Thatnight’srideupthepassthroughthenarrowrangeofhigh—peakedhillstotheTomahawk’sfarthestrangeonBigCreekwasatediousaffairtoBuddy。Amanhadbeensentonafasthorsetowarnthenearestneighbor，whointurnwouldwarnthenext，——untilnosettlerwouldbeleftinignoranceofhisdanger。EzrawasalreadyonthetrailtoLaramie，withmotherandDulcieandthecatsandaslatboxfullofchickens，andayoungsowwithlittlepigs。
Buddy，whosewordnoonehadquestioned，whomightpardonablyhaveconsideredhimselfahero，wasconcernedchieflywithhismother’sflowergardenwhichhehadhelpedtoplantandhadwateredmoreorlessfaithfullywithcreekwatercarriedinbuckets。HewasafraidtheIndianswouldsteponthepoppiesandthephlox，andtrampledownthefouro’clockswhichwerejustbeginningtobranchoutandlookniceandbushy，andtoblossom。Thescentofthefouro’clockshadbeeninhisnostrilswhenhecameoutatduskwithhisfurovercoatwhichmotherhadtoldhimmustnotbeleftbehind。
Buddyhimselfmerelylikedflowers：butmothertalkedtothemandkissedthemjustforlove，andpitiedthemifBuddyforgotandletthemgothirsty。Hewouldhavestayedtofightformother’sflowergarden，ifitwouldhavedoneanygood。
HewasthinkingsleepilythatnextyearhewouldplantflowersinboxesthatcouldbecarriedtothecaveiftheIndiansbrokeoutagain，whenTexFarleypokedhimintheribsandtoldhimtowakeuporhe’dfalloffhishorse。ItwasawearyclimbtothetopoftherangethatdividedthevalleyofBigCreekfromtheNorthPlatte，andawearierclimbdown。TwiceBuddycaughthimselfonthevergeoftopplingoutofthesaddle。Forafterallhewasonlyathirteen—yearOldboy，growinglikeanyotherhealthyyounganimal。HehadbeenridinghardthatdayandhalfoftheprecedingnightwhenhehadracedbackfromtheReservationtogivewarningoftheimpendingoutbreak。Heneededsleep，andnaturewasdeterminedthatheshouldhaveit。
CHAPTERFIVE：BUDDYRUNSTRUETOTYPE