Ralph, unnoticed in the interest of our talk with Mr. Wilson, had been amusing himself in his own way. His way had been to overturn the empty bushel basket and put it over Guard, who was lying by the doorstep. Guard had submitted to imprisonment with placid indifference until it came to Ralph’s thrusting the new cat in with him; this he instantly resented, so, to insure the dog’s staying within, Ralph had climbed upon the basket. Whereupon Guard sprang up, overturning both jail and jailor. The liberated cat fled with all speed, and Guard walked off in disgust.
“What on earth are you trying to do?” I demanded.
Ralph raised his violet eyes soberly to my face as he replied: “Us was havin’ a round-up; now us all ’tampeded,” and the violet eyes were drenched with raindrops, as the little cattleman threw himself on the ground, sobbing.
“Never mind, darling, your herd will all come home,” I said, consolingly.
“Me don’t want ’em to tum back; me’s so mad!” was the uncompromising reply.
CHAPTER XIX
MR. HORTON MAKES US A VISIT
Late that same evening Mr. Wilson called again. He was on his way home, and stopped to tell us—with evident chagrin—that his mission had been a failure.