need any help from you I'll ask for it. Watch
me worry about your old cows. I have guys coming in here every day with
hurry-up tales about how their cattle won't live unless I get a wiggle on
me. I notice they all are able to take a little nourishment next day all
right, all right."

Dave caught at the gate of the railing which was between him and the
night clerk. He could not find the combination to open it and therefore
vaulted over. He caught the clerk back of the neck by the collar and
jounced him up and down hard in his chair.

"You're asleep," he explained. "I got to waken you up before you can sabe
plain talk."

The clerk looked up out of a white, frightened face. "Say, don't do that.
I got heart trouble," he said in a voice dry as a whisper.

"What about that onloadin' proposition?" asked the Arizonan.

"I'll see to it right away."

Presently the clerk, with a lantern in his hand, was going across to the
railroad tracks in front of Dave. He had quite got over the idea that
this lank youth was a safe person to make sport of.

They found the switch crew in the engine of the cab playing seven-up.

"Got a job for you. Train of cattle out at the junction," the clerk said,
swinging up to the cab.

The men finished the hand and settled up, but within a few minutes the
engine was running out to the freight train.

Day was breaking before Dave tumbled into bed. He had left a call with
the clerk to be wakened at noon. When the bell rang, it seemed to him
that he had not been asleep five minutes.

After he had eaten at the stockyards hotel he went out to have a look at
his stock. He found that on the whole the cattle had stood the trip well.
While he was still inspecting them a voice boomed at him a question.

"Well, young fellow, are you satisfied with all the trouble you've made
me?"

He turned, to see standing before him the owner of the Fifty-Four Quarter
Circle brand. The boy's surprise fairly leaped from his eyes.

"Didn't expect to see me here, I reckon," the cattleman went on. "Well,
I hopped a train soon as I got yore first wire. Spill yore story, young
man."

Dave told his tale, while the ranchman listened in grim silence. When
Sanders had finished, the owner of the stock brought a heavy hand down on
his shoulder approvingly.

"You can ship cattle for me long as you've a mind to, boy. You fought for
that stock like as if it had been yore own. You'll do to take along."

Dave flushed with boyis