aven't money enough to buy these cattle. What's the
matter? Want a few head to feed to the Indians?"

"We want the whole herd, but as you have guessed the truth, we must have
a few head to keep those crazy Indians from making trouble. They have
heard that the cattle are gone, and I'm afraid that they will break
loose and murder a lot of settlers to get even with Uncle Sam."

"What are the troops for?"

"We wouldn't dare go after them without orders from Washington."

"Well, you started it, and I would advise you to go on to the finish."

"If we don't get enough cattle to feed the Indians the post is ruined."

"You should have thought of that contingency when you sent your amiable
young assistant out to me." He looked at Barrows.

"Well, I apologize for him. He was dead wrong, but so was I."

"Nothing doing! You would have given me the worst of it if I had been
chump enough not to know the cow business as I do. But these cattle are
due on the high range in a few days, and we must be moving on. Adios."

"Oh, Mr. Strong, please do let us have enough cattle for those poor
Indians. The squaws and babies and growing children are actually
starving, for the government has kept them on short allowance lately.
Let a few head go to us."

Ted said nothing for several moments, during which they all looked at
him anxiously.

"Come on, Ted, be a good fellow," said Stella, with a laugh.

"All right," said Ted. "How many do you want cut out?" Ted was looking
at the colonel.

"I'd like to have the whole herd," answered the colonel.

"They're not for sale. They're going up to the high range for the rest
of the summer, then to market, and I hope it will be a fairer one than
this. But for the sake of the young ladies, who have more influence with
this bunch in a minute than all the officers at Fort Felton have in a
year, I'll cut out enough for the beef issue. How many head do you need
for the Indians?"

"About five hundred," answered the colonel, in a very different voice
from that he had used the night before.

"Bud, cut out, count, and deliver five hundred head at the post pasture.
Stella, we're going on. Where's your aunt?"

"Up at the post. Say, Ted Strong, don't believe for a minute that I'm
not going, too. I'll get a wagon for auntie, and we'll hit your trail in
a couple of hours."

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE BEEF ISSUE.

When Bud and the boys rode into the herd to cut out the five hundred
head of cattle, th