“Take it easy, Roy,â€� Teddy said softly. “You’re doing the very thing you always tell me not to do—lose my temper. That won’t get us any place. I want Flash back as much as you want Star, but we’ve got to go at it carefully. Snap out of it now!â€�
“Guess you’re right,� Roy replied, with a slight grin. “I got sore for a minute, seeing those irons and things and thinking of Star. We’ll start for home and tell dad what we found, collect Nick and the rest and mosey back here as fast as we can. Baby! I hope the rustlers are here then! Come on, Teddy, let’s go! Rain or no rain, we’ll nab those thieves!�
Roy grabbed his vest from the back of the chair and made for the front door. He was just about to dash out into the storm when Teddy caught his arm.
“Think we better put the fire out?� the boy asked. “If they come back and find that going, they’ll know something’s up and they’ll move plenty quick!�
“Right!� Roy exclaimed approvingly. “You’re sure using the old bean, Teddy. Out she goes!�
Seizing a poker that stood by the side of the grate, Roy scattered the embers. He was about to ask Teddy to get some water when a slight sound at the door made both boys turn quickly.
Startled, they watched the slow twisting of the door knob. Roy took a firmer grip on the poker. Softly the door opened, a crack at first, then wider. Of a sudden, it was flung hard against the wall, and Teddy and Roy started back.
In the door way stood a man. His peaked hat was pulled low over his eyes. His face was sickly pale, the cheeks were sunken in. His shoulders drooped forward, his arms hung weakly down at his sides. His checkered shirt was ripped open on the left shoulder. Water dripped from him in great drops. And, as Teddy watched, he saw that these drops were tinged with red.
CHAPTER XXIV
BRAND
The man looked at the two boys with dull eyes. He opened his mouth as though to speak, then put his hand to his head. He swayed uncertainly for a moment, gave a little cough, and pitched headlong to the floor.