As fortune would have it, Sims slunk into camp just at the dinner hour.
“What’d they say to yuh?” he asked abruptly. “I seen the confab from over on that hogback yonder.”
The herder’s respect for his employer sometimes diminished to the vanishing point.
“Got to clear out in twenty-four hours or take what’s comin’.”
“What’d’ye tell ’em?”
“I said we would.”
The lank herder started back in amazement.
“Oh, blazes!” he grieved. “That I should’ve ever took on with a milksop boss. I’m plumb disgraced—” His voice trailed off into silence as 56 he recognized the twinkle in Larkin’s eye. “Oh, I see what yuh mean,” he apologized, with a wide grin. “We’ll clear out all right. Oh, yes! Sure!”
He sat down.
“Depends on you a good deal,” remarked Bud, shoving the beans toward him. “What did you find this morning?”