“In God’s name,” said French bitterly, “I wish it too.”

CHAPTER XIII

BROWN

Two weeks of life in the open, roaming the prairie alone with the wolf hounds, or with French after the cattle, did much to obliterate the mark which those five days left upon Kalman’s body and soul.  From the very first the boy had no difficulty in mastering the art of sticking on a broncho’s back, partly because he was entirely without fear, but largely because he had an ear and an eye for rhythm in sound and in motion.  He conceived clearly the idea by watching French as he loped along on his big iron grey, and after that it was merely a matter of translating the idea into action.  Every successful rider must first conceive himself as a rider.  In two weeks’ time Kalman could sit the buckskin and send him across the prairie, swinging him by the neck guide around badger holes and gopher holes, up and down the steep sides of the Night Hawk ravine, without ever touching leather.  The fearless ease he displayed in mastering the equestrian art did more than anything else to win him his place in the old half-breed Mackenzie’s affection.

The pride of the ranch was Black Joe, a Percheron stallion that French a year before had purchased, with the idea of improving his horse stock to anticipate the market for heavy horses, which he foresaw the building of railroads would be sure to provide.  Black Joe was kept in a small field that took in a bit of the bluff and ran down to the lake, affording shelter, drink, and good feeding.

Dismay, therefore, smote the ranch, when Mackenzie announced one morning that Black Joe had broken out and was gone.

“He can’t be far away,” said French; “take a circle round towards the east.  He has likely gone off with Garneau’s bunch.”

But at noon Mackenzie rode back to report that nowhere could the stallion be seen, that he had rounded up Garneau’s ponies without coming across any sign of the stallion.

“I am afraid he has got across the Eagle,” said French, “and if he has once got on to those plains, there will be the very deuce to pay.  Well, get a move on, and try the country across the creek first.  No, hold on.  I’ll go myself.  Throw the saddle on Roanoke; I’ll put some grub together, for there’s no time to be lost.”

Kalman started up and stood eagerly expectant.  French glanced at him.

“It will be a hard ride, Kalman; I am a little afraid.”

“Try me, sir,” said the boy, who had unconsciously in conversation with French dropped much of his street vernacular, and had adopted to a large extent his master’s forms of speech.

“All right, boy.  Get ready and come along.”

While the horses were being saddled, French rolled up into two neat packs a couple of double blankets, grub consisting of Hudson’s Bay biscuits, pork, tea and sugar, a camp outfit comprising a pan, a tea-pail, and two cups.