“Something’s happened to Jake!” exclaimed Phelps, fearing the worst.
“Don’t lose your nerve, Hank, till you hear what’s happened to him,” cautioned the doctor. “I’m wondering how Prouther was able to guess where we were.”
When he came close, Prouther jerked his horse back on its haunches.
“Waal, here ye aire!” he exclaimed. “Didn’t reckon I could spot ye, but I had a notion ye rode over ter the Star-A ranch, seein’ as how Buffler Bill was with ye. So I shot along in this direction. Ye wasn’t at the Star-A, but them Circle-B men reckoned ye was some place over hyer. So hyer I come, an’ hyer ye aire. I reckon thar’s been a mistake, Hank.”
“I reckon there has,” said the doctor dryly, “several mistakes. Why did you leave Jake? Didn’t I tell you to stay with him?”
“Waal, doc,” said Prouther, “he come to.”
“Whoop!” jubilated the doctor. “He came to, eh? Then he’ll pull through. That was all I was waiting for. Was he rational?”
“Meanin’ which?” asked Prouther innocently.
“Dunderhead! Was he in his right senses when he woke up?”
“He was. It’s what he said as brung me hyer at sich a clip.”