The Cowboy Way

Chapter 5-The Rescue

-Four POV-

Since it's mid-May, the days are fairly long. Even though it is still light enough to see at 8:30 at night, I don't like to feed the horses that late. I try to keep them on a schedule of getting their evening meal at around 6:00 pm. I walk around noting each horse as I throw hay to them. When I get to the feeding area for the north pasture, I only see five yearlings when I should see six. This isn't good.

I finish up feeding everyone else and get my binoculars out of my truck. Standing in the bed of the truck, I scan over what parts I can see of the northern pasture. I still don't see the missing horse. Crap! I jump out of the truck and head to the house.

As I enter the house I hear Tris and Sally talking and laughing in the kitchen. I walk in and interrupt them. "There is a yearling missing in the northern pasture. I'm going to head out and look for him, but wanted to give you a heads up. I didn't want to be out there, especially after dark, without someone knowing where I was."

Sally looks concerned and then glances from me to Tris. "Take Tris with you."

"No, I'm fine. But, I'd better get going."

"Four," Sally admonishes. "The yearling is probably injured. You could really use a second set of hands and I can't handle a ride like that anymore. Take Tris with you."

I hate to admit it, but she is right. I walk into the living room and open the rifle cabinet. I grab a lever action carbine and a box of shells. As I walk back into the kitchen, I nod at Tris and say, "Let's get going."

She glances at her grandmother and then back at me. "Two things," she quickly asks. "One, anything special I need to bring? Two, Grandma, are you sure?"

"Get out of here, child." Sally makes to shoo her out of the kitchen. "Just get your boots and a jacket. Once the sun goes down you know how the temperature drops."

With that, Tris and I both head out the door. Right before the door swings shut Sally yells, "Bring me your saddle bags before you leave."

Tris looks at me and asks, "Did she mean me or you?"

"You," I reply. "Mine are already filled with essentials. Get your jacket and the saddle bags and then meet me in the barn. I'll have a horse ready for you." With that I jog back to the barn.

I've already got my horse saddled and ready when Tris shows up with the saddle bags thrown over her shoulder. I grab a lead line and head back into the pen to catch a horse for Tris to ride. I think I will put her on the same mare that she rode yesterday. Since this will be a rough ride, it will help being on a horse she knows at least a little. Plus, that mare is sure footed.

I come out of the pen, tie the mare to the hitching post, and turn to go to the tack room to get the saddle. Turning I almost hit Tris. She is standing there with a bridle over her shoulder, a saddle on her hip, and a saddle pad in her hand. She hands me the saddle pad and I chuckle as I set it on the mare. Before I can do anything else, Tris raises the saddle to her waist, pulls the cinch and off stirrup over the saddle seat, and sets it in place on top of the pad. She then looks at me and states, "If you want to be of some help, you can put the bridle on."

I shake my head and grab the bridle where she left it over the hitching post and put it on the mare. Once I'm done I see that Tris is finishing up the front cinch before she quickly grabs the back cinch and buckles it closed. Without breaking stride, she hooks up the breast strap to the saddle. She then turns around, grabs the saddle bags and her jacket, and hooks them on the back of her saddle.