," Rowdy told him calmly, loosening Dixie's cinch. "I'm the
long-lost top hand that the Cross L's been watching the sky-line for,
lo! these many moons, a-yearning for the privilege of handing me forty
plunks about twice as fast as I've got 'em coming. Where's the boss?"

"Er--I'm him," confessed Bandy-legs meekly, and circled the two
dubiously. "I guess you've heard uh Eagle Creek Smith--I'm him. The
Cross L belongs to me."

Rowdy let out an explosive, and showed a row of nice teeth. "Well, I
ain't hard to please," he added. "I won't kick on that, I guess. I like
your looks tolerable well, and I'm willing to take yuh on for a boss. If
yuh do your part, I bet we'll get along fine." His tone was banteringly
patronizing "Anyway, I'll try yuh for a spell. You can put my name down
as Rowdy Vaughan, lately canned from the Horseshoe Bar."

"What for?" ventured Bandy-legs--rather, Eagle Creek--still circling
Rowdy dubiously.

"What for was I canned?" repeated Rowdy easily. "Being a modest youth, I
hate t' tell yuh. But the old man's son and me, we disagreed, and one
of his eyes swelled some; so did mine, a little." He stood head and
shoulders above Eagle Creek, and he smiled down upon him engagingly.
Eagle Creek capitulated before the smile.

"Well, I ain't got any sons--that I know of," he grinned. "So I guess
yuh can consider yourself a Cross L man till further notice."

"Why, sure!" The teeth gleamed again briefly. "That's what I've been
telling you right along. Where's old Wooden Shoes? He's responsible for
me being here."

"Gone to Chinook. He'll be back in a day or two." Eagle Creek shifted
his feet awkwardly. "Say"--he glanced uneasily behind him--"yuh don't
want t' let it get around that yuh sort of--hired me--see?"

"Of course not," Rowdy assured him. "I was only joshing. If you don't
want me, just tell me to hit the sod."

"You stay right where you're at!" commanded Eagle Creek with returned
confidence in himself and his authority. Of a truth, this self-assured,
straight-limbed young man had rather dazed him. "Take your bed and
war-bag up to the bunk-house and make yourself t' home till the boys get
back, and--say, where'd yuh git that pack-horse?"

The laugh went out of Rowdy's tawny eyes. The question hit a spot that
was becoming sore. "I borrowed him this morning from Mr. Rodway," he
said evenly. "I'm to take him back to-day. I stopped there last night."

"Oh!" Eagle Creek coughed apologetically, and sa