Part 26 (1/2)

”You must have walked back,” said Belle. ”We have been waiting for you ever since we heard the locomotive whistle.”

”Oh, we had to stop to fix the bridge,” answered Dave, and then handed around the letters, which instantly claimed attention, so no more questions were asked. Then the Crumville youth had supper, and by that time it was late enough to go to bed.

”You've got a cut on your cheek, Dave,” said Phil, when the three boys were undressing. ”Did you scratch yourself?”

”Thereby hangs a tale, Phil,” quoted Dave, and then, in a low voice, told of the encounter at the railroad station, and gave the true particulars of the trouble at the river.

”It's the same old Link!” murmured Roger. ”We'll have to watch out for him!”

”I really think the girls ought to be warned,” said Phil. ”There is no telling what mean thing Link might do--if he met them alone.”

”Well, we don't want to frighten them,” answered Dave.

”Better frighten them than give Link the chance to annoy them,” answered the senator's son.

”Say, I wish I had seen you polish off Link!” cried Phil. ”It would have done my heart good. I'll wager he was as mad as he could be!”

”Oh, he was mad enough,” replied Dave, with a grim smile. ”But say, when you get the chance, I want you to look at that Hank Snogger. He looks like somebody I've met somewhere, but for the life of me I can't place him.”

”Is he handsome?” quizzed the s.h.i.+powner's son.

”No, he looks melancholy--as if he had something on his mind. It's a peculiar face, and for the life of me I can't get it out of my mind.”

Several days pa.s.sed and nothing of importance happened. The boys and girls enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and the Endicotts did all in their power to make the visitors feel at home. At first, Jessie was inclined to be a little shy, but soon this wore away and she felt as happy as anybody.

”It certainly is a splendid spot,” said she to Dave. ”I don't wonder Laura was anxious to get back, and to have you see it.”

”It suits me--I wouldn't ask for a better vacation, especially”--Dave dropped his voice a little--”with you along, Jessie.”

”Oh, Dave!” she cried, and blushed.

”It wouldn't be half so much fun if you hadn't come along, Jessie,” he went on. ”I am very, very glad that we are here--together.”

”Well, so--so am I,” answered the girl, and then, still blus.h.i.+ng, she ran off to join Belle and Laura. But the look she gave Dave warmed his heart as it had never been warmed before.

Sunday pa.s.sed, with a little home service, in which all those in the house and also a few of the cowboys joined. The boys and girls sang some of the familiar church songs, and this the cowboys greatly enjoyed.

”We don't git much in the way of entertainment here,” explained Sid Todd, ”and that singin' sounds mighty good to us. It touches a fellow here, too,” he added, with his finger over his heart.

”If Mr. Endicott will permit it, we'll give you boys an entertainment before we go home,” answered Dave. ”We give them at Oak Hall, you know,--and the girls can help.”

”Say, that sure would be fine!” answered the cowboy, enthusiastically.

The boys had found out from Mr. Endicott where good fis.h.i.+ng could be had, and early of the second week at Star Ranch they went out, taking the girls with them. All were on horseback, and carried lunch along, for they were to remain out all day.

”Now keep out of trouble,” said Mrs. Endicott, as they rode away. ”And be sure to come back before dark.”

”We'll be back by six, mamma,” answered Belle. ”And you needn't worry about us, for we'll be perfectly safe.”

They were bound for a spot among the foothills, about six miles away.