"All serene," answered Bud. "Did you meet the professor?" he inquired.
"The professor?" Babe's tone of voice, indicating surprise, was answer enough. But Bud went into particulars, telling how the scientist had ridden up on them a little while before.
"No, he didn't come nigh me!" declared Babe. "Mighty funny, too," he went on.
"Could he be one of the rustlers?" asked Nort, eagerly.
"Oh, he could, I reckon," admitted Babe. "But it doesn't seem reasonable. Guess he wouldn't head back this way if he'd tried to run off some Diamond X stock. I'd like to know where those fellows slipped to," he said, musingly.
"Well, they didn't get anything, anyhow," declared Nort.
"Not much, that's a fact, son," drawled Babe, as he eased himself down off his pony, for he wanted to stretch his legs. "Course I don't know how many there ought to be in this bunch," and he looked over the small herd that had now settled quietly for the night. "But they didn't get away with much. You fellows might as well ride on back, and send out some of the boys," he added. "Your ma'll be wondering about you, Bud."
"Yes, I reckon she will, 'specially as I have some tenderfeet with me," and he laughed good-naturedly.
"Don't go back on our account!" exclaimed Nort. "We can camp out here all right."
"It'll be pretty dry camping," chuckled Babe, "an' there's no need of it. Slim will be wanting to know how we made out, and he may get a report on the rustlers, not knowing that we headed 'em off. So it's just as well for you lads to go back. You can send out some of the night men, and I'll follow you as soon as I'm relieved," he added.