“Maybe you would and maybe you wouldn’t,” declared Fred. “I’d like a swim myself. But I really don’t think we ought to risk it,” he added.
It was very pleasant walking along the footpath bordering the river, and the boys found several spots which in the past had evidently been used for camping. They had vaulted a low fence, satisfied that no one would interfere with their walk.
“Not a house in sight,” declared Jack, looking around. “And yet we passed a fair-sized town just when we started to go to lunch.”
“This is some sort of a ranch, I take it,” returned Fred. “Aren’t those cows further up the river?”
“Sure they’re cows!” declared Randy. “And a pretty big herd of ’em, too.”
“I understand cattle on the hoof is worth a good deal of money these days,” went on Jack. “I’d like to own a few thousand cattle.”
“It must be a lot of fun rounding them up,” declared Andy.
“It isn’t so much fun though if the cattle try to round you up,” answered Fred.
The boys walked on a little farther and then concluded that it would be best to return to the train. They had just started to retrace their steps when they heard a crashing in the brushwood behind them. “Hello! who’s coming?” cried Fred.
“He must be in a tremendous hurry by the noise he’s making,” came from Randy.