doesall sorts of things. I'll see what I can do."