“We followed him,” Merry answered.
“Followed him?” echoed the other.
“Why, you see,” Merry explained, “we started for Dolliver’s soon after you left Tinaja Wells, colonel. From what you said, I gathered the impression that you believed Darrel had something to do with the way Clancy and I lit into Lenning, on account of that coyote dog. I was afraid he’d hear of it, and I wanted to talk the matter over with him. Besides, I had it in mind to call up Mr. Bradlaugh on the phone from Dolliver’s, and tell him how matters were getting complicated.”
“I tried that myself,” said the colonel, “but discovered that Mr. Bradlaugh was out of town.” “Perhaps it’s just as well I couldn’t talk with him,” he added.
“When we reached Dolliver’s,” Frank resumed, “we were told that Darrel had left to go to Camp Hawtrey. I didn’t stop to telephone, but turned and followed him!”
“Why did Ellis start for our camp?”
“He wanted to talk with you—to try and patch up our differences on account of what happened yesterday.”
“Just an errand of his own out of mere friendship for you, eh?”
“That’s about the size of it, sir.”
“What did you follow him for?”