s!" he shouted
vaingloriously. "I guess Happy Jack can't tie strings any better 'n me,
can he? Nice kitty--c'm back here, you son-a-gun!"

Adeline had not worried over the absence of the Kid, but his hilarious
arrival seemed to worry her considerably. She went bounding up the path
to the house, and after her went the Kid, yelling epithets which were a
bit shocking for one of his age.

So he came to the porch just when Chip and the Little Doctor reached it,
white-faced and trembling. Adeline paused to squeeze under the steps,
and the Kid catching her by the tail, dragged her back yowling. While
his astounded parents watched him unbelievingly, the Kid gripped Adeline
firmly and started up the steps.

"I ketched the son-a-gun!" he cried jubilantly.

"Say, I seen a skink, Daddy Chip, and I frowed a rock and knocked his
block off 'cause he was going to swipe my grub. Was you s'prised, Doctor
Dell?"

Doctor Dell did not say. Doctor Dell was kneeling on the porch floor
with the Kid held closer in her arms than ever he held the cat, and
she was crying and laughing and kissing him all at once--though nobody
except a mother can perform that feat.

CHAPTER 21. THE FIGHT GOES ON

It is amazing how quickly life swings back to the normal after even so
harrowing an experience as had come to the Flying U. Tragedy had hovered
there a while and had turned away with a smile, and the smile was
reflected upon the faces and in the eyes of everyone upon whose souls
had fallen her shadow. The Kid was safe, and he was well, and he had
not suffered from the experience; on the contrary he spent most of his
waking hours in recounting his adventures to an admiring audience. He
was a real old cowpuncher. He had gone into the wilderness and he had
proven the stuff that was in him. He had made "dry-camp" just exactly as
well as any of the Happy Family could have done. He had slept out under
the stars rolled in a blanket--and do you think for one minute that he
would ever submit to lace-trimmed nighties again? If you do, ask the
little Doctor what the Kid said on the first night after his return,
when she essayed to robe him in spotless white and rock him, held tight
in her starved arms. Or you might ask his Daddy Chip, who hovered
pretty close to them both, his eyes betraying how his soul gave thanks.
Or--never mind, I'll tell you myself.

The Little Doctor brought the nightie, and reached out her two eager
arms to take the kid off Chip'