“Where’s your horses?” demanded Jimmie.
“At the other end of the valley.”
“Where’s your uniforms?”
“We rarely wear uniforms in rough mountain work.”
The fellow answered the two questions with apparent frankness, but there was a set expression on his face which showed that he was restraining a naturally vicious temper by great effort.
Ben now stepped forward and extended a hand in greeting.
“We’re glad to see you, I’m sure!” he said. “Still, I hardly think you will blame us for resenting apparently impertinent questions.”
“That’s all right, boy!” replied the other, trying his best to bring a conciliatory expression to his sullen face. “It’s part of our duty, you understand, to visit camps in the mountains and make inquiries as to the intentions of strangers.”
“We understand that, of course,” Ben answered. “We are willing to answer any questions you care to ask, now that we know who you are.”
“I hope you’ll answer my first question in a manner entirely satisfactory to myself!” laughed the other.