"Good enough, but keep an eye on him. If he's what you suspect he'll be suspicious. Don't let him get the drop on you," Jack cautioned as Bob mounted his horse.
"I'll be careful," he called back.
The stranger's horse was fully as slow as his appearance indicated and it was but a few minutes when Satan drew up alongside him. The man glanced at Bob interrogatively but did not appear either displeased or surprised.
"Just thought of something I had to go to the house for," Bob told him.
"That's fine. I like company. Yer see I'm a social critter, I am."
But he did not seem inclined to talk much as they jogged along, although he answered pleasantly enough whenever Bob spoke to him. To Bob's disappointment Jeb came onto the porch as they rode through the gate. He had hoped to be able to tell him what he knew about the man before they met but now that was impossible.
"That Stebbins?" the man asked
"Yes, that's he."
Bob noticed that Jeb was looking at the stranger rather closely as he slipped from his horse and advanced to meet him.
"The boy said as how you needed another hand," he began resting one foot on the lower step.