While Ned was eating the breakfast that Philip had kept warm for him, he talked with his father about the raiders and discussed Gus Robbins’s chances for meeting Mose at Palos. Ned had given the herdsman a description of his expected guest, and had also taken it upon himself to order him to stay in Palos at least a week and wait for Gus. He hoped that Gus would be on his way to the rancho in company with some of the neighbors long before Mose reached Palos with his cattle, and it was this hope that took him to the top of that swell every day. It did not take him there on this particular morning, however, for he knew now by experience that their troublesome neighbors had a way of appearing when they were least expected; and, although he had never heard that a band of raiders were ever seen in broad daylight, he thought it best to remain within hailing distance of the rancho. Ned’s first care, after he had eaten his breakfast, was to dispose of the gold-mounted saddle and bridle which had come into his possession the day before, and which were now hanging up in the shed ready at any moment to bear testimony against him. Fortunately for him no one had had occasion to go to the shed that morning, and consequently the only one who knew they were there was the Mexican cook. Ned walked out on the porch, and after making sure that there was no one in sight to observe his movements, he darted into the shed and as quickly darted out again with the saddle and bridle thrown over his shoulders. He ran to the rear of the shed, and there found a pile of lumber which had been there since he came to the ranche, and which he had never known to be disturbed. He pulled the lumber all down and at the end of a quarter of an hour had piled it up again over the saddle and bridle, arranging the shorter boards on the ends of the pile so that nothing could be seen. “There!” said he, with a sigh of satisfaction. “I feel a great deal better. Those things can stay there until I find time to put them in a safer place. The next thing is to select a horse. Father told me that I could take my pick of the lot.”