The hay wagon afforded Bucky some new entertainment to ‘while away’ the long hours of school. He began following the wagon as Father loaded it with hay and feed for the cattle. He joyfully kicked up his heels and ran in circles in his own bouncing way around the team of horses and wagon as it lumbered across the prairie to the feed boxes, the water tanks and the salt licks for the cattle. Every day hay and “cake”, a compressed feed mixture, would be taken to the cattle. Ice had to be chopped away to allow the cattle to drink from tanks which were filled by the windmill pumping water from far below the earth’s surface with the wind providing the power.
Bucky loved this time. His snoopy nose examined and snatched from the feed boxes. He took a lick of the salt with his pink tongue and stood so close to the water tank Father feared he would accidentally hit him with the ax used to chop away the ice. As soon as a hole appeared, Bucky hurried to beat all the cattle to the first drink of icy water underneath. Having sampled all the wares, he started a game of tag with the calves or young heifers. Father laughed as he watched the playful youngster.
“Now he thinks he’s a cow.” But as soon as the wagon took off to the next stopping place, Bucky was right behind it and then racing his bouncy circles around the wagon and team. Occasionally, he’d get a bit too close to one of the big draft horses and he would receive a warning kick. He always seemed to get away just in time.
Bucky made many friends during these romps with Father across the prairie. He met rabbits and ground squirrels with open friendliness. They stopped and communicated with him like friends. Often now he stopped and sniffed the air – standing very still, he ears pointing skyward and nose straight forward and tail straight up. Father knew there were antelope near. Occasionally he would see them far off in the distance. He knew Bucky had seen them too. For a moment, the little antelope stood still and uncertain., then quickly he’d be off to chase a calf or make another run around the hay wagon.
“I need to get the family out here so the children can see this,” thought Father. “If they watch this, they will understand why he leaves one day.”
That evening at supper, Father told the family about seeing the antelope and Bucky’s reaction.
“He won’t run away will he Daddy?” asked Sandie, near tears at the very thought.
“He’s a wild animal, you must remember that,” said Father gently.
After the children were in bed that evening, Mother and Father discussed ways to show the children that their beloved pet would one day soon make a decision between life with the family who had saved him from death or his own kind.
“I’ll start taking the kids to school on the hay wagon tomorrow. It would probably be good if you and the two little ones saw him too. Do you think Loreen can handle half a day on the hay wagon?”
“I think she’ll love it if I dress her warmly.”
The ride to school on the hay wagon was a joyful affair. The children didn’t seem to notice the cold at all. They laughed and giggled at Bucky’s antics along the road. He knew he was the center of attention so he was being especially frisky. He ran along beside the hay rack. Suddenly his neck jerked forward and an unsuspecting child would lose a mitten. Don jumped off the wagon in pursuit of the bouncy antelope with a red mitten dangling from his mouth. He didn’t run away so fast that Don had no hope of retrieving the mitten. With a quick motion, the boy grabbed the mitten and ran back to the wagon. His reward was a handful of hay tossed on his head by an equally mischievous sister. Now a hay fight became the order of the hour. Father put a stop to the flying hay and pointed at Bucky while putting his other finger to his lips.
Bucky was standing still in the trail ahead of them, his ears cocked forward and nose and tail high. He seemed to quiver all over. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Don understood there were antelope grazing just ahead, barely visible to man. Bucky knew they were there and so did Don. In his heart he prayed, “Not now, I don’t want to give him up yet.”
Bucky stood motionless for perhaps a minute, then came bounding back to the wagon and all around it. This time, an unsuspecting little girl felt a playful nip from Bucky’s teeth on her leg before he went bouncing away again.
When the family arrived at school, Joan and Don were quickly off the wagon and shaking hay loose from their clothes before father could get it turned around.
A new problem at this point. Bucky decided to stay at school with the older children. No amount of calling from Sandie and her parents could change his mind. Finally, Don ran back to the wagon with Bucky right beside him. Father grabbed the little antelope and lifted him up on the wagon. Mother and the little girls held him there until they were well out of sight of the school.
After they turned him loose, he continued his usual antics around the feed boxes and visiting with his friends the rabbits. Every once in a while he returned to the wagon to see if his audience was still there. Whenever he came close, Loreen clapped hands and reached for him. He licked her mittened hand and bounced off again. Twice during the morning, he sensed other antelope nearby but only stopped momentarily before running back to the wagon.
After lunch, two little girls took very long naps. The excitement of the morning had made them very tired. Loreen fell asleep before Mother finished reading their usual after lunch story and was still asleep when Father returned with Joan and Don later that afternoon.
Don told his Mother, “Bucky saw some more antelope on the way home today.” Joan was quiet all evening. She ran to the porch several times to see if her friend was still there. Bucky rested peacefully beside his stump.
Fireside Stories 