“I don’t admit I was consorting with a cattle-rustler suspect,” he said gently.
“You don’t have to admit it. You was seen.”
“That doesn’t prove anything. How was I to know Martin is said to be a stealer of cattle?”
“Ain’t you heard it?” blustered Hinkee Dee.
“You heard what I said,” was Munson’s rejoinder.
“Well, if you ain’t heard that then you’re about the only one in these parts that ain’t—barrin’, maybe, these tenderfeet,” and he indicated the listening and interested boys.
“Isn’t Pod Martin suspected of being a cattle rustler?” demanded the assistant foreman of the Parson.
“Yep!” was the answer.
“Well,” rejoined Munson, coolly, “I suppose if he’s really a rustler he might have taken cattle from this ranch.”