“I know all about it,” replied Philip, taking possession of one of the easy chairs, with the air of a man who felt perfectly at home. “I heard everything that passed while George was here except the conversation he had with you in this office. He talked so low that I couldn’t hear much of that, but I know about what he said.”
“Then tell me what to do,” said Uncle John, who had not yet recovered from his fright. “What shall I say to those men when they come here? I don’t see what keeps them. I have been looking for them every minute since the boys went away.”
“They have been here and are gone,” answered Philip. “They’ll not trouble you to-night.”
Uncle John could not speak. He could only look the astonishment and delight he felt.
“Yes,” continued Philip, “they have come and gone. I sent them away. I met them on the road and told them you and Ned had gone to Palos, and that you would not be back under two or three weeks. I told them, too, that Ned had ridden away a new horse he traded for a few days ago. I knew they wouldn’t stop here after hearing that. I helped them catch their horses, and they left as soon as they could put the saddles on them.”
Uncle John drew a long breath and sat down in the nearest chair. He was greatly relieved to know that he would not be called upon to face the owner of the stolen horse that night.
“They must have gone away with a very poor opinion of themselves,” Philip went on. “They’ve been fooled at every turn. The horse they are looking for was under the shed the night they came here; George sent them more than thirty-five miles out of their way; Mr. Gilbert sent a herdsman to guide them to the rancho and he lost them on purpose; and now I have sent them off on a wild goose chase. It’s lucky for you I did, for they were just boiling over.”
“But they’ll come back some day,” said Uncle John, growing frightened again when he thought of it.
“Of course they will, but if they catch you here, it will be your own fault. They’ll not find me, I tell you. You ought to be well on your way toward Brownsville by this time to-morrow, and I don’t see why you didn’t go with the boys. I would if I had been in your place.”
“Why, I thought I ought to stay here and settle the matter.”