Andy was still trainin' on Gracie as they
rode across the high mountain pasture in the Uintas. He had named her
Gracie with the same inversely convoluted reasoning with which U.S.
senators refer to each other as "My distinguished colleague…"
They made their way along a big ditch
that diverted water off the Black Fork River. Beaver dams and dead fall
had made the ditch wide in spots and the black mud would suck the socks
off a frog!
Andy's herd of dogs scouted into a stand
of willers and quakies where the ditch neared the river. They spooked a
cow moose and her four-day old calf! The pair ran down the ditch bank.
Andy called off his dogs and followed Mama Moose and baby at an easy
walk, just watchin'. Gracie snorted and pranced, unsure about the moose.
Mrs. Moose crossed the ditch above a
beaver dam but when baby followed he tangled himself in a fallen tree
and got stuck. Seeing Baby Moose's dangerous predicament, Andy coaxed
the nervous Gracie into the stirrup high water. Since Andy was also
checkin' the irrigation, he was wearin' his genuine Cowboy Issue
Cabela's Thigh-High Waders.
Andy eased up to the calf, reached down
and pulled the stranded moosling out by the ears. Gracie lurched, caught
our daring hero off balance and dumped him over his head!
Unbeknownst to the rescue team, Mother Moose had crossed the ditch,
circled back and snuck up on the scene of the accident. Gracie turned to
free herself from the mud, looked Mrs. Moose in the eye and fell over
backwards! Square on top of Andy! He went down under the thrashing mare,
fighting for his breath and pushing against Gracie.
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