"Will he?" asked Mr. Bellmore. "Then I know some one who will buy."
"Who?"
"I will! Dave, I've been thinking for a long time of going into the cattle business. I think it will pay better than water engineering. I've been hoping for a chance to get a good ranch, and now that Molick's is on the market, I'm going to take it."
"Good!" cried Mr. Carson. "I'll have decent neighbors all around me then.
And if you want any money, Mr. Bellmore—you and Dave—"
"Thanks, but I'm pretty well off. I've saved a bit. I think I'll invest it in Centre O, but I'm going to change the name, with your permission."
"What are you going to call it?" asked Dave. "Bar U-2. How does that strike you?"
"Fine!" Dave exclaimed.
"Couldn't be better!" declared Mr. Carson. "We'll combine the two ranches into a new one, and with the water supply we'll have there won't be a place in this country that can hold a candle to us. Shake!"
"Do you really mean it?" cried our hero, his eyes shining with delight.
"Sure I mean it," answered the man who had been a father to him, with much feeling.