“Maybe,” Teddy repeated. “Why not? I’ll go with you.”
“Huh?” Roy came to with a jerk and looked at his brother. “What do you mean—you’ll come with me? Do you think you’re a mind reader?”
“Sure do,” Teddy replied, grinning broadly. “Guessed right, didn’t I? You mean to ride over to the 8 X 8 and see Nell and Ethel, don’t you? Oh, never mind denying it. Anyway, I’ll go along to see that you get there all right. Can’t have bogie-mans get my ’ittle brother. No, sir! Would be terrible. Would be awful. Would be—”
“Chuck it,” Roy growled, making a pass at Teddy. “If you come along, it’s not to save me from any bogie-man. It’s for just one thing—to see Curly! Hey, Pop, what about that? You qualify as an expert. What should a man do when he wants to see a girl and she’s ten miles off on another ranch?”
“Buy an airship,” Pop chuckled. “Then you can make flyin’ visits. Pete Ball would be glad to see you comin’, I know. He’d maybe climb up on the roof an’ wave to you.”
“You’re all locoed, I think,” Teddy said casually. “I’m going in. Got some work to do.”
“Yea, work! Going to write a note to Curly because too many people may listen in if you telephone! Do you call that work?” gibed Roy.
“I would not—anything but!” returned Teddy. “The note wouldn’t be poetry though,” and he grinned at his brother, who was a lover of verse. “Say, Gus,” he went on in a different tone of voice, “how’s that cow that was sick? Getting better?”
“She’s comin’ along all right, Teddy,” Gus replied.
Mr. Manley gave the charge of the ranch over to the boys on alternate weeks, and this week Teddy was the foreman. He was responsible for the management of the entire business of the X Bar X.