e camp of the Flying U, snuggled just within the wide-flung arms of
an unnamed coulee with a pebbly-bottomed creek running across its
front, looked picturesque and peaceful--from a distance.
Disenchantment lay in wait for him who strayed close enough to hear
the wrangling in the cook-tent, however, or who followed Slim to where
he slumped bulkily down into the shade of a willow fifty yards or so
from camp--a willow where Pink, Weary, Andy Green and Irish were lying
sprawled and smoking comfortably.

Slim grunted and moved away from a grass-hidden rock that was gouging
him in the back. "By golly, things is getting pretty raw around this
camp," he growled, by way of lifting the safety-valve of his anger.
"I'd like to know when that darned grub-spoiler bought into the
outfit, anyhow. He's been trying to run it to suit himself all
spring--and if he keeps on, by golly, he'll be firing the wagon-boss
and giving all the orders himself!"

It would seem that sympathy should be offered him; as if the pause he
made plainly hinted that it was expected. Andy Green rolled over and
sent him a friendly glance just to hearten him a bit.

"We were listening to the noise of battle," he observed, "and we were
going over, in a minute, to carry off the dead. You had a kinda
animated discussion over something, didn't yuh?" Andy was on his good
behavior, as he had been for a month. His treatment of his fellows
lately was little short of angelic. His tone soothed Slim to the point
where he could voice his woe.

"Well, by golly, I guess he knows what I think of him, or pretty near.
I've stood a lot from Patsy, off and on, and I've took just about all
I'm going to. It's got so yuh can't get nothing to eat, hardly, when
yuh ride in late, unless yuh fight for it. Why, by golly, I caught him
just as he was going to empty out the coffee-boiler--and he knew
blamed well I hadn't eat. He'd left everything go cold, and he was
packing away the grub like he was late breaking camp and had a forty
mile drive before dinner, by golly! I just did save myself some
coffee, and that was all--but it was cold as that creek, and--" Habit
impelled him to stop there long enough to run his tongue along the
edge of a half-rolled cigarette, and accident caused his eyes to catch
the amused quirk on the lips of Pink and Irish, and the laughing
glance they exchanged. Possibly if he could have looked in all
directions at the same time he would have been able to detect sig