"I trust I am not intruding," began the professor, in his small, thin voice. Then as Patches, his eyes still on that oak bush, stood up, the little man added, with hasty condescension, "Keep your seat, my man; keep your seat. I assure you it is not my purpose to deprive you of Miss Reid's company." Patches grinned. By that "my man" he knew that Kitty had not enlightened her teacher as to the "typical cowboy's" real character. "That's all right, perfessor," he said awkwardly. "I just seen a maverick over yonder a-piece. I reckon I'd better mosey along an' have a closer look at him. Me an' Kitty here warn't talkin' nothin' important, nohow. Just a gassin' like. I reckon she'd ruther go on home with you, anyhow, an' it's all right with me." "Maverick!" questioned the professor. "And what, may I ask, is a maverick?" "Hit's a critter what don't belong to nobody," answered Patches, moving toward his horse. At the same moment Kitty, who had risen, and was looking in the direction from which the professor had come, exclaimed, "Why, there's Yavapai Joe, Patches. What is he doing here?" She pointed, and the professor, looking, caught a glimpse of Joe's back as the fellow was slinking over the ridge. "I reckon mebby he wants to see me 'bout somethin' or other," Patches returned, as he mounted his horse. "Anyway, I'm a-goin' over that-a-way an' see. So long!" Patches rode up to Joe just as the Tailholt Mountain man regained his horse on the other side of the ridge. "Hello, Joe!" said the Cross-Triangle rider, easily. The wretched outcast was so shaken and confused that he could scarcely find the stirrup with his foot, and his face was pale and twitching with excitement. He looked at Patches, wildly, but spoke in a sullen tone. "What's he doin' here? What does he want? How did he get to this country, anyhow?" Patches was amazed, but spoke calmly. "Whom do you mean, Joe?" "I mean that man back there, Parkhill--Professor Parkhill. What's he a-lookin' for hangin' 'round here? You can tell him it ain't no use--I--" He stopped suddenly, and with a characteristic look of cunning, turned away. Patches rode beside him for some distance, but nothing that he could say would persuade the wretched creature to explain. "Yes, I know you're my friend, all right, Patches," he answered. "You sure been mighty friendly ter me, an' I ain't fergettin' it. But I ain't a-tellin' nothin' to nobody, an' it ain't a-goin' to do you no good to go askin' him 'bout me, neither." "I'm not going to ask Professor Parkhill anything, Joe," said Patches shortly. "You ain't?" "Certainly not; if you don't want me to know. I'm not trying to find out about anything that's none of my business." Joe looked at him with a cunning leer. "Oh, you ain't, ain't you? Nick 'lows that you're sure--" Again he caught himself. "But I ain't a-tellin' nothin' to nobody." "Well, have _I_ ever asked you to tell me anything?" demanded Patches.