"Ma'am," grinned Red, tickled as a boy with a new gun, "you don't never want to go an' get jealous of a couple of old horned toads like us--well, like Hoppy, anyhow. We'll sort of ride herd on him, too, every time he goes to town. Talk about revenge! Oh, you wait! So he went off an' left you all alone? Didn't he write about some trouble that was loose down here?" "It was--but it's cleaned up. He didn't leave me in any danger--every man down here is our friend," Margaret replied, quick to sense the carefully hidden thought which had prompted his words, and to defend her husband. "Well, two more won't hurt, nohow," grunted Red. "You say he ought to get here any day?" "I'm spending more time at the south windows every day," she smiled. "I don't know what will happen to the housework if it lasts much longer!" "South windows?" queried Hopalong, standing Charley on his head before letting loose of him. "Th' trail is west, ain't it?" he demanded, which caused Red to chuckle inwardly at how his friend was becoming observant again. "The idea!" retorted Margaret. "Do you think my boy will care anything about any trail that leads roundabout? He'll leave the trail at the Triangle and come straight for this house! What are hills and brush and a miserable little creek to _him_, when he's coming home? I thought you knew my boy." "We did, an' we do," laughed Red. "I'm bettin' yore way--I hope he's got a good horse--it'll be a dead one if it ain't." "He's saving Pepper for the homestretch--if you know what _that_ means!" "Hey, Red," said Charley, slyly. "Yore gun works, don't it?" "Shore thing. Why?" "Well, mine don't," sighed the boy. "Wonder if yourn is too heavy, an' strong, for a boy like me to shoot? _Bet_ it ain't." Margaret's low reproof was lost in Red's burst of laughter, and again a smile crept to Hopalong's face, a smile full of heartache. This eager boy made his memories painfully alive. "You an' me an' Hoppy will shore go out an' see," promised Red. "Mrs. Johnny will trust you with us, I bet. Hello! Here's somebody comin'," he announced, looking out of the door. "That's my dad!" cried Charley, bolting from the house so as to be the first one to give his father the good news. Arnold rode up laughing, dismounted and entered the house with an agility rare to him. And he was vastly relieved. "Well! Well! Well!" he shouted, shaking hands like a pump handle. "I saw you ride over the hill an' got here as fast as Lazy would bring me. Red an' Hopalong! Our household gods with us in the flesh! And that scalawag off seeing the sights of strange towns when his old friends come to visit him. I'm glad to see you boys! The place is yours. Red and Hopalong! I'm not a drinkin' man, but there are times when--follow me while Peggy gets supper!" "Can I go with you, Dad?" demanded Charley. "You help Peggy set the table." "Huh! _I_ don't care! Me an' Hoppy an' Red are goin' after bear, an' I'm goin' to use Red's gun."