The old cowman never said a word as he led Jeff and Clint in the big house. He walked to a big table in the center of the living room and there he turned on his two riders. A smile was on his face and he says: "Daggone it, Jeff, I'm glad to hear that." Then Old Tom, still pleasant, but serious, went on, "for no man does his best work unless he's doing it with somebody he likes and has confidence in. Yes," he repeated, "I'm glad to hear that, but the question is now, you're fired and free to go, aint you?" he asks. "Yes," says Jeff, "soon as I get paid off." "Well, how's chances of hiring you over again? I can't afford to let a foreman like you go, Jeff." Jeff seemed to figger a while and then looked at Clint, and Old Tom guessing what was on his foreman's mind, went on "and of course, being that I have no say in the hiring and firing of your riders, Clint wasn't fired at all, and he can keep on riding for you." Finally hands was shook all around, and as Jeff and Clint started back for the wagon the next morning Old Tom was on hand to see 'em go. "And don't worry about that daggone mouse colored horse of yours, Clint," he says as him and Jeff rode away, "I'll never want him." The riders reached the big gate leading out of the ranch, and there Jeff remarked as he got off his horse to open it: "I guess Old Tom didn't have to say that he was sorry." And Clint more than agreed. CHAPTER X "AMONGST THE MISSING" The remuda was in the big corrals of the home ranch once more, and after a few "winter" horses was cut out, the rest was hazed towards the winter range, and let go.--Four long winter months went by.--Then one day the round up cook begin to get busy cleaning the chuck box, meadow larks was a tuning up on the high corral posts, and along with the bare patches of ground that could be seen, no better signs was needed that spring had come. Clint was again the first to spot Smoky that spring and notice the amount of tallow that pony was packing, he was in fine shape for whatever work that'd be his to do that summer, and soon as him and the cowboy got thru with their first "howdys" they both went to work like they never had before. Smoky took up to where he'd left off the fall before and kept on accumulating science in ways of handling the critter till that critter would just roll up an eye at the sight of the mouse colored pony and never argue as to where he wanted to put 'er;--she'd just go there.