He rose and limped to the doorway. Chance followed him, evidently quite uninterested in the activities outside. Would this queer, ungainly man-thing saddle a horse and ride with the others, or would he now depart on foot, taking the trail to Antelope? Chance knew quite as well as did the men that something unusual was in the air. Hi Wingle, the cook, had returned unexpectedly that night. Chance had listened gravely while his master had told Bud Shoop that "the outfit" would move over to Bald Knoll in the morning. Then the dog had barked and capered about, anticipating a break in the monotony of ranch-life. Sundown hurried to the cook-room. Chance at his heels. Hi Wingle was already installed in his old quarters, but he greeted Sundown heartily, and set him to work helping. After breakfast, Bud Shoop, in heavy wing chaps and trailing his spurs, swaggered up to Sundown. "How you makin' it this mornin'?" he inquired. There was a note of humorous good-fellowship in his voice that did not escape Sundown. "Doin' fine without crutches," replied Sundown, grinning. "Well, you go eat now, and I'll catch up a cayuse for you. We're goin' to fan it for Bald Knoll in about ten minutes." "Do I go, too?" "Sure! Do you think we don't eat pie only onct a year? You bet you go--helpin' Hi. Boss's orders." "Thanks--but I ain't no rider." Shoop glanced questioningly at Sundown's legs. "Mebby not. But if I owned them legs I'd contract to ride white-lightnin' bareback. I'd just curl 'em 'round and grab holt of my feet when they showed up on the other side. Them ain't legs; them's _cinchas_." "Mebby they ain't," sighed Sundown. "It's the only pair I got, and I'm kind of used to 'em." "Did you let Chance loose?" queried the foreman. "Me? Nix. But he was sleepin' in the stall with me this mornin'." "Heard him goin' on last night. Thought mebby a coyote or a wolf had strayed in to get a drink." "Get a drink! Can't they get a drink up in them hills?" "Sure! But they kind of fancy the flavor of the water-trough. They come in frequent. But you better fan it for chuck. See you later." Sundown hurried through breakfast. He was anxious to hear more about the habits of coyotes and wolves. When he again came to the corral, many of the riders had departed. Shoop stood waiting for John Corliss. "You said them wolves and coyotes--" began Sundown. "Yes, ding 'em!" interrupted Shoop. "Looks like they come down last night. Somethin' 's been monkeyin' with the water." "Did you ever see one--at night?" queried Sundown, nervously. "See 'em? Why, I shot droves of 'em right from the bunk-house door. I never miss a chance. Cut loose every time I see one standin' with his front paws on the trough. Get 'em every time." "Wisht I'd knowed that." "So?" "Uhuh. I'd 'a' borrowed a gun off you and set up and watched for 'em myself."