CHAPTER XX
THE FLAG OF TRUCE
The advantage in the fight was on the side of the Diamond X outfit,even though it was outnumbered. For the Greaser sheep herders nearlydoubled the force of the cowboys. But this, in itself, was not such ahandicap as would at first appear.
Naturally any cowboy held himself more than a match for any twoGreasers, and if this were not enough, the sheep men had thedisadvantage of having to cross a stream in the face of fire. This isalways likely to result in disaster, even in more modern warfare thanthat which I am writing about. There are several reasons for this,whether the attacking party, crossing the stream, is afoot or on horses.
Progress through water is always slow. If you have ever tried to runwhile wading in a millpond or at the stream adjacent to the "oldswimming hole," you realize what I mean. It is easier to swim than torun through water, even where it is not very deep. The same holds truefor horses. And to attempt to swim was out of the question, for theGreasers, as they must keep their guns out of water.
The only thing for them to do was to start their horses across, withthe men in the saddles. And the Mexicans probably knew, from a test,that the water was not deep enough to sweep the animals off their legs.
So then, with the handicap of rushing water against them, the horsescould not make much progress, and, while crossing, the enemy forcewould be subject to the fire of the boy ranchers and the cowboys fromDiamond X ranch.
"Well, boys, I guess we'll have to let 'em have it," said Billeeregretfully as he saw the advancing sheep men. Nearly all the Greaserforce was concentrated on crossing Spur Creek, only a few being left incharge of the animals. "But shoot at the horses first," advisedBillee. "I hate to do it, but it's better to have the killing of ahorse on your mind than the murder of a man. Though this isn'tmurder--defending your property against a band of thieves. So shoot atthe horses first!"
This, cruel as it may sound, had to be done. It was a case of thelives of the animals or the lives of our friends. For it could not bedoubted that, once the Mexicans had gained a footing on the northernside of the stream, they would drive the defenders away--shooting tokill if need be--and then the way would be clear for bringing over thesheep.
Several shots rang out from the ranks of the cowboys, and there was awild flurry and scramble among the horses in the stream. Two of themwere hit and spilled their riders into the creek. But these mengrasped the tail of other horses and kept on.
"They aren't going to give up easy," murmured Dick.
"But it's up to us to make 'em," said Bud fiercely. "If they get overit will be all up with us, for they're twice as many as we are."
"They shan't get over!" declared Nort. And it was with the same spiritthat the intrepid Frenchman muttered:
"They shall not pass!"
If the boy ranchers and their comrades hoped to escape scathless theywere painfully disappointed. For though the sheep herders were underthe handicap of having to cross the stream, manage their frantic horsesand shoot--all at the same time--they managed to do enough of thelatter to wound several of the cowboys, one seriously, as developedlater.
And, just as Dick was reloading his gun, he gave a cry and the weapondropped from his hands.
"Hit?" cried Bud.
"A little," Dick answered, and he tried to smile, though it was not avery good attempt.
"Get back under cover," advised Nort, for there was cover, of a sort,behind where the cowboys were fighting, a range of low hills that wouldeffectually screen the bullets of the Greasers.
"Oh, it doesn't amount to anything," Dick insisted, holding his lefthand over his right, for it was the latter that was hit. "It's only ascratch."
"Well, get a bandage on it and come back in the game--if you can, boy,"advised Billee, who had ridden up on hearing Dick's cry. "We'll lookafter it later--when we drive these skunks back where they belong."
This, from Billee, amounted to an order, and Dick obeyed, wheeling hishorse and taking refuge behind a hill. There, in anticipation of somecasualties, a sort of emergency dressing station had been laid out,with water, lint and bandages. There was water not only for man butfor beast, since it was impossible to let the horses go to the creek inthe face of the fire from the sheep men. So Dick and his steed drankthirstily and then Dick bandaged, as best he could, his wounded hand.It was more than a scratch, being, in fact, a deep flesh wound, but thebullet had struck a glancing blow and had gone out again, for whichDick was thankful.
Meanwhile he could hear the shooting going on at the scene he had left.The cowboys, riding up and down the bank of the creek on their fleethorses, offered very poor marks for the indifferent shooting of theMexicans, or the casualties on the part of the Diamond X forces wouldhave been much heavier than it was. Even then several were hit, andBillee's hat was carried off his head by a bullet, which, if it hadgone a few inches lower, would have ended the career of that versatilecowboy.
But the quick and accurate firing of the cowboys was having its effect,and it was an effect that was telling not only on the morale but on thefighting ability of the sheep men. For several horses were killed, anda number of men put out of the game.
For a few minutes, though, it seemed that, after all, the attackerswould make a landing. But with a burst of furious yells Snake and Kidled a charge against the foremost of the sheepmen and turned them back.
They could not stand the withering fire that was poured in on them andthey wheeled their plunging horses in the swirling stream and made forthe opposite shore whence they had come.
"Hurray!" cried Bud as he saw this.
"We've got 'em on the run!" shouted Nort.
Just then Dick rode back to join the fray, having bound up his woundedhand as best he could unaided.
"What's doing?" he asked.
For answer his brother and cousin pointed to the retreating Greasers.
"Good!" exclaimed Dick. "Do you think they'll come back?" he asked.
"No telling," remarked Bud.
"I don't believe we'll have gotten rid of them so easily," was Nort'sopinion.
There was some confusion now amid the ranks of the sheep men. Thosewho were wounded were being cared for, and they all gathered aroundwhat had been their central camp fire.
"They're debating whether to give up or not," was Snake's view of it.
And if this was the subject of the talk it ended in a decision not togive up the fight. For presently another attempt was made to cross thecreek. This time the Greasers divided forces, separating about aquarter of a mile, and thus necessitating a division in the ranks ofthe cowboys. This, of course, made the odds against the Diamond Xoutfit rather heavier.
But again the Greasers were repulsed, with several wounded, though thesame might be said of Old Billee's forces. Again the sheep menwithdrew across the creek.
Again was there a conference, and then the same tactics were tried asat first--the main body came directly across the stream.
But now a new element entered into the battle. For, no sooner had thefight started for the third time than some of the Mexicans begandriving into the water, at a point perhaps half a mile from the fray, aflock of sheep.
"Look at that!" cried Yellin' Kid.
It was evident that something must be done. It called for anotherdivision of the defending force, now somewhat reduced in numbersbecause of injuries. But the crossing of the sheep had to be stopped,as well as the passage of the armed men.
And, after a hard struggle, this was accomplished. The sheep were theeasier driven back, for the animals were soon frightened and throwninto confusion. But the Mexicans themselves were desperate, and someof them even succeeded in reaching the opposite shore, setting theirhorses on Mr. Merkel's land.
However, there was a fierce rally against them on the part of thecowboys and they were driven back.
This was not without desperate work, however, and several on each sidesuffered minor injuries. The trouble was that the cowboys held theiren
emies too lightly. It was easy, and perhaps natural, for them todespise the sheep herders.
But, after all, these were men, and rough and ready men at that. Theyhad something to fight for--their lives and their charges, and to loseone was to endanger the other. So, for a time it looked, as Bud saidafterward, "like touch and go," so near was the tide of battle toturning against the cowboys.
Both sides were now pretty well exhausted, but the disadvantage ofhaving to cross the stream still hampered the Greasers. They must havefelt this, for after another consultation among themselves somethingnew and unexpected happened.
A lone rider was seen to separate himself from the hated band on theMexican side of the creek, and he slowly approached the ford.
"Watch him!" cried Billee, who had picked up his hat with a hole in thebrim.
"He's up to some trick!" declared Bud.
"Shouldn't wonder, son," agreed Billee.
A moment later they saw what the "trick" was, if such it could becalled. From under his coat the man produced a white flag and waved itvigorously toward the boy ranchers and their friends.
"A truce!" cried Bud. "Guess they've had enough!"