“I guess I’ll stay here and watch while you go down and make the arrangements. Be as quick as you can.”
“Come along; you’ll get to dancing and hooting again and alarm the whole country, so don’t wait.”
The prospect of recapturing the entire herd of sheep was too tempting to pass by. When a man sees an opportunity of recovering a fortune lost, is he apt to shut his eyes and turn his back upon it? Not much.
The arrangements were soon made. Ward Lancaster, Fred Wainwright and four of the best mounted men dismounted and led their horses up the ridge, and as carefully descended on the opposite side. Here they remounted, consulted a few moments, and then with a series of resounding whoops, dashed around the southern side of the drove, firing their guns at the Comanches at the same time.
The latter comprehending that the game was up, vaulted upon their mustangs and sped away like an arrow over the prairie, firing as they rode. In a few minutes, the entire body of sheep was in motion to the northward. They kept along the western side of the ridge, while Florence Brandon and her friends followed the eastern slope, both parties instantly remaining within call of each other.
In the afternoon of the same day, the entire company united with the emigrant train and the march westward was resumed.
Messrs. Swipes, Bircham and Doolittle with the occasional assistance of the others kept the sheep drove in motion losing a very slight per cent. When the point was reached where they were to divide, they met a party from Sacramento who were going east to purchase sheep and cattle. They had an abundance of funds, and, after considerable bantering, they took the entire flock off of Swipe’s hands, giving him thirty thousand dollars.
The Yankee divided the money as he had agreed, with his companions, and compelled Lancaster and several others to take quite a handsome present.
“And now,” said he, as the three set their faces toward San Francisco, “I’m going hum.”
“But how about the Fort Mifflin Institute for the Education of the Youths of both Sexes?” inquired Fred Wainwright.