Part 23 (2/2)
”Huh! Did you ever hear anything about his fa to act in a natural ot a father and hty anxious about hi brother Ted he told you to keep your eye out for up here!” broke in Bluff
”Yes; how about that, Frank? Have you ever asked about hiin no about it, Reddy?” questioned Frank
”You needn't go any further, for I can tell you all about that scalawag
If you had asked Mr Mabie, he'd have told youreply
CHAPTER XX
”WE MUST CUT AND RUN FOR IT!”
It was surprising to see the effect of the cowboy's announcement
Frank was in some measure prepared for it He had entertained a sudden suspicion as he noticed the emotion of the other But his chums seemed almost thunderstruck
”Tellhis hands
”Did you ever hear of such luck?” ejaculated Will
”Beats a story all hollow Here's the prodigal son found at last, eating his dinner with the--” began Bluff, when Jerry pounced on him
”Don't you dare finish that, on your life! Of course, you can call yourself swine, if you please, but I object But is it really true, Reddy? Are you Hank's long lost brother?” he asked, turning to the other
”I certainly aht to be ashamed of the way I've treated my folks All for a measly little matter, too My eyes have been openin'
lately, and I was hty near headin' Eastways before you ca his head
”Then perhaps you'll go back with us, and surprise the folks?” suggested Frank eagerly
”Well, now, I'd like to do that same, if so be you fellows mean it You see, ht that lots of things you talked about seeht up in that part of the State Yes, I'll go home, and try and make up for what I done to hurt the old folks Soerly questioned the boys about his people Of course, they did not have much news to tell him Hank was only a year or so older than his brother, and the absent one was veryhow they had met him, and what awakened Hank to a consciousness of the terriblewith unscrupulous men
After that Reddy assumed a new place with the boys He seeer wondered why the other's sunburned face had seemed partly familiar to him when he first met him
”You and Hank are very much alike,” he said, later on, to Reddy
”They used to say that at hoh to be accused of ot a lickin' he deserved”
”And another thing,” laughed Frank, ”I knohat he was about to tellhinize you, in case we met, and he put up his hand to his head, but I never heard the rest of it”
”Why, of course, he was going to tell you that I had a uess you'd have known ood-natured remark of the found one