"He tells a falsehood," said Fred. "He never knew a thing about it till this morning."
"I didn't, eh?" shouted Bud. "I'll show you!"
Thereupon he raised his whip, but Mr. Emery stepped in front and said, calmly:
"Bud, it won't be well for you to strike that boy."
"Well, I don't want anybody telling me I don't tell the truth, for I'm square in everything I do, and I won't be insulted."
Mr. Kincade was on the point of taking the word of Bud Heyland that the reward had been earned by him, when he saw from the disposition of the crowd that it would not permit any such injustice as that.
"If you've got the animal secure I'm satisfied," called out the showman from his seat, as he assumed an easy, lolling attitude. "You two chaps and the crowd can settle the question of who's entitled to the reward between you, and I only ask that you don't be too long about it, for the critter may get hungry and eat his way out."
Mr. Emery, at the suggestion of several, took charge of the investigation.
Turning to Fred he said: "The people here have heard your story, and Bud can now tell his."