ones of Sudden Selmer, sharpened a little by
the transmitter.

"Where the dickens have you been? I've been trying all evening to get
you," Sudden complained.

"Huh? Oh, I just got in. I been fixing fence over west of here. Took
me till dark--No, the stock's all in--wind had blowed down a couple of
them rotten posts--well, they was rotten enough to sag over, so I had to
reset them--Had to reset them, I said! Dig new holes!" He turned his face
a little away from the transmitter and coughed, then grinned while he
listened.

"Oh, nothing--just a cold I caught--Don't amount to anything. I'm
doctoring it. I always get hoarse when I catch a little cold--Sure,
everything's all right. I'm going to ride fence to-morrow--That so? It
blowed to beat the cars, down here all night--Why, they're lookin'
fine--No, ain't saw a soul. I guess they know better than to bother
our stock--All right, Mr. Selmer, I will--and say! I might be late in
getting in to-morrow, but everything's fine as silk--All right--G' bye!"

He hung up the receiver before he started to laugh, but once he did
start, he laughed all the time he was re-tying the door in the same kind
of knot Johnny had used, and all the while he was returning to the
corral.

"Fell for it, all right. Nothing can beat having a cold right handy," he
chuckled when he had turned out the stock, whistled for the sentinel, and
mounted his horse. "Guess I better happen around to-morrow evening. They
won't be back--not if they bring it with 'em."

While he waited for the guard to come in, he eyed the corral and its
immediate neighborhood, and afterward inspected the cloud-flecked sky.
"Corral shows a bunch of stock has been penned here," he muttered. "But
the wind'll raise before sun-up. I guess it'll be all right."

The sentinel came trotting around the corner. "How many?" he asked,
riding alongside the other.

"Fifteen, all told. To-morrow night we'll cull that bunch that ranges
west of here. Won't do to trim out too many at a time, and they may be
back here to-morrow night. They will if they can't get it over. I don't
much expect they will, at that--unless they bring it in pieces. Still,
yuh can't tell what a crazy kid'll take a notion to do; not when he's got
a bug like Tex says this one has got."

"Tex is pretty cute, aw-right. Me, I'd never a thought of that."

The boss grunted. "Tex is paid for being cute. He's on the inside, where
he's got a chance to know these things. He wou