“What’s yore hurry?”
“Nick! Have you seen Teddy? Is he safe?”
“Sure, he’s safe!” the cowboy chuckled. “Safe an’ sound. He’ll be here in a minute. I spotted him followin’ the gully like a lost sheep. Listen! Think I hear him now. Say—”
But Roy waited no longer. With a yell he started Star toward the sound of the approaching horseman. In a moment the two brothers were face to face.
“Teddy! I was afraid you were—”
“I thought you were—”
They both stopped. Teddy thrust out his hand, and, for a brief moment, it met Roy’s in a firm grip that spoke of what was in the heart of each. Then Teddy chuckled.
“Quite a show, hey, Roy?”
“I’ll tell a maverick! But, Teddy, when the rocks were busting down a mile a minute and roaring like thunder and the dust started to rise, didn’t it remind you of—now tell the truth—didn’t it remind you of the eruption of the volcano in ‘The Fall of Pompeii?’ ”
Teddy laughed softly, and side by side the two boys rode toward the X Bar X. Nick, whistling softly, led the way. The sun flashed a last blaze of orange and pink as it sank behind the hills.