"Well, don't tell us. We don't want to have to take you out and tie you to a tree. Say, will you get wise to the dude with the red necktie?" scoffed the Ranger, pointing to Ned, who, in the place of the bandanna handkerchief, had put on a flowing tie of brilliant red, tying it about his neck, with the ends carelessly thrown over the left shoulder.
"Don't you like it?" asked Ned, flushing.
"Like it? Why, it's the hottest thing that ever crossed the Staked
Plains since the Apaches came down in—-"
"Why don't you look the other way then?" interjected Stacy.
"Oho! Listen to the human monstrosity—-the monstrosity as wide as he is long and as fresh as he is stale. What you got to say about it, young man?" demanded Dippy, glancing at Tad Butler, who was smiling.
"I haven't said anything yet."
"But you're going to?"
"I may."
"Can we stand for any more remarks, boys?" asked Dippy.
"No, we can't stand for any more," chorused the men, the professor and the lieutenant being too busy with a discussion to pay any heed to what was going on about them.