We started about sun-up, calculatin' to
reach the Double-O before night, and everything was lovely. 'Long
about noon we reached the gorge near Galgo. I suggested we ride the
cattle as far from the gorge as we could get, 'cause I know how easy a
herd of long-horns are started. But no, nothin' would do Sam Holiday
but going as near to the big cut as possible, to save time. Sam's our
new foreman, you know, and I didn't want to assert myself over him. So
we drove 'em close to the edge. I told Sam once or twice to keep
away--but oh, no! everything would be all right, and we'd have the
cattle in by five o'clock. Well, we had 'em in by five o'clock all
right. But not at the Double-O!

"Just as we were passing the deepest part of the cut we heard a most
awful Bang! and I knew in a minute what it was. Stump-blasting. Yes,
I knew what it was--but the cattle didn't. And nobody had time to tell
them, either. The steers on the extreme right made a sudden lunge--and
in three minutes it was all over. Nothin' left but an old cow who
broke her leg in the first rush. And the rest--every blessed one of
'em--two hundred feet down, lyin' dead or dyin' in the bottom of the
gorge!"

The Kid was the first to break in on the morose stillness Dick's speech
had invoked.

"Well now, say, boys, that's right sorrowful--yes, sir, that's what I
call right sorrowful! I sure am sorry for you-all! A whole herd of
cattle gone to the dogs! Well, well--that's sad. Say, is there
anything I can do to--you know, sort of help out--like, well, maybe----"

"No thanks, Kid," spoke up Dick quickly. His glance told the Kid that
he realized what the half-spoken offer meant. In the west one man
understands his friend more by feeling than by words. "Real good of
you to offer, though. No, I guess we'll make out all right. Can't
have easy riding all the time. I imagine Mr. Merkel has something for
us to do. He sent for us to come over to his ranch. So here we are.
That was the job I told you about."

"A blind job, hey? Well, I guess it's O. K. or the boss wouldn't be
mixed up in it. Anyway, here's your chance to find out. Here comes
Mr. Merkel now."

A tall, pleasant-faced man, hair slightly grayed at the temples, strode
out of the ranchhouse toward the four waiting cowboys. His resemblance
to Bud--especially around the eyes--was easily noticeable.

"Hello, Nort and Dick! How are you, son? Say, boy, you're getting
hard as a rock!