Jerry was taken aback and for a moment he hesitated before answering.
“Why—why you never wanted to go before and I—I don’t think I can take you with me to-day.”
“I don’t care where you’re going,” said Bob laughing. “We’ll go exploring, like we did at the Labyrinth.”
“But—but,” stammered Jerry, “I’m going to see somebody. They expect me.”
“Oh, let them wait,” said Bob. “You can go next Sunday. We haven’t been out together for a long time. Come on, be a sport.”
There was nothing to it. Evidently Jerry saw that Bob was determined to go and he was afraid that if he refused it would look funny. Bob saw the hesitancy and continued:
“Besides, I’d like to see a ranch. I’ve never been to one since we came out here. The people you’re going to see won’t mind my coming along, will they?”
Again Jerry hesitated and Bob realized that a struggle was going on within him.
At last Jerry said with forced enthusiasm, “All right, old man, come along. I reckon there’s another nag for you down at the stables. We’ll go up to old man Holman’s ranch. He asked me to come up for dinner. There’s always an extra place for anyone who stops by.”
Bob was rather elated that his plan had worked so far and they started off mounted on a couple of bronchos that the stable in the lower camp provided.