ctor tells just how she wants things fixed. I thought maybe it was
important--it come special delivery," Pink added naively, "so I just
played it was mine and read it."

"That's all right, Cadwalloper," Weary assured him while he read hastily
the letter. "Well, we'll fix up the spring wagon and take it in right
away; somebody's got to go back anyway, with MacPherson. Hello, Cal;
how's Happy?"

"All right," answered Cal, who had watched over him during the night and
came in at that moment after someone to take his place in the sickroom.
"Waked up on the fight because I just happened to be setting with my
eyes shut. I wasn't asleep, but he said I was; claimed I snored so loud
I kept him awake all night. Gee whiz! I'd ruther nurse a she bear with
the mumps!"

"Old Man's coming home, Cal." Pink announced with more joy in his
tone and in his face than had appeared in either for many a weary
day. Whereupon Cal gave an exultant whoop. "Go tell that to Happy,"
he shouted. "Maybe he'll forget a grouch or two. Say, luck seems to be
kinda casting loving glances our way again--what?"

"By golly, seems to me Pink oughta told us when he come in, las' night,"
grumbled Slim, when he could make himself heard.

"You were all dead to the world," Pink defended, "and I wanted to
be. Two o'clock in the morning is a mighty poor time for elegant
conversation, if you want my opinion."

"And the main point is, you knew all about it, and you didn't give a
darn whether we did or not," Irish said bluntly. "And Weary sneaked in,
too, and never let a yip outa him about things over in Denson coulee."

"Oh, what was the use?" asked Weary blandly. "I got an option out of
Oleson for the ranch and outfit, and all his sheep, at a mighty good
figure--for the Flying U. The Old Man can do what he likes about it;
but ten to one he'll buy him out. That is, Oleson's share, which was
two-thirds. I kinda counted on Dunk letting go easy. And," he added,
reaching for his hat, "once I got the papers for it, there wasn't
anything to hang around for, was there? Especially," he said with his
old, sunny smile, "when we weren't urged a whole lot to stay."

Remained therefore little, save the actual arrival of the Old Man--a
pitifully weak Old Man, bandaged and odorous with antiseptics, and quite
pathetically glad to be back home--and his recovery, which was rather
slow, and the recovery of Happy Jack, which was rapid.

For a brief space the Flying U outfit owned