Part 23 (2/2)
”She's sure one thoughtful lady,” said Sa youth came up
”Beans, caht not want to leave the claih
You been havin' so with interest ”We heard somethin' that sounded like shots an' Mr
Westlake saw the first bunch go away He said you waved to hiht Aunt, she 'lowed you c'ud look out fo' yourselves Then the second bunch co”
”Jest wishi+n' us luck, son,” said Sandy ”How's everything with you?”
”I bet it warn't good luck they ishi+n',” grinned Ed, squatting down on his haunches and rolling a cigarette ”We're gettin' on fine Got soht alongside Aunt Mirandy's an' reat if we sh'ud all strike it rich, to once, w'udn't it?”
”Great!” agreed Sandy, ettin' back, 'case soht take a notion to them claims of yores? 'Pears to me it's up to you, Ed, to protect yore aunt
Westlake can't stick around with you all the tihtened
”I'll look out for her all right,” he said ”But you don't know Aunt Mirandy over well or you'd know she can do her own protectin' You bet she can 'Sides, the h us come over an' told her they'd see she wasn't interfered with none Said they'd heard sooin' to stand anything like that Nor no claiilance Committee”
”Good!” said Sandy ”That s
We'll help 'eer he'll go?” asked Sam
”I w'udn't be surprised if he listened to the small voice of reason,”
answered Sandy ”You tell yore aunt we're rub, Ed
One of us'll be over afteh a bit an' tote our things across We'll caht I'd do the same, if I was you, Ed, spite of yore friends I don't doubt fo' a minute but what yore aunt is plumb capable of lookin' out for herself, but you see, she's a woman an' yo're a man, an' it's you folks'll be lookin' to”
The lad flushed with pride under the hand that Sandy set in chummy fashi+on on his shoulder
”I'll do that,” he said, and, picking up the eht he started off down and across the gulch
”No sense in encouragin' hi around us,” said Sandy ”There's apt to be fireworks round here most any time between now an' ter- about sun-up--providin' he ain't able to call the tuhn on us befo' Morit our blankets an'
outfit, Sauy ropes an' shi+ft the tent”
”You don't aim fo' us to sleep in it, do you?” asked Mormon
”Don't believe we'd rest well if we tackled it But it en'ral idee that we _are_ sleepin' in it I put a lantern in the car e stahted Fetch that erlong too, will you, Mormon?”
It was late afternoon before Mor a camp outfit, part of which was carried by Westlake Sandy and Saround of the valley bottom The claim boundaries ran to within fifty yards of the little creek named Flivver and the tent-pins were set alround was sparsely covered with scrub grass, shrubs and s, the space about the tent clear of anything higher than clue
Mormon's eye broent up at the location hich Sandy and Sa, the other draining low haran, appeared perfectly satisfied