“Yea, if Nick doesn’t get too bashful when he sees Norine,” Teddy said. “But let’s try it. Shall we, Mother?” Hardly waiting for the assent he knew his mother would give, Teddy made for the front door. “Belle,” he called over his shoulder, “you go and talk to Norine! Tell her Nick loves to see her dance. Then she’ll come. Roy, grab some of these chairs and cart ’em out on the porch. We can all sit there. We’ll have a moonlight show!” “Wait! We’ll come with you!” Ethel declared, getting up. “Come on, Nell, we can help too. Where are you going, Teddy?” “Going to root out Nick and the rest of ’em. Come along, both of you, if you want to. See what the ranch yard looks like in moonlight.” While Roy and Mr. Manley were bringing the chairs to the porch, Teddy led the way toward the bunk-house. In the light of the full moon the forms of the punchers dotting picturesquely the landscape near the door of the shack could be seen. As the two girls approached, plaintive wailings came to their ears. “A handsome young cowboy was dy-ing, (dy-ing) And as on the prairie he lay-- (he lay--) To the punchers who came round him sigh-ing, (sigh-ing,) These last dy-ing words he did say: (he-e-e di-i-id say-y -y -y.) “‘Take his forefoot from out of my back-bone, (back-bone) His back te-eeth from out of my brain, (my brain) His hindfoot from out of my liver (liver) And assemble the bronco agai-ai-ai-ai-ain!’” “Hey, you birds, close up that butcher-shop!” Teddy called out. “Don’t you keep union hours? Nick! Where’s Nick?” “Right here, Teddy, right here,” one of the figures replied, separating himself from the group. “What’ll it be?” “Feel in the mood for a little mouth-organ solo tonight, Nick?” “Yep! Sure do! I just learnt a new piece. It’s an Irish dance, and--” “Atta boy, Nick! Just what we want! Norine is going to jig for us.” “Oh, she is?” Ethel could see the young puncher hesitating. “Well, Teddy, if you’ll wait just a second while I--” “He wants to get dooked out!” came a voice which Teddy recognized as Pop’s. “What’d I tell you?” “Aw, dry up!” Nick growled playfully. “All right, Teddy, I’ll be over in two minutes. Want the rest of these here pinto wrestlers?” “Sure! Everybody!” Teddy answered. “Over to the front porch as soon as you’re ready.” When Teddy and the two girls reached the house, they found that a row of chairs had been placed on one end of the porch. Norine was waiting, and, after being introduced to the girls, she shyly told them: “I knew a boy once that came from New York. He had curly hair and finger nails that glistened just like Pop Burns’ head. Oh, he was lovely! Did you know him, at all?” Nell and Ethel confessed that they did not, by that description.