“Dry up!” Nick growled. “You’ll have your hands full without worryin’ about Norine.”
At that moment Roy came from the ranch house and walked toward the group.
“Dad around?” he asked.
“Just left,” Teddy replied. “Went to Eagles, didn’t he, Nick? Say, did he have a gun on?”
“He did,” Gus drawled. “Said he might meet up with some two-legged rattlers. Yore dad worried about that note, Roy?”
“He’s sore about it, at any rate,” Roy answered. “Dad doesn’t like any one to try to bluff him. Then, too, he’s kind of waiting for something to start, I think. You knew the horse thieves that we rounded up are loose again?”
“Yep. All our work for nothin’! Well, let ’em try some more rustlin’, that’s all I ask. This time we’ll salivate ’em.”
“Dad said they might try another game,” Teddy declared. “He didn’t say what, but he mentioned the fact that there are several gunmen from the East mixed up in the crowd. Can’t tell what that bunch’ll pull. You men that are riding cattle, don’t stay in one place too long. Keep moving, and try to ride fence as much as you can. If you see a break that looks suspicious, report it. We can’t afford to take chances, because there’s a big shipment of Durhams due to go out this month, you know. For the love of Pete! Look who’s coming!”
Down the road swept a cloud of dust, punctuated by the sound of a horn, and now and then a hoarse shout. The cloud drew up by the bunk-house, and slowly drifted away to disclose a flivver, with a freckled, grinning youth at the wheel.
“Howdy!” this dusty apparition exclaimed. “It’s me. Me an’ my little peanut roaster. Waddaya say?”