"I might send them down to you at times tohelp out, if you can send word to me that you need them." BlackFeather encouraged.
"For their part in this I will give themboth five horses."
"You are generous."
Wes stared into Black Feather's witheredface, "Money is not everything, friendship is worth much more."
"You are a wise one for your age."
Wes sighed, "I've been on my own a longtime, and I learned to value the good people I've come toknow."
Black Feather smiled and nodded.
But the next day when Blue Dog was workingwith the Stallion to try to calm him, Wes dove down on him and theothers turned to see. There was a bear trap and in trying to savehim, Wes was caught on the arm with it.
Black Feather raced to his side and both theboys and their father pulled the trap off Wes' arm. Wes wasbleeding badly, and Black Feather ran to get what he needed to stopthe bleeding.
Wes was almost out of it by his return.
"You are very brave my friend, you took thebrunt of the blades for my son, and I am thankful." The boyscrowded around. Black Feather let Blue Dog bandage his arm after hedoctored it with some home-made concoction.
"Wish we had whiskey for you."
"Look in my saddle bag, there is a bottle,"Wes told him.
Black Feather sent White Fox to get it.
He gave it to Wes, and he took a big swig ofit.
"More my friend you need to sleep."
"I'm not much of a drinker. I carry it formedicine." Wes told him.
"If you and your boys want some, goahead."
"No, firewater and Indians do not mix well.I learned this the hard way, many years ago." Black Featherlaughed.
But Wes couldn’t hold his eyes open and soonfell asleep.
The next day his arm was stiff and sore, buthe could move it and handle things. He gave the whip to one of theboys as he had trouble using it. He needed to let his arm healfirst.
Blue Dog and White Fox shared it and had funusing it. While one used the whip, the other tried to teach Luckydifferent things about herding the animals. It was mainly to scarethe horses enough to stay together and not wander off.
Several places they had to clear so thehorses could pass easily. It was a tiring job getting them down thethrough the thick forest, finding good places to camp for thenight. But on their journey, Wes learned many things about safetyand making good tracks with the horses.
He enjoyed their conversations in theevenings too. Even Blue Dog and White Fox began to join in theconversation and Wes was happy to help them with their English.
Black Feather taught him how to forage inthe forest for food, even in the snow. He taught him about herbsand medicines the Indians used. Wes taught the boys about using thebarbed wire to fence the horses in at night. They had never workedwith it, and Wes taught them to be very careful not to hurtthemselves.
"Men have tangled themselves with it, andreally hurt themselves."
"Only the white man's sickness bothers usnow." Black Feather told him.
"Yes, we have no cures for some of themyet." Wes explained.
Halfway down they ran into some white menbent on stealing the horses. But Blue Dog and White Fox had hid sothey didn't know they were there, and they got the drop onthem.
Wes wasn't sure what to do with them, but hethought maybe intimidation might work best. "You boys steal frompeople you don't know. I could let Blue Dog and White Fox come upwith a punishment."
"Look, we won't mess with you again, if youlet us go." One of the men said.
"You are thieves, are you both liars too?"Black Feather asked.
"Honest. We won't bother you again." Thetall one said.
"What do you think, Black Feather?" Wesasked him.
"I think they speak with forked tongues. Aman that steals does not stop stealing until he is properlypunished for his deed."
"I think we should tie them to the treeswith the barbed wire, standing up. Let them sleep that way. If theycan. For a thief must be restrained from their own sins."
"What the hell would you know about sin?"the shorter man yelled belligerently.
"Since I learned English, I also read thebible. It has great wisdoms." Black Feather smiled.
Blue Dog and White Fox tied them to thetrees. They did not feed them but let them fuss and cuss half theevening.
Black Feather walked up to the short man,"We will go to sleep now, but you will not, for the barbed wirewill cut you and hurt you. You must think of your sin and askforgiveness from the Great White Father in the heavens."
"What kind of people are you?" The tall oneasked.
Blue Dog walked up to him, "One that knowsright from wrong." And he walked away with a smile.
White Fox walked over to them and smiled."Our father taught us that."
Wes knew he could have shot them, or letthem walk away, but this was better. Maybe they'd gain some respectand learn from this. He hoped so.
The next day as they got up, fixedbreakfast, and got their gear ready, Wes walked over to them. "I'mgonna turn you lose now. I hope you learned something and thoughtabout what you were trying to do. I wouldn't advise trying itagain."
He cut them loose.
They stared, then got their gear andleft.
Black Feather looked at Wes, "Had they beentied up longer, they might have learned, but they will rememberthis and at least be more careful next time they try something likethis."
"I hope so," Wes shook his head.
As they got closer to leaving the forestedarea, the weather began to let up and the snow began to melt.
It had to be March. Wes figured from theweather.
"I'd like you fellas to ride with me to theranch, so you will know where it is, and come visit."
Black Feather smiled, "We would likethat."
"Good."
It was nearly a hundred miles to the ranch,but it was flatter land, and they didn't have to fight trees andsteep hill terrain now.
As they got closer to the ranch and Tooley,they ran into some people and Wes nodded and smiled as they staredat the Indians
