“Well, perhaps not so much; and besides, it cleans out the sneaky element among the punchers of the Double Cross outfit,” Harry admitted. “But Uncle Job will have a heap to hear when he gets back from his journey. You don’t think those men will dare come close in here and try to steal the cattle right out of the corral, do you, Ned?”
“I should say there wasn’t one risk in a thousand that way,” answered the scout leader, immediately; “they know that we’ll be on guard, and chances are they’ve got too healthy a respect for the shooting abilities of these scrappy Double Cross punchers to want to get into a regular fight with them.”
“But all the same Chunky means to keep on the watch; he’ll have the stockade well guarded, won’t he, Ned?” Harry continued.
“That has all been arranged for,” Ned told him; “and you can make up your mind there’ll be nothing doing until morning. Fact is, I’m more suspicious that Ally Sloper being up to some sly trick than that his friends will dare pounce down on the ranch in the night.
“I hope Chunky hasn’t changed his mind about that snake!” Jimmy ventured. “Just because he helped drive the herd, and goes around boasting how he did such great shakes in shooting up the rustler gang, isn’t any proof that he’s reformed.”
“Chunky is on to his capers, never you fear, Jimmy,” declared Jack, “and ten to one he means to have Sloper watched every minute of the time till dawn. If he tries to slip away, he’ll run up against a snag right off. It may be a piece of lead that stops his exit, or the loop of a lariat. You can count on seeing him among us when the call to breakfast comes.”
“Oh! I wish it was now!” Jimmy was heard to mutter, “all this work seems to have made me as hungry as a wolf; and it’s been an awful long time since they flagged me to a meal.”
“Cheer up, Jimmy,” Ned told him, “because I’ve got some good news for you.”
“Did the lady tell Chin Chin Charley to give the boys some grub after they came in from the drive, Ned; is that the good news you want to tell me?” Jimmy eagerly demanded, looking anxiously at his chum.
“There goes the big gong right now,” interrupted Jack, “and the boys are trooping for the grub tent as if they know what to expect after doing night duty. So get a move on, Jimmy; if you don’t want to find everything cleared out and only a bare table left.”