It was now Bob’s turn to be astonished, but before he could speak the wagon-master began and told his story, winding up with the words:
“They wanted Mr. Evans to take ’em to the railroad station to onct, so that they could go back East, but the ole man wasn’t fool enough to do it. He said that if Arthur reckoned he could come here to Arizony an’ cut up sich shines as them an’ git off scot free, he had made a big mistake; so he tuk ’em to Camp Clark an’ give ’em up to the United States Marshal. I tell yer, they had to run for it. They hadn’t more’n got inside the lines afore the boys came scootin’ down arter ’em. If the post had been five miles further off, the soldiers couldn’t have saved ’em.”
It was late before any one in that camp thought of his blanket. There was much to talk about, a thousand and one questions to be asked and answered, and it was midnight before the wagon-master told Bob that he had better go back to bed.
Before he went, he took a look at George; but, as the latter was slumbering peacefully, he did not disturb him.
When they reached Mr. Evans’ ranch, two days later, the scenes we have just described were re-enacted. The same surprise and joy were expressed over their unexpected return, the same stories were told on both sides, and the same questions asked and answered.
George had by this time so far recovered that he was able to sit up and put in a word now and then, to help Bob on with his narrative; but he was very nervous, easily frightened, and so Mr. Evans put him to bed and left him there under his wife’s care, while he and Bob rode down to the valley.
We shall not attempt to describe the meeting between Bob and his herdsmen, for we could not do justice to it. They were frightened at first, and some of them were more than half inclined to take to their heels at the sight of him; but when they found that it was really Bob, and not his ghost, who had come back to them, they broke out into the wildest kind of Indian yells, and made the most extravagant demonstrations of delight.
Affairs moved smoothly at the ranch after that.
Bob refused to appear against his cousin, and so did Ike, who did it simply because he knew his young employer desired it. Consequently, Arthur was discharged from custody, and he and his father made all haste to shake the dust of that Western country from off their feet. Bob does not know where they are now.
George Edwards did not leave any of his brains behind him in the mesquite bushes. He gained health and strength rapidly under Mrs. Evans’ skillful nursing, and he is to-day as good a boy, both physically and mentally, as he ever was.