"Look out for the rattler!" commanded the Ranger sharply.
"Oh, wow!" howled Chunky springing back apparently in great terror.
"Snake, snake!" he cried waving his arms to the others near the
campfire. "Look out for the snake!"
McKay saw no snake to shoot at. Deciding that the reptile must have
squirmed away, the captain, his face wearing a sheepish smile, shoved
his weapons back into their holsters and strode back to the camp,
where Stacy had preceded him.
There were no further indications of the presence of rattlers, and
in a few moments the adventure was wholly forgotten. Shortly after
dinner the captain sent his men out on a long scouting expedition,
himself riding from the camp, taking Tad Butler with him. Tad was
proud to be thus singled out. While they were on their ride, some
twelve miles to the southward, the Ranger captain taught the northern
lad many things about trailing human beings. This was all new to Tad.
He listened with rapt attention, though he hoped it never might fall
to his lot to have to trail men for a livelihood. The captain also
told him many things about the bad men of the Texas border in the
old days. Captain McKay was a lad then, but he was out with his
father much of the time, the father also having been a Ranger, having
been killed in a battle with a desperado whom he had been sent to
capture. Captain McKay's two brothers had shared a similar fate.
Pages:
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151