“There they go--Gus and The Pup. Wish I could have got here sooner, so I could have talked to Gus. Now I suppose he’s gone for good. Wonder what he meant by saying he may have been an idiot, but he wasn’t a polecat? I don’t like that Joe Marino! Chances are he wanted Gus to go in with him on some shady scheme, and Gus refused. Good for Gus! Wish he was back with us.” Roy shook his head, and, seeing Pop Burns walking across the yard, asked him where Teddy was. He was told the boy was talking with his father over at the corral, and, intending to tell them that Gus had returned but had ridden away again, Roy hurried forward. When he reached the corral he saw that Nick Looker had come back. What he was saying evidently was of interest, for both Teddy and Mr. Manley were listening eagerly. “Roy, I want you to hear this,” the ranch owner called as Roy came up. “Nick, tell him what you told us.” “Well, it was just that I had a talk with Bob McKeever--he’s a hand on the Whirlpool River Ranch. I’ve knowed him for quite a spell. Bob says The Pup told Jake Trummer that we put our cattle to his grass on purpose, and that The Pup had orders to let ’em roam as much as they wanted. And I found out how all those breaks got in the fence, too--they been cut. I came across a pair of wire pliers down by the east fence.” “Marino told Mr. Trummer that we put our cows in his fields on purpose?” Roy repeated amazed. “What did he ever say a thing like that for?” Nick shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t ask me. I only know what I been told. Guess that’s reason enough for old man Trummer to go up in the air, hey, boss?” “It certainly is,” Mr. Manley said slowly. “I wish I had known this before. Things would have been different. What else did McKeever say, Nick?” “Well, he said he heard his boss swear that if them dogies weren’t off his land by to-morrow, he’d drive ’em into the river. And he would, too--old man Trummer is some hot-headed.” “I know he is,” Mr. Manley said. He thought for a moment. “If I thought it would do any good, I’d phone him. But I’m afraid that would make things worse. Nope, we got to take our medicine. Drat that Joe Marino! I should have thrown him off long ago! Now look at the mess he’s got us in! Snap to it now, boys, we start right soon. Got no time for delays. Nick, you come with us. Teddy and Roy, I expect you to take complete charge of the ranch while we’re gone.” “You mean we’re to stay, Dad?” Teddy asked, a disappointed look coming over his face. Up to this moment the boy had fully expected to go with the others to Whirlpool River. “Afraid so, boys. After what Nick said I can’t afford to leave the place without some one who can handle things. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us--might be a week. And I’ve got to know that the ranch is bein’ taken care of. I didn’t exactly like Marino’s attitude when I gave him the gate. If he tries any funny stuff, you’ve got to be on the job.”