The Case of the Hooking Bull by John R. Erickson Page B

Day-Late-and-Dollar-Short.
    â€œGosh, Hank, are you hurt pretty bad?”
    â€œAs bad as I need to be, thanks.”
    â€œYou’re welcome. I sure meant to come out and help you, but when that bull . . . did you see how big and ugly he was?”
    â€œNo, I wasn’t close enough to get a good look at him, Drover. Was he pretty big and ugly?”
    â€œHe was terrible, just terrible! I came out to help you, honest I did, but then he . . . I just . . . oh Hank, I feel so guilty! I don’t know if I can stand myself anymore!”
    â€œYou’ll find a way, Drover. I’ve got confidence in you.”
    â€œDon’t say that! Don’t be nice to me, I don’t deserve it. Tell me I’m worthless and chickenhearted. Tell me I’m a failure. Tell me I should stand in the corner for the rest of my life.”
    â€œI would, son, but it hurts to talk.”
    â€œOh, this guilt is more than I can stand! You can’t believe how much it hurts me to see you hurt. If there’s anything I can do, Hank, anything at all, just tell me.”
    â€œOkay, be quiet. I want to hear how Slim’s going to get us out of this mess.”
    â€œSure, Hank, just anything. I’ll be quiet, but I want you to know that . . .”
    â€œHush.”
    He hushed and I listened to what Slim was saying.
    â€œButton, here’s what’s got to be done. We’ve got to get me home and I can’t drive. If I put the pickup in Grandma Low, reckon you can steer it back home?”
    â€œMe, dwive the pickup? I don’t think so, Swim.”
    â€œSure you can. You did it coming up here. Just keep it in the road, that’s all, and if anything goes wrong, turn off the key.”
    â€œWell, maybe. I can twy.”
    â€œGood boy. Now, I want you to walk over to that colt, real quiet and slow, and catch his reins. Then lead him over here as close to the pickup door as you can.”
    â€œBut Swim . . .”
    â€œDon’t be scared, Button. He was acting crazy because that bull was trying to hurt him. He’ll be all right. Just be smooth and don’t make any sudden moves. Talk gentle to him. Go on.”
    Alfred looked pretty scared when he walked up to the colt, but he did just as Slim told him. The colt’s eyes got big when he saw the kid coming toward him, and he had rollers in his nose, but he stood his ground. Alfred caught the reins and led him over to the pickup.
    Slim reached out the window and unbuckled the cinches: back cinch, front cinch, and breast collar. “Button, there’s one more buckle and I can’t reach it. It’s under his chest, where the breast collar hooks into the front cinch. You’ll have to get it.”
    Slim held the reins and talked to the horse while Alfred reached under and unbuckled the strap. “Good boy. Now, step back. I’m going to turn him a-loose.”
    Slim unhooked the throat latch and slipped the bridle off the colt’s head. As the colt turned to leave, Slim grabbed the saddle and let it fall to the ground.
    The effort of doing all that seemed to wear him out. He leaned his head back against the cab and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he said, “Let’s go, Button.”
    â€œWhat about Hankie?”
    â€œFor now, we’ll have to leave him. I hate it as much as you do, but we’ve got no choice.”
    HUH?
    Leave me alone in that big lonesome pasture? Holy smokes, night would be coming in a few hours and hungry coyotes would be out looking for a meal, and they were going to drive off and leave me there?

Chapter Ten: A Buzzard Falls Out of the Sky

    W as this my reward for saving Slim from the bull? Was this the kind of thanks they gave a dog for putting his life on the line and fighting for his ranch?
    Use him up and then leave him for coyote bait?
    Yes, I couldn’t help feeling a little bitter about it. I mean, I had only one life and one body and it seemed to me they were being a