“Me too,” came from Gus emphatically. “Ever since that day he went into Rimor’s place and took a chance on gettin’ plugged in the back just to get some information about the stolen horses, I knew he was the man for me. Notice how he took that note? Never batted an eye. They have to come pretty high to stop him!”
“Sure do,” Teddy assented. Then he laughed. “I knew dad ’ud take it that way. Now he’ll go over to Hawley in the morning just to tell the sheriff to convict those rustlers sure.”
“And I’m sure glad of it,” Gus declared. “If I can, I’ll ride over myself when they get sentenced! The dirty thieves!”
The puncher has small use for rustlers. The labor of raising cows until they are fit to sell cannot be lightly forgotten and the rustler who steals them is hated with the vindictiveness of a man who has seen his hard work go for nothing.
Later, Teddy and Roy strolled back to the ranch house, leaving Pop to explain to unwilling listeners how the mysterious rider had come and gone so quickly.
The boys were tired, as well they might be, and sought their beds early. They roomed together, their beds being in a room facing the east. The sun was their alarm clock, and the next morning they arose and hurried down to breakfast with an idea of riding with their father to Hawley. But they found he had already left.
The business of the ranch occupied the attention of the brothers until early afternoon, and they had little time to talk of the events of the preceding night. Four new horses had arrived at the X Bar X, and both Teddy and Roy were eager to see if they would make good saddle ponies. Of course the boys were bound to their own mounts by ties of real affection, but it was necessary that some additional riding broncos be made ready each year for the fall round-up.
Teddy, upon investigation of the newly arrived animals, declared that while three seemed fair enough, the fourth had a queer look in his eye.
When Nick saw the bronco, he grunted.
“Bad actor,” he said. “I know them kind. Send him back. Tell Clews we don’t want no tigers on this ranch. When’d the broncos arrive?”