Even Jimmy raised his fiery head from the hammock to call out:
“What’s the bloomin’ row about now? Is that the way they always act when the Colonel shows up in the distance? Well, I ain’t agoin’ to climb out of this snug hammock to go gallopin’ over the hot plain just to yell and swing my hat. You’ll have to excuse me, fellers.”
“But I don’t believe it’s the Colonel coming at all!” declared Jack. “Look at the way the boys are jumping for their horses, will you? And there’s some snatching up belts with guns, and ropes as well. It’s something else that’s happened.”
“I wouldn’t be much surprised if that Sloper’s nerve had begun to fail him as the time drew near for my uncle to come back, and that he’s skipped out, taking chances of being overhauled and strung up, rather than to face Colonel Job.”
“Whoop! you’re right, Harry, for there he goes lickety-split right now!” cried Jimmy, eagerly pointing with an extended hand.
Looking in that direction they could all see a solitary figure on horseback, speeding over the sun-kissed plain with all the haste possible. It was undoubtedly Ally Sloper, who had finally reached the conclusion that as he would be kicked off the place anyway after his employer had been convinced of his guilt, perhaps he had better not wait upon the order of his going but take a hasty departure.
He was spurring his pony “for keeps” as Jimmy observed. Shortly afterwards a bunch of the punchers broke away from the saddle corral and went swiftly in the wake of the fleeing reprobate.
“Look at him wavin’ his hat at the crowd!” exclaimed Jimmy. “Sure I’d hate to be in his boots right now. There must be some hosses just as good in that bunch, and look at ’em ride, will you? I kind of think Ally will be sorry for showin’ such a lot of hurry to clear out. He must a got cold feet athinkin’ of facin’ his boss. He’s made a big mistake, I’m tellin’ you.”
Ned said nothing, but he had read the treacherous puncher as a shrewd rascal, and had an idea Ally Sloper must know what he was doing.
“He gave ’em a good run for their money, boys,” Jimmy loudly declared, “just look how tired their poor old ponies seem to be, aholdin’ their heads hangin’ low, like they’d covered forty miles. But I don’t see our friend, Ally, among them. And I guess now he must have got his medicine.”