Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Wild Life on the Ranch. Al upon to outwit such wily and desperate marauders at their game of grab. Buffaloes were still to be found by zealous hunt- ers, and for one he did not mean that these thieving Sioux should lay in their winter stock of meat from his herd if prompt and energetic measures could prevent it. He consulted a few minutes with Old Sile, and then gave his orders in a clear voice, naming the men and hustling them away upon the duty to which they were appointed. Some were sent to look after a bunch of cattle known to be feeding at a certain point about eight miles away, with orders to drive them toward the ranch. Another gang went to round up the troop of sad- dle horses, which might prove objects of interest in the eyes of the Indians. Thus half a dozen parties shot out from the ranch and scoured the plain. To Cuthbert’s intense pleasure, Old Sile volun- tarily attached himself to the little group among which Karl and himself were numbered. It may have been mere accident that caused him to do so, — though his attachment for Karl was well known— perhaps the presence of two “kids” in this allotment caused him to think he could sort of balance matters by casting his lot with them. Cuthbert had difficulty in realizing that he was al- ready upon the warpath, adjudged capable of bear- ing arms in a desperate affair of this kind when the cattle had to be rounded up and swept in toward the ranch, perhaps with the hostile Indians bearing down upon them. His blood seemed surcharged with fire, and leaped through his veins like molten lava—it was far differ- ent to his former experiences, which had been wholly confined to fur, fin and feather. Now he was to be Conniclooe® S C@©