“‘Cause they’re goin’ to stop at the ranch layin’ just beyond.”
Strubell and Lattin exchanged glances, and Herbert, who was watching them, was satisfied that the news did not surprise them. They had expected it from the first or they would not have persevered thus far.
“I met ‘em yesterday,” continued Bozeman, “not fur back; they had halted to cook a young antelope that Harman shot, and I jined in on the chorus.”
“What did they say to you?”
“Nothin’ in partic’lar; I told ‘em whar I was goin’, and asked ‘em what they war doin’ in this part of the world. They said they war on thar way to look at that ranch I spoke about on t’other side of the Pecos, and it might be they would spend some time thar.”
“Did they say anything about the boy with them?” asked Herbert, whose curiosity was at the highest point.
“Yas—consid’rable. I asked who he was and whar he come from; Bell told me he was a younker as wanted to take a trip through Texas fur his health—though he’s the healthiest younker I’ve looked on for many a day—and tharfur they war takin’ him along.”
“Did you have anything to say to Nick?”
“Who’s Nick?” asked the trapper, with another movement of the beard around his mouth that showed he was smiling.