[CHAPTER XIX.—BILLIE HAS SUSPICIONS.]
Once outside again they found that the punchers still hung around as though understanding that their services would soon be needed in some way.
With something like his old decisive way of handling men, before his spirit had been almost broken through constant quarrels with his wife, Mr. Comstock picked out such men as he thought ought to be sent out in the two parties, with orders to drive all the stock into the corrals with all haste possible.
One of these was placed in charge of Donald. Besides himself it consisted of three of the suspects and four reliable punchers, eight in all; and they were to go after the larger herd known to be feeding on the hillsides some miles off.
Adrian himself had lanky George Hess, one of his new men, a puncher known as Monkey Jones on account of his agility on the back of a pony, but who was one of Mr. Comstock’s select list, and two of the suspects. They expected to round up a smaller bunch of long-horns, and get them home safely.
Billie watched all these proceedings as though wondering where he came in.
“Don’t I ride along with you, Adrian?” he asked, plaintively, when there was no mention of his name given, and the two parties prepared to sally forth.
“No, not this time, Billie,” replied the other, softly, for some of the men were close by, looking to their saddle-girths, and in other ways making sure things were all right before galloping forth; “Uncle Fred has to stay at home, and you had better keep him company. You see how things stand. We’ll have a warm ride of it; and you never did like driving cattle, you know. Besides, if you are sighing for excitement who knows what may happen here while the rest of us are gone; and you’d better make it a point not to get separated from your rifle, for even one minute!”
Billie’s eyes grew round with comprehension. He could not get the angry face of Mrs. Fred out of his mind; and he felt that Adrian must refer to her when he spoke of trouble springing up.
“Say, I reckon now that’s right,” he replied.