Just then Burch came in sight, loping with the swing of the cattle.
“Hello, Hilda!” he cried. “You made it all right.”
They put their horses in alongside him and moved with him while he told them, in a few quick sentences:
“Uncle Hank stampeded the cattle—only thing he could do—shook a blanket. We weren’t fixed to open fight—not a gun amongst us—them all armed. The cattle commenced to run, and everybody flew in to turn ’em and mill ’em. While we were at it, Uncle Hank rode up to me and hollered that the Flying M men were coming—and there was Marchbanks and the whole outfit. The rustlers cut and run for it.”
“What shooting was that we just heard, d’you reckon?”
“The colonel and two of his men went after the rustlers—out yonder. They must have overhauled ’em.”
Burch rode on with the milling cattle, while Slim and Hilda pulled out. Presently Uncle Hank came to her and told her to go to the house and rest.
“Oh, I couldn’t, Uncle Hank!” she declared. “Let me stay.”
CHAPTER XXI
ANOTHER CHANCE
As the afternoon wore on, Hilda, helping to gather strays, watching always the westward trail for Pearse, began to lose hope. The colonel had not come back from his chase of the rustlers, but his men were here; again Uncle Hank came to her to say that they were full-handed now—no need for her to half kill herself; she’d better get to the house, wash up and have something to eat.