"But how about Royce?"
"If he goes straight from now on I'll say that you did more than if you had caught the whole gang."
"Maybe you are right."
"I know I am."
They reached the ranch in time for dinner and found that Jeb and one of the others had returned having heard the first signal and, at the time, having been nearer home.
"I'll bet I could eat a raw moccasin," Bob declared a few minutes later as they sat down at the table.
They had just started to eat when one of the men came in and announced that Satan had just come in by himself.
By the time they had finished the meal all the boys were back and Bob had to repeat his story several times. All were greatly interested in young Royce and he was almost overcome by the kindness shown him declaring over and over again that he did not deserve it. Jeb added his advice to that which Bob had given him, that he take money and go back home. But he said that he would do anything else that they wished but that he could not do.
"You don't know my father," he told them. "Oh, he's a good father and all that but he is absolutely merciless when it comes to a thing like this. He'd have me arrested and put me in jail in a minute if I went back to him like this. I know I deserve it and if it wasn't for mother I'd be willing to face him and take what was coming, but it would kill her."
Tears had been gathering in the man's eyes while he was talking and by the time he had finished he was sobbing in good earnest.