REDSKIN AND COW-BOY
THE MEETING IN THE INN GARDEN AT EL PASO.]
REDSKIN AND COW-BOY
A Tale of the Western Plains
by
G. A. HENTY
Author of "Held Fast for England;" "The Dash for Khartoum;" "ByRight of Conquest;" "True to the Old Flag;" "In Freedom's Cause;"&c.
With Twelve Page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse
New YorkCharles Scribner's Sons1896
PREFACE.
MY DEAR LADS,
There are but few words of preface needed to a story that is nothistorical. The principal part of the tale is laid among the cow-boysof the Western States of America, a body of men unrivalled in pointof hardihood and devotion to work, as well as in reckless courageand wild daring. Texas, which twenty-five years ago was the greatranching state, is no longer the home of the typical cow-boy, buthe still exists and flourishes in New Mexico and the northern Statesand Territories. The picture I have given of their life can be reliedupon, and its adventures and dangers are in no degree coloured, asI have taken them from the lips of a near relative of my own who wasfor some years working as a cow-boy in New Mexico. He was an actor inmany of the scenes described, and so far from my having heightened orembellished them, I may say that I have given but a small proportionof the perilous adventures through which he went, for had I given themin full it would, I am sure, have seemed to you that the story was tooimprobable to be true. In treating of cow-boy life, indeed, it may wellbe said that truth is stranger than fiction.
Yours sincerely, G. A. HENTY.
CONTENTS.
Chap. Page
I. An Advertisement, 11
II. Terrible News, 29
III. The Wanderer's Return 50
IV. An Explosion, 67
V. Across the Sea, 83
VI. A Horse Deal, 100
VII. Among the Cow-boys, 119
VIII. A Rattlesnake Diet, 136
IX. A Round-up, 156
X. A Race, 172
XI. A Fire on the Plains, 189
XII. An Indian Raid, 206
XIV. Surrounded by Redskins, 242
XV. With the Waggon Teams, 260
XVI. A Mining Expedition, 284
XVII. Carried off, 303
XVIII. The Brigands' Haunt, 321
XIX. A Fight and a Rescue, 339
XX. The Avenger, 359