CHAPTER XXIV

BACK TO TEXAS

The nearest railroad point from the Blackfoot Agency was Silver Bow, about a hundred and seventy-five miles due south, and at that time the terminal of the Utah Northern Railroad.  Everything connected with the delivery having been completed the previous day, our camp was astir with the dawn in preparation for departure on our last ride together.  As we expected to make not less than forty miles a day on the way to the railroad, our wagon was lightened to the least possible weight.  The chuck-box, water kegs, and such superfluities were dropped, and the supplies reduced to one week’s allowance, while beds were overhauled and extra wearing apparel of the outfit was discarded.  Who cared if we did sleep cold and hadn’t a change to our backs?  We were going home and would have money in our pockets.

“The first thing I do when we strike that town of Silver Bow,” said Bull Durham, as he was putting on his last shirt, “is to discard to the skin and get me new togs to a finish.  I’ll commence on my little pattering feet, which will require fifteen-dollar moccasins, and then about a six-dollar checked cottonade suit, and top off with a seven-dollar brown Stetson.  Then with a few drinks under my belt and a rim-fire cigar in my mouth, I’d admire to meet the governor of Montana if convenient.”

Before the sun was an hour high, we bade farewell to the Blackfoot Agency and were doubling back over the trail, with Lovell in our company.  Our first night’s camp was on the Muddy and the second on the Sun River.  We were sweeping across the tablelands adjoining the main divide of the Rocky Mountains like the chinook winds which sweep that majestic range on its western slope.  We were a free outfit; even the cook and wrangler were relieved; their little duties were divided among the crowd and almost disappeared.  There was a keen rivalry over driving the wagon, and McCann was transferred to the hurricane deck of a cow horse, which he sat with ease and grace, having served an apprenticeship in the saddle in other days.  There were always half a dozen wranglers available in the morning, and we traveled as if under forced marching orders.  The third night we camped in the narrows between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains, and on the evening of the fourth day camped several miles to the eastward of Helena, the capital of the territory.

Don Lovell had taken the stage for the capital the night before; and on making camp that evening, Flood took a fresh horse and rode into town.  The next morning he and Lovell returned with the superintendent of the cattle company which had contracted for our horses and outfit on the Republican.  We corralled the horses for him, and after roping out about a dozen which, as having sore backs or being lame, he proposed to treat as damaged and take at half price, the remuda was counted out, a hundred and forty saddle horses,