"Yes; an’ I ’m goin’ to get him, too!" "Now you ain’t got no gratitude," sighed Cassidy. "You want to hog it all. I was figgerin’ to clean out this place by myself, but now you cut in an’ want to freeze me out. But, Kid, mebby Longhorn won’t come back no more. My outfit’s a-layin’ for his li’l party. I sent ’em down word to expect a call on our north section; an’ I reckon they got a purty good idea of th’ way up here, in case they don’t receive Longhorn an’ his friends as per schedule." "How long you been up here?" asked Jimmy in surprise, pausing in his operation of starting his blood to circulating. "Long enough to know a lot about this layout. For instance, I know yo ’re honest. That’s why I cut you loose tonight. You see, my friends might drop in here any minute an’ if you was in bad company they might make a mistake. They acts some hasty, at times. I ’m also offerin’ you a good job if you wants it. We need another man." "I ’m yourn, all right. An’ I reckon I will give th’ Boss a chance. He’ll be more surprised, that way." Cassidy nodded in the dark. "Yes, I reckon so; he ’ll have time to wonder a li’l. Now you tell me how yo ’re goin’ at this game." But he didn’t get a chance then, for his companion, listening intently, whistled softly and received an answer. In another moment the room was full of figures and the soft buzz of animated conversation held his interest. "All right," said a deep voice. "We ’ll keep on an’ get that herd started back at daylight. If Longhorn shows up you can handle him; if you can’t, there ’s yore friend Jimmy," and the soft laugh warmed Jimmy’s heart. "Why, Buck," replied Jimmy’s friend, "he ’s spoke for that job already." The foreman turned and paused as he stood in the door. "Don’t forget; you ain’t to wait for us. Take Jimmy, if you wants, an’ head for Oleson’s. I ain’t shore that herd of hissn is good enough for us. We ’ll handle this li’l drive-herd easy. So long." Red Connors stuck his head through a small window: "Hey, if Longhorn shows up, give him my compliments. I shore bungled that shot." "’Tain’t th’ first," chuckled Cassidy. But Buck cut short the arguments and led the way to Jimmy’s pasture. At daylight the Boss rolled out of his bunk, started a fire and put on a kettle of water to get hot. Buckling on his gun he opened the door and started toward the bunkhouse, where everything appeared to be as he had left it the night before. "It’s a cussed shame," he growled. "But I can’t risk him bringin’ a posse out here. _What_ th’ devil!" he shouted as he ducked. A bullet sang over his head, high above him, and he glanced at the bunkhouse with renewed interest.