tailbones of a catfish.
Newt ate another of his own accord and Deets ate four or five more. Then Deets persuaded Pea Eye to try one and Pea ate two or three. To everyone's surprise, Call strolled over and ate a couple; in fact, he had a sweet tooth and couldn't resist the molasses. Dish decided he had to eat one to keep up his reputation, and then the Rainey boys each ate a couple to imitate Newt. Pete Spettle walked over and ate two and then Soupy, Needle and Bert each tried one. The remaining grasshoppers went quick, and before Jasper could make up his mind to try one they were all gone.
'Dern you all for a bunch of greedy pigs,' he said, wishing someone had thought to save him at least one.
'Now I've seen everything,' Augustus said. 'Cowboys eating bugs.' His pride had not allowed him to sample them-it would only mean another triumph for Po Campo.
'Did I tell you worms make good butter?' Po Campo said.
'Anybody who tries to butter my biscuit with a worm had better have a long stride,' Soupy Jones remarked. 'This outfit is getting crazier all the time.'
While the crew was standing around discussing the merits of grasshoppers they heard a galloping horse approaching camp.
'I hope it's the mail,' Augustus said.
'It's Mr. Jake,' Deets said, long before the horse came in sight.
Jake Spoon rode right up to the campfire and jumped off his horse, which was lathered with sweat. He looked around wildly, as if expecting to see someone.
'Ain't Lorie here?' he asked.
'No,' Augustus said, feeling sick suddenly. The night's stampede had caused him to forget Lorena completely. He had even forgotten that Jake had been out of pocket. He had drowsed all day, relieved that Newt was safe and supposing that Lorie had been fine or Newt wouldn't have left her.
'Gus, you better not be hiding her,' Jake said in a shaky voice. He had whiskey on his breath.
'We're not hiding her,' Call said quietly. 'She ain't been here.'
Newt was about to go on night guard. He was just repairing a cinch that had begun to fray. At the sight of Jake he felt a deep apprehension. All day he had believed that he had gotten away with his stupidity in leaving his horse. Now a new and worse fear struck him. Something had happened to the woman he had been sent to guard.
'Well, by God, she's gone, and I'd like to know where she went,' Jake said.
'Maybe she moved camp,' Augustus said, not wanting to face what he knew. 'Or maybe you missed it-you look like you've had a few.'
'I've had a whole bottle,' Jake said. 'But I ain't drunk, and even if I was I could find my own dern camp. Anyway, the camping stuff is there. It's just Lorie and the two horses that are gone.'
Call sighed. 'What about tracks?' he asked.
Jake looked disgusted. 'I didn't look for no tracks,' he said. 'I figured she come over here and married Gus. They're such sweethearts they have to have breakfast together every morning. Anyhow, where else would she go? She ain't got a map.'
Jake looked tired and shaky; he also looked worried.
'Where in tarnation could she go?' he asked the crowd at large. 'I guess I can find her tomorrow. She can't be far off.'
Augustus's saddle lay a few feet away. He had been meaning to spread a tarp by it and use the saddle for a pillow. Instead he picked it up, went over and untied his rope. Without another word he headed for the remuda.
'Where's he going?' Jake asked. 'I can't figure him out.'
The sight of Jake, half drunk and useless, filled Call with disgust. Incompetents invariably made trouble for people other than themselves. Jake had refused to take part in the work, had brought his whore along and then let her get stolen.
'She was there last night,' Newt said, very worried. 'Mr. Gus sent me to watch. I watched till the cattle got to running.'
Augustus came back, leading a big sorrel he called Jerry. The horse had an erratic disposition but was noted for his speed and wind.
'You ought to wait and look at the tracks,' Call said. 'You don't know what happened. She could have ridden into town. Jake might have missed her.'
'No, Blue Duck stole her,' Augustus said. 'It's my fault for not shooting the son of a bitch while he was drinking. I didn't know who he was at the time, but I should have shot him on suspicion. And then I plumb forgot about it all day. I'm getting too foolish to live.'
'Blue Duck was here?' Jake said, looking sick.
'Yep,' Augustus said, saddling the sorrel. 'I didn't worry much because Deets tracked him way south. But I guess he fooled us both.'
'Why, there was talk of him over at Fort Worth,' Jake said. 'He runs a big gang of murderers. They lay by the trails and murder travelers for whatever they've got on 'em. Why didn't you just bring her to camp, if you knew he was around?'
'I should have, for sure,' Augustus said. 'But she didn't want to come. She had faith in you for some reason.'
'Well, this is aggravating,' Jake said. 'She wouldn't come to town either. She would have been safe in town. But she wouldn't come.'
'What's your plan, Gus?' he asked, when he saw that Augustus was almost ready to leave.
'My plan is to go get Lorie back,' Augustus said.
'I hope you catch the man before he gets home,' Call said. 'Otherwise you'll be up against a gang.'
Augustus shrugged. 'It's just one gang,' he said.
'I'm going with you,' Dish Boggett said, surprising everyone.
'I didn't ask for volunteers and I don't want any,' Augustus said.
'It's none of your say anyway, you pup!' Jake said hotly.
'I ain't no pup and you're a gambling lowlife who let her get stolen,' Dish said coolly. He and Jake faced off, both tense as wires, but Augustus mounted and rode his horse in between them.
'Now, girls,' he said, 'let's not get to gunfighting. I'm going and you two are staying here.'
'It's a free country,' Dish said, looking up at Augustus angrily.
'Not for you, it ain't,' Augustus said. 'You've got to stay here and keep this cow herd pointed for the north star.'
'That's right,' Call said quickly. Losing Gus was all right-he seldom worked anyway. But Dish was their best hand. He had already turned two stampedes-something no one else in the outfit had the skill to manage.
Dish didn't like it, but, faced with the Captain's orders, there was not much he could do about it. The thought of Lorena in the hands of an outlaw made him feel sick, and his rage at Jake Spoon for exposing her to such danger was terrible. He turned and walked away.
'Are we leaving tonight?' Jake asked. 'My horse is rode down.'
'You ain't leaving at all, Jake,' Augustus said. 'At least not with me. I'm likely to have to travel hard, and I won't have time for Conversation.'
Jake flared up again. 'By God, I'll go if I please,' he said. 'She's my woman.'
Augustus ignored him. 'I hate to leave just when you're breaking in a new cook,' he said to Call. 'I guess by the time I get back you'll all be nibbling on spiders and centipedes.'
Deets came over, looking worried. 'You best watch close,' he said. 'He gave me the slip-might give you the slip.'
'Oh, you probably had your mind on grasshoppers or something, Deets,' Augustus said.
'You got enough shells?' Call asked.
'I don't know, I ain't counted the gang yet,' Augustus said. 'If I run out I can always throw rocks at them.'
With that and a nod he rode off. Call felt a little confused. Though the woman was no responsibility of his, he felt like he should be going too. Here he was, stuck with a bunch of cattle, while Gus was riding off to do the work they ought to have done long ago. It didn't feel right.
Meanwhile, Jake was working himself into a fury over Gus's behavior.
