“You don’t say!� his brother laughed. “Nice for me, will it? How about you?�
“Oh, I guess I can stand it. How long can they stay?�
“I notice you didn’t ask when they’re going home, did you?� Roy asked. “‘How long can they stay!’ Teddy, my boy, your innocence is sublime. Well, mother telephoned to Mrs. Ball this morning, and I guess they’ll be here tonight or early tomorrow. Bug Eye will probably bring them over.�
The two boys had reached the corral, and Roy paused for a moment, leaning against the rails. He peered at the horses within. Somehow, the place did not seem the same without Star trotting over to nuzzle his hand.
“You mentioned something about rustlers at the 8 X 8,� Teddy remarked, as he examined the initials cut in one of the rails.
“Yes. Dad heard from Eagles that they might be the same thieves who stole Flash, Star, and General. Don’t know who told him, but I imagine it was one of the men who saw them ride our ponies away. You know; the gang that hangs around the corral in town. Some of them are pretty decent, and they’d help us if they could. There’s only a certain bunch that’s got it in for dad because he wouldn’t go in for that scheme of weighting the cattle scales, as Pop told us.�
Teddy nodded.
“I remember! I’ll bet Checkered Shirt is one of them, too. Well, let’s get to work. You and I are going to ride fence, aren’t we? Might as well get started. The better shape we keep the fence in, the harder it will be for the rustlers to nab any of the X Bar X stock, if they’re planning to do that. Golly, what’s this country coming to? They claim the old West is gone, but if some of those birds who say that would come here, they’d soon find out! But we can do without rustlers, if we have to, I guess.�
“I’ll tell a maverick we can!� Roy declared forcibly. “If they’re part of the old West, let ’em go. I won’t keep ’em. Come on, grab a bronc and let’s be on our way.�
It was almost dark when the two boys returned from their work of repairing the fence. As they dismounted and led the horses to the watering trough, a familiar noise greeted their ears. It was the rattle of a flivver, above which sounded a voice.