“Yes, I want him, too. But there’s a few things I want to say to you first. Nick, Jake Trummer had a right to be as sore as he liked. It’s no joke for another man’s cattle to eat up all your best grazin’ grass, especially when you ain’t got too much of it. Jake threatened to drive our dogies in the river if we didn’t get ’em out of there pronto, an’ of course I couldn’t let him get away with that, so I came back at him. But I knew he was right. Well--speak up. Got an explanation?” “Who, me?” Nick’s face expressed hurt surprise. “What have I done, boss?” “Well, outside of lettin’ our Durhams wander over on Jake Trummer’s land and makin’ him come over here fit to be tied, I guess nothin’. But we all have our own ideas, an’ mine, strange as it may seem, is that when a man’s set to ridin’ cattle, he’s supposed to ride ’em, and not let ’em mess up a neighbor’s grazin’ ground.” “Me? I let ’em loose? Why, boss, I didn’t have nothin’ to do with it!” “Weren’t you ridin’ herd?” “Me? Why, no, boss.” Mr. Manley turned to Teddy. “How about that, son? Didn’t you tell me Nick was on herd?” Teddy looked at Nick, then averted his glance. “I guess I--” he began. “Wait!” Nick interrupted. “Teddy did set me out about a week ago! But the way I understood it, he shifted plans, an’ I’ve been workin’ fence fer six days! I ain’t been near the cattle!” “What do you mean?” Teddy asked sharply. “Why, Joe Marino--you know, boss, The Pup--he come to me an’ said that Teddy, here, told him to tell me he was to take my place, an’ I was to ride fence. He an’ Gus been on the job all week. I’ve been workin’ on the fence. An’ believe me, it sure needs fixin’. You mean to say that The Pup lied, Teddy?” Teddy nodded his head. “That’s just what he did, Nick. I guess it’s all my fault. I should have been more careful and checked up. But what on earth did The Pup do a thing like that for? It sure beats me!” “Nick, where’s The Pup?” Mr. Manley demanded sharply. “You got me, boss,” Nick confessed. His eyes were troubled. Somehow, this thing that had happened seemed partly his fault, and he found it a strange experience to be in wrong with the boss. CHAPTER IV Joe Marino Always, as long as Nick Looker had been on the ranch--five years this coming winter--he had done his work cheerfully and well. The men on the X Bar X had more than mere employees’ interest in the ranch. They looked upon it as a home, and, as such, to be well cared for. “This here Pup--” Nick observed, “now, I don’t like to say nothin’ against a man when he ain’t here fer a come-back; but--well, boss, The Pup sure likes his liquor. I don’t mind a man takin’ a nip now and then, if he’s built that-away. But not during workin’ hours.” “Do you mean to say Joe Marino has been drunk while he’s on the job?” Teddy asked quickly.