Cowboy Dave; Or, The Round-up at Rolling River Part 21

"I mean that we've got to break that dam to save your cattle!" the engineer said. "It's the only way!"

"Break the dam!" murmured Dave. Yet his eyes sparkled at the thought.

"Yes," a.s.sented the irrigation engineer.

"But we can't do that," objected Mr. Carson. "It's on Molick's land, and if we go there, and start something, he'll fight us. He is a desperate man."

"And so ought you to be with your cattle dying of thirst," said Mr.

Bellmore.

"I am, but--"

"There aren't any buts about it," declared the other. "This is a desperate situation, and we'll have to meet it desperately. Morally, right is on your side, and I think it is legally, too. I've been looking into the records and t.i.tles of lands along this Rolling River and I find that you have not received all the water rights that belong to you, Mr. Carson. On the other hand Molick has taken more than his share.

"And there is no doubt that he had no right to build the dam in the way he has. He should have let some water come down to you. Now the only way to accomplish this is to make a breach in the dam. This will let your cattle drink."

"But if we do that--break the dam--he'll either fight us to prevent it, or he'll build it up again," Dave said.

"He may fight, but I doubt it. He was warned once before that he was exceeding his property rights, and he can't claim ignorance now. And while it is true that he may build the dam over again, after we cut through it, I don't so much care for that."

"A change will have to be made anyhow, but if you can get a little water, temporarily, to your cattle it will save them, and you can drive them to other ranges."

"Yes, I could do that," admitted the ranch-man.

"Then on to the dam!" cried the engineer, turning his horse as he spoke.

"Hurrah!" exclaimed Dave. "That's the way to talk!"

Urged on by the thought of the suffering cattle, the three made good speed to the place where the river turned. There, as Mr. Carson had seen a short time before, was the newly-built dam. A number of cowboys were about it, and Dave saw Len, his enemy.

"Are you game?" asked the engineer.

"I am!" exclaimed the ranchman.

Dave said nothing, but there was a flash in his eyes as he nodded his head that told more than mere words.

"You and I will go up and have a talk with them," suggested Mr. Bellmore.

"Meanwhile Dave can ride and get some of your men, Mr. Carson. We'll need help if it comes to a fight, though I hope it won't. We'll make a formal protest first. Hurry, Dave, every minute may mean a steer's life."

Dave whirled his steed about and rode hard and straight for the nearest range where some of the Bar U men were guarding the cattle. Meanwhile Mr.

Carson and the engineer crossed the stream below the dam, and rode toward the Centre O boys.

"Well, what do you want?" surlily demanded the young heir of the house of Molick. "This is private land, and no trespa.s.sers are wanted. Get off!" he snarled.

"We came on business," said Mr. Carson. "Where's your father?"

"I don't know. But he told me if you came on this land to order you off, and that's what I do!"

"Ordering and going are two different things," said the ranchman, with a grim laugh. "You've cut off my water down below, with this dam, and I order you to open it up. My cattle are dying from thirst. Open this dam!"

"Not much!" sneered Whitey Wa.s.son, Len's crony.

"But I tell you my cattle are dying, man!" exclaimed Mr. Carson. "You know what it means to steers to be without water this kind of weather."

"You ought to have thought of that before you pastured them down there,"

sneered the cowboy.

"Then you refuse to open the dam?" asked Mr. Bellmore.

"We certainly do!" returned Len.

"Then you must take the consequences," said Mr. Bellmore, speaking solemnly. "You will be sued for the value of every animal that dies of thirst, as well as being obliged to pay heavy damages for the trouble you have caused. I know the situation of water rights in this valley, and I tell you that you are acting illegally. Now do you still refuse to open that dam?"

Len looked a bit frightened at this warning, but Whitey whispered to him, and the son of Jason Molick answered:

"Go on! We're not afraid. This dam is on our land and you can't touch it!"

At that moment a distant whoop sounded. Mr. Carson and the engineer looked around and saw a cloud of dust approaching. It soon resolved itself into Dave, leading a number of cowboys who bore picks and shovels--rather unusual implements for cowpunchers. On they came, hard-riding, singing and shouting, eager for the fray. They outnumbered the Centre O outfit.

"Well, since you won't open the dam, we'll have to do it for you," went on Mr. Bellmore. "Lively, boys!" he called, as Dave and his friends rode up.

"Tear out the dam and let the water down where it ought to run. Lively now!"

"Don't you touch that dam!" screamed Len.

"Go on! I order you to tear it away!" said Mr. Carson to his men.

"Whoop!" they yelled in response, and a moment later, flinging themselves from their horses, they swarmed into the water and began the work of destruction.

Dave, Mr. Carson and the engineer looked anxious for a moment, feeling that the Centre O boys might put up a fight. But not a gun was drawn.

Perhaps the cowboys employed by the Molick outfit were disgusted with the tactics of their employer, when they heard the story of the thirst-dying cattle. No true cowboy would countenance that sort of thing. So they looked on idly while the Bar U men tore away the dam.

A little trickle of water came through, flowing down the course from which it had been diverted. Gradually it grew in volume until a gus.h.i.+ng stream filled the muddy bed of the stream.

"That's what was needed," murmured Dave. "That will save our cattle."

"Stop it! Let that dam alone!" yelled Len, over and over again. But no one paid any attention to him--not even the cowboys of the Centre O. They only smiled and rolled cigarettes. Perhaps they were glad to see Len beaten.

But the bully and Whitey Wa.s.son were whispering together, and soon they rode off at a gallop.

"They've gone to get the Old Man," said one of the Bar U cowboys.

"We don't care," Dave said. "Enough water has gone down now to save our cattle, and it will be some time before they can build up that dam again."

"That's right," agreed Mr. Bellmore. "You needn't try to save any of the boards," he added significantly to the cowboys who were destroying the obstruction.

And so he work went on, and when it had been accomplished the Bar U boys rode away to their usual tasks. For much remained to be done.