"I hope so," said Ted pleasantly. "But what is your business with me?"
"I'll speak of it when I come to it," said the old soldier.
"Then you'll have to be quick about it, for I've been in the saddle continuously for six weeks, and I'm tired. Besides, I've got a day's work to do before I turn in to-night."
There was something crisp and business-like in Ted's speech, and not at all impertinent, that caused the colonel to look at him again.
"What's this I hear about your refusal to accede to our just demand that the cattle intended to fill your contract be turned into our pasture?" asked the colonel sharply.
"Only this," answered Ted: "I arrived here just in time, with my stock worn out from forced marches. I had just let them have all the water they could drink, and it was necessary that they should have a good feed in order to rest well to-night to be in condition to stand inspection to-morrow. I was well within my rights in deciding not to move them any farther to-night."
"I understand that you were impertinent to the officer who made this request to you," thundered the colonel.
Ted laughed softly to himself.
"If I was impertinent to him I was there and perfectly responsible, personally, for my conduct. It was wholly unofficial, and I cannot see why he should come to you with it."
Ted looked at the lieutenant, who had flushed angrily.