The St. Mary banner., 1907-08-24
: HOW THE STEERS PULLED. +;
C~occ~o> 0S0.@ Ga g
3 0By FREDERIC BRUSH.7 :

C@S01o0o eo~occce~ 30
Two storms met on the uplands,
and when in the bright sunshine, four
hours later, the farmers went down
to see, they found the gulf road with
it's seven bridges practically swept
out Of existence.
There's room for a creek and
for BOTH" said an old hunter. when
it was first talked of. Twice I've
seen that gorge boilin' twenty feet
deep with yellow water-and it will
come again, it will come again"
But the young men had built their
road in the creek-bed under the cliffs,
and for eighteen years it had been
their outlet to the world, and the de-
light of all teamsters and pleasure
drivers. Two hundred feet above,
the hemlocks almost touched, and in
the hottest summer days the water
flowed ice-cold there over the stones,
and the damp, earthly smell was most
refreshing. The hunter was dead,
but the flood had come and the road
was gone.
For days they went down, looked,
said little, and went home. Then a
leader rose, and they followed him,
men and boys. old and young, into
the gorge to rebuild.
The place was a tangle Of rocks
and driftwood, caved banks and
fallen trees. The material was all
there, but the task was tremendous.
\ Farm-work was at the rush, and hay
ing was coming on in week or two.
We must have more help here, "
said Barney Scott. They're all glad
enough to use the road; they must
come down here and help build it.
\ I'm going out for them tomorrow
morning"
He went as far back on the hills
as the Widow Bodine's. Il know
you're having more than your hands
full to get along said he, but
Y hear you've got a good yoke of cattle
\ Can't you send 'em down a couple of
days? I'll get some one to drive EN-
all right"
Nobody drives the steers but me"
said a black-haired boy, appearing
suddenly beside his mother.
! How old is he?" queried Scott.
| I'm ten, going on eleven" said
Billy Bodine
Can they pulp said Scott.
"They've never been stuck yet"
I said Billy, stepping a pace forward,
land they never will be-while
drive EN-"
He brought them up from calves. 3"
! said Mrs. Bodine, laying hand fond
\ ly on the boys head, "and they'll do
almost anything for him. This year
he's doing nearly all the work with
them, and such loads as come into
this yard l never saw the like Of"
Scott's eyes looked the boy over
sharply, but Eillys eyes cleaned de-
family back at him.
| You've got a boy there, Mrs.
Bodine-a boy and a half" said
Scott, in low voice, that Billy might
not hear. You needn't worry many
years more, l see. Send him down
with his wonders tomorrow, can't
you? I'll see that he's done right
by in every way.
"It's about time those calves felt
being stuck" he called. good-natur-
edly, at Billy, as he ratified Off: and
time after.
The steers created much amuse-
ment when they appeared in the
gorge late the next morning Billy
was not seen at first. He walked
gravely behind, carrying long. thin
whip, with little fiat lash at the
end that would not have killed fly.
"Ho! ho! ho!" so bossi So
boss" "Are they coming or going?"
Moo! moo!" Find the boy." 81
can see them novel" Hear the
wind whistle through their horns.
Slow 'em down, Billy; you'll raise
dust if you're not more CAREFUL"
whoa, Buck! See that knee-action.
What speed-what speed.'
The little fellows face was afiame
and his eyes held to the ground. He
saw Scott becking from the lower end
of the working, and he had to pass
the entire gang. This was a trying
ordeal to the lone-liying hill boy, and
he felt rliserably sick and ready to
! cry.
! Don't mind them. boy" said
Scott. kindly. "We'll show them a
! few things yet. Try this one first. -
He hooked the chain about large
/ rock. The men were all watching,
and still throwing their eiba5.
Billy stepped ahead and smoke
some low word, and the rock hcaved
/ from its bed and went slowly but
steadily up the creek-bed TO it's des-