He turned fiercely on Black Buck, as he said this, his eyes flashing and his antlers bobbing threateningly. Black Buck was not anxious to get in a fight with the leader, and he backed away grumbling.
“I will protect my son, too,” he breathed angrily, “if he is right.”
“That is your duty,” roared Father Buck, “and it is your duty to denounce him if he’s in the wrong. Will you do that also?”
Black Buck made some inaudible reply, and backed still further away from the flashing eyes.
“Who saw White Tail push Young Black Buck off the edge?” asked Father Buck, addressing the crowd.
A dozen or more voices answered in the affirmative. Without changing the expression of his face, Father Buck then added: “Who saw White Tail grab Young Black Buck, and try to save him from a fall?”
An equal number of voices responded promptly. To make sure Father Buck counted them, and then counted those who had answered in favor of Young Black Buck. They were the same! Twenty yeas and twenty noes!
“That makes it hard for me to decide,” murmured Father Buck. “A tie is never a pleasant vote for a leader, for he must decide then one way or the other himself. In this case it’s doubly hard for me.”
He stopped and looked at the herd, and then added: “You know me, and you know I would be the last to decide in favor of my son if I thought he was wrong. Therefore, in giving my decision, I know you will think I’m doing justice. Then I say to you that I saw White Tail help Young Black Buck up the slope. Had it not been for his help one of our number would be down below there dead.”
There was a silence, and a shudder passed through the whole herd. Father Buck’s decision did not affect them so much as the thought of what might have happened. They were glad that it had ended this way, with no bones broken. White Tail was exonerated in their eyes.