ound the old rancher restlessly picking at the coverlet of his
bed, his weather-tanned face in strange contrast to the white pillow
cases. As the boys and Mr. Merkel entered, Billee grinned.

"Fust time I ever been t' bed by daylight in seventeen years," he said.
"Don't know what to do with myself. Now if Snake Purdee was only here,
he could----"

"An' here I am!" exclaimed a voice outside the door. "Hello, Billee!
Heard you was receivin' callers an' I came right over. What'll you
have--a song? All right, boys--come on in! Billee wants us to sing
for him!"

Into the room shuffled Billee's companions of Diamond X: Slim Degnan,
Fat Milton, and the rest.

"Hello, Billee!"

"Howdy, you old de-teck-a-tive you!"

"How's it feel to be a hero?"

"Now boys--are you ready? Ta da--let's go!"

They all joined in the song. And as Billee Dobb "smiled a smile" that
reached to the corners of the room, the notes of "Bury Me Not On the
Lone Prairie, With Variations," filled the house and flowed over into
the outer air. And Billee Dobb just lay there, smiling and smiling.

As for the Boy Ranchers--they were happy, too. They had done a good
job. They had covered themselves with glory.

"And maybe there are other jobs ahead," remarked Bud.

THE END

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