The ranger had given him to understand that he would probably find the trails and telephone lines in pretty bad shape, but so far he had found them both in almost perfect condition. He began to think that Heth must be a good guard, no matter how disagreeable he might be personally. Noon found him on a high grassy bench on the extreme southern edge of his district. Miles of mountain and valley spread out before him in almost boundless panorama, and it appealed to him as an ideal place for lunch.
He did not know exactly what to do with Jed. Western horses are not used to being tied and he was afraid that Jed was not well enough trained to stand without it. However, he had to make a beginning with him sometime and he decided to try him. Jed seemed to know what was expected of him. He grazed contentedly on a small area, and showed no tendency to wander off.
The sun was very warm and Scott went back to the shade of a tree to eat his lunch and enjoy the scenery. Before he was half through lunch he was glad to crawl out into the sun again to get warm. He was soon to learn that no matter how hot the sun might be in that high altitude it was seldom warm enough in the shade for comfort.
He had finished his lunch and was lolling lazily in the sunshine when he discovered a new animal, the first he had seen in the country. He did not know what it was at first. Its movements resembled those of a squirrel, but its head seemed abnormally large. He sneaked up on it and discovered the secret. It was a squirrel but it was carrying a large pine cone by the end. It was a beautiful creature with tasseled ears like a lynx. It was somewhat smaller than the Eastern gray squirrel and instead of a rusty, sandy color its coat was a clear Maltese gray and the whole under side of him was a sparkling white. Scott had always been interested in all the wild animals and birds, and he had followed this new squirrel quite a ways back into the woods to get a good look at him and observe something of his habits.
The sudden whinnying of horses on the bench startled him and he ran back to the edge of the woods to learn what had happened. There in the open was a strange horseman cautiously approaching Jed with whirling lariat. Scott’s first impulse was to shout his protest, but he changed his mind and standing in the edge of the woods awaited silently to see the outcome.
Jed stood like a statue with tail arched and head erect watching the whirling rope. He looked like an easy mark. The rider was very slowly getting within roping distance. Suddenly the rope shot out like a long arm and the widespread loop hung directly over Jed’s head. It looked like a sure catch, but Jed had dodged that flying rope too often to be caught so easily. He ducked with the grace of a dancer and trotting a little to one side awaited the next throw. The horseman swore volubly and coiled his rope doggedly for another try. Three times he threw and failed. Jed’s maneuvering had brought him around nearer to the forest and the rider caught sight of Scott standing in the shadow of the trees. He misinterpreted Scott’s silence and rode toward him, coiling his rope as he came.
“What ’ell you give me to catch him for you, sonny?” he asked with a patronizing sneer.
Scott’s blood boiled, but he remembered Mr. Ramsey’s caution and tried to keep his temper in spite of the insult. “Do you get many that way?” he asked coldly.
“What way?” the cowboy asked, surprised at this tone coming from a man whom he supposed to be too scared to talk.
“Saddle horses,” Scott replied tersely.