“No, nor does anybody else. We are squatters. My neighbors tell me that there was a time, not so very long ago, when this ranch was located at least a hundred miles to the east of where it is now; but the farmers kept coming in until I am where I am now. You can’t keep cattle where there is land fenced in.”
“What makes you think that you are going to drive your stock away from here toward Trinity?”
“Because there were a couple of men here from the lower counties, not three weeks ago, to see if I would join in,” answered the invalid. “You see my cattle would get all mixed up with others and there is no telling when we would get them apart. That will make it necessary for me to hire some more men, and as you haven’t got anything to do, why can’t you hire out to me?”
“That’s an idea,” said I. “I will speak to my companions about it and see what they have to say. We would rather not have any shooting——”
“Oh, you will see plenty of it if you stay around with us,” said Mr. Davenport. “The minute we get near Trinity it will commence. Why, there must be as much as one hundred and seventy-five thousand head of cattle that need watering. It’s all farms up that way too.”
“I was about to say that we would rather not have any shooting around where we are,” I continued. “But if there is going to be any we would rather be where we can have a hand in it.”
“That’s the trouble, is it?” said Mr. Davenport, with a smile.
“Yes, sir. And as far as paying us anything—why, we are here with you now, and if you will give us board it is all we ask.”
I looked at Tom and he nodded his head. I glanced around for Elam, but he and Bob had disappeared. They had got into conversation and had gone off to look at something.
“That’s all right,” said Mr. Davenport. “That boy has been confined here on the ranch and he has not seen a companion before. I have been afraid to let him out of my sight. By the way, this man whom you have just introduced to me is all right?”