The horsemen came near, and one of the riders shouted, "Hi! You old Boomer!"
"Who are you calling 'Boomer'?" Pete shouted back. "And who 'boomed' any harder than you two?"
"Can we have some wood for a fire?"
"Sure thing," Pete said. "These are Jed and Cindy Simpson. They're with me."
"Glad to know you," Sim Macklin said cordially, and Cal added his greeting.
The two men cared for their horses and came into the oak grove. Cindy liked them immediately, for they seemed to be a special kind of men. They were quiet, but they were self-assured and gave the impression that they could take care of themselves anywhere.
"Had anything to eat?" Pete asked.
Cal Macklin grinned. "We sort of came away without a grubstake."
"I'll fix you something right away."
Pete started cooking the rest of the bacon and beans, took the remaining biscuits from the sack, and Cindy groaned inwardly. They'd have no breakfast at all now, but they couldn't deny hungry people.