It soon began to get dark, but Roy did not mind this, as he had often ridden all night when on a round-up. Of course, on such occasions he had been in company with his father's cowboys. Still, the prospect of his lonely journey through the darkness did not alarm him. He knew the trail very well, from having been over it often, and, though there were occasionally ugly Indians, or unemployed cowboys, to be met with on the plains, Roy did not imagine he would have any trouble with them. He was armed, but he hoped he would have no occasion to draw his revolver. There were no wild animals, except steers, to be met and these, he knew, would be in herds under the care of competent men. Besides a steer rarely attacks a man on a horse. So Roy rode through the long night. About one o'clock he stopped, built a little grease-wood fire, and warmed his bacon. Then he munched that and the bread with a good appetite, drinking some coffee the cook had given him in a flask. "I ought to get to the ranch by sun-up," thought the boy, and he was not mistaken, for, when the golden ball peeped up over the prairies Roy saw the outbuildings of his father's big cattle farm. A little later he had ridden up to the ranch house, and dismounted. "My father! How is he?" he exclaimed, as he saw the cook on the verandah. "Better," was the reply, and the boy felt a sense of relief. "Much better. Come right in and have some hot coffee. I've got it all ready for you." "Not until I've seen my father," and Roy hurried into the ranch house. "Is that you, Roy?" called a voice from a bedroom. "Yes, father! How are you?" "Considerable better. I hope you were not alarmed." "Well, I was--some." Roy saw that his father was in bed. The man looked quite pale, and on a stand, near him, were several bottles of medicine. "What is it, father?" asked Roy. "What happened?" "Well, nothing much, though I was afraid it was at the time. I got one of my bad spells of indigestion, and it affected my heart." "Did you think you were going to die?" "Well, I did, but the doctor only laughed at me. He said I was needlessly alarmed, and I think, now, that I was. But when I was in such pain, fearing something would happen, I thought of a business matter that needed attending to. I decided I had better get my affairs in shape--in case anything should happen, so I sent for you, to have a talk." "What sort of a talk, father?" "A business talk. I'm going to have you undertake something in an entirely new line. You're a pretty good cattleman now, and I want to see how you'll make out on a business deal." "What kind?" "I'll soon explain. But tell me; how is Billy, and the boys?" "Very well." "Are they getting the cattle in good shape? Where did Porter find you?"