"He started after it when I rode out to look for a couple of strays," said Slim. "Beckon he jest come back. You boys'll hear more partic'lars now, I reckon."
"Particulars of what?" asked Nort. "Was that what you started to say when Bud shot the rattler?"
Slim did not answer, the reason being that a moment later he was surrounded by a knot of laughing, pushing, jostling and shouting cowboys, who seemed to want the foreman to settle some disputed point.
Bud and his two cousin chums rode on and greeted Mr. Merkel and his wife, who was "Ma" to every cowboy within fifty miles, and Nell, who was Bud's pretty sister.
"Hello, Dad! Hello, Uncle Henry!" was the greeting. "Hello, Sis!"
"Got any pie, Nell?" added Bud.
"For Nort and Dick—yes," the girl answered. "But you won't want pie when you hear—"
"Say, what's all this mysterious news?" broke out Bud. "First Slim starts to tell us and then—"
"Rosemary and Floyd are coming!" merrily cried Nell.
"Rosemary and Floyd?" questioned Bud.