“Put ribbons around the cattle’s necks, I s’pose,” grinned Larry.
“Or maybe had an ice-cream soda factory in his yard,” chuckled Tom.
“Something pretty near as bad,” laughed Billy Ashe. “He built a high stockade around his ranch-house, and stuck up inside a lot of old statues he’d brought over from Italy.”
“I’d like to have known him,” said Dave, reflectively.
“Most of ’em looked as if they’d been in an awful scrimmage with cattle rustlers, for either an arm or a leg was missing, or perhaps a nose or an ear busted.”
“He no have sense,” grumbled the half-breed.
“Ah! Much queer,” said Wandering Bear.
“Then he planted fir and cedars about, and, in one corner, built the prettiest little temple you ever saw.”
“Any more counts in the indictment?” laughed Bob.
“Yes,” answered the trooper. “He got some artist to come all the way from Winnipeg to paint pictures on his ceilings and walls.”