“Never heard tell of none of ‘em,” answered the squatter. “It is my opinion that they are no better than they should be,” continued the owner of the stolen horse. “Every man and boy we met except one is a friend to this fellow who ran off with my property. That one’s name was Cook. He has lost some cattle through this same Ned Ackerman, and is very anxious he should be caught. I am going to have that horse if he is in the state.” “And we’re going to have the boy who ran away with him, too,” added the other rancheman. Slowly and cautiously Ned stretched himself upon his blanket, and drawing his body into as small a compass as he could, as if he hoped in this way to lessen the chances for discovery, he lay and listened to the conversation that followed. The visitors talked principally about cattle-raising, and there was little more said concerning the lost steed and the boy who was supposed to have run away with him; but that little served to convince Ned, if he needed any further proof, that the men were determined they would not go home until they had captured him and recovered the horse. As soon as they had eaten the supper that had been prepared for them the squatter offered to show them where they could spread their blankets; and Ned’s heart almost stopped beating when he heard the three men enter the narrow hall leading to the room occupied by himself and Gus. At the same time a faint light shone in upon him, and Ned saw that the doorway was concealed by a tattered blanket. The light shone through this blanket, which, while Ned looked at it, was raised, admitting the squatter, who carried a blazing fire-brand in his hand. “Come right in here,” said he, as he held up the blanket; and Ned was almost ready to faint when he saw the ranchemen enter, each carrying his saddle in his hand. “These yere is two chaps who is out cattle-buyin’,” continued the squatter, waving his fire-brand toward the boys. “An’ these yere is two fellers lookin’ for a hoss-thief. Know yourselves, gentle_men_!” Believing that by this introduction he had made the two parties acquainted with each other, the squatter relapsed into silence and held up his fire-brand so that the ranchemen could see to arrange their beds. The latter nodded to the boys and wished a hearty good-evening to which Gus alone responded. Ned could not have uttered a word to save his life. Was it possible that he could stay in the same room with those men all night? He thought they looked at him a little suspiciously, and to show them that he was not the boy who wore the high patent-leather boots and silver buttons, Ned threw off his blanket so that all his clothes could be seen. “Buying cattle, eh?” said the owner of the horse. “Going into the ranche business?” “I don’t know that I can do anything better,” replied Gus.