said. Those who had not heard had the news passed on to them, in various
forms. Wooden Shoes, who had been loitering in the rear gossiping with the
men, rode on to meet Smith.

Eagle Creek urged his horse up the last steep place, right in the face of
the leaders, which halted and tried to turn back. Pink, swearing in a
whisper, began to force them forward.

"Let 'em alone," Eagle Creek bellowed harshly. "They ain't goin' no
farther."

"W-what?" Pink stopped short and eyed him critically. Eagle Creek could not
justly be called a teetotaler; but Pink had never known him to get worse
than a bit wobbly in his legs; his mind had never fogged perceptibly. Still,
something was wrong with him, that was certain. Pink glanced dubiously
across at the Silent One and saw him shrug his shoulders expressively.

Eagle Creek rode up and stopped within ten feet of the line-backed cow; she
seemed hurt at being held up in this manner, Pink thought.

"Yuh'll have t' turn this herd back," Eagle Creek announced bluntly.

"Where to?" Pink asked, too stunned to take in the meaning of it.

"T' hell, I guess. It's the only place I know of where everybody's
welcome." Eagle Creek's tone was not pleasant.

"We just came from there," Pink said simply, thinking of the horrors of that
drive.