"Well? Nothing more?"
The Division knew that tone.
"Two hours before we were informed," apologised the Corporal. "Trouble on the telephone line. Followed the trail—they got the cattle as well—till lost it in fresh tracks of the round-ups."
The Inspector laughed shortly.
"Did you expect a paper-chase trail?"
The Corporal made no reply. Usually it took him a sentence or two to remember the Inspector's impatience, but for the particular interview concerned he observed the training well when he did recall it.
"Why didn't you telephone right away? Why did you give the trail up? Oh, damn it, wait!"
For a moment or two the only sound in the barracks office was the buzzing of the flits on the dirty window glass. Thereafter he was himself.
"Any strangers seen out there in the last couple of days? Any cowboys off their beats?"
"No time yet to enquire, sir."