“Sounds as though we just landed from an ocean voyage!â€� Ethel laughed. “Yes, we had a fine trip, Teddy. Bug Eye is such a careful driver that—â€�
“Careful, ma’am?â€� Bug Eye interrupted, pushing his sombrero back and wiping the perspiration from his forehead with the back of his hand. “Careful? I guess you ain’t heard about the time—â€�
“Here it comes,� Teddy remarked in an undertone.
“About the time I was sent over to Eagles by the boss to bring back a crate of eggs,â€� Bug Eye went on imperturbably. “You see—nope, Roy, they didn’t bring no bags except them two pocket-books in the rear; you can tote them in if you want. As I was sayin’, the boss sent me down to Eagles to bring back a crate of eggs what was comin’ in on the train. Now you know what a freight wrastler does to eggs. ‘Handle with care’ means ‘Treat ’em rough’ to baggage heavers.
“Well, as soon as I saw them eggs I knew what had happened. The yaller was drippin’ down the sides of the crate an’ there wasn’t a whole egg in the lot. Thinks I, I’ll cart the box home, anyway, an’ show the boss. So I shoves her in the back of this here bus an’ sets out for the 8 X 8. Well, sir, believe it or not, when I hit the ranch, every last one of them eggs was back in their shells, just as they were the day the hens laid ’em! Careful! Why—â€�
“Whoa, Bug Eye, you’re going around a curve!� Teddy sang out. “Take it easy! You’ll strain yourself! I guess the girls know by this time what a careful driver you are.�
“We do,� Nell said laughingly. “We didn’t even know we were riding!�
With a nod of approval at this remark, Bug Eye once more took his place behind the wheel, and with a shout of, “telephone if you need anything and I’ll bring it over in the tin puddle-jumper,� the puncher started with a rush back to the 8 X 8.
“He’s quite a boy,� Roy remarked as, carrying the girls’ week-end bags, or “pocket-books,� as Bug Eye called them, he led the way into the house. Teddy went to put the horses in the corral for the night.
“He surely is,� Nell replied to Roy. “Tell me, Roy, did you ever get your horses back?� she went on, her face suddenly serious.