edom while he yet bore the
trappings of servitude. And his submission was so instant and
voluntary that Happy Jack had not the heart to do as he had threatened
many times in the last few hours--"to beat the hide off him." Instead,
he got hastily into his clothes--quite as if he feared they might
again be whisked away from him--and then rubbed forgivingly the nose
of Stranger, and solicitously pulled a few strands of his forelock
from under the brow-band. In the heart of Happy Jack was a great
peace, marred only by the physical discomforts of much sun-blister and
many deep scratches. After that he got thankfully into his own saddle
and rode gladly away, leading the pinto pony behind him. He had got
out of the scrape, and the Happy Family would never find it out; it
was not likely that they would chance upon the Swede herder, or if
they did, that they would exchange with him many words. The Happy
Family held itself physically, mentally, morally and socially far
above sheepherders--and in that lay the safety of Happy Jack.

It was nearly noon when he reached again the sheep camp, and the Swede
hospitably urged him to stay and eat with him; but Happy Jack would
not tarry, for he was anxious to reach the camp of the Flying U. A
mile from the herder's camp he saw again on a distant hilltop three
familiar figures. This time he did not dodge into shelter, but urged
Stranger to a gallop and rode boldly toward them. They greeted him
joyfully and at the top of their voices when he came within shouting
distance.

"How comes it you're riding the pinnacles over here?" Weary wanted to
know, as soon as he rode alongside.

"Aw, I just came over after more orders; hope they send somebody else
over there, if they want any more repping done," Happy Jack said, in
his customary tone of discontent with circumstances.

"Say! Yuh didn't see anything of a wild man, down next the river, did
yuh?" put in Pink.

"Aw, gwan! what wild man?" Happy Jack eyed them suspiciously.

"Honest, there's a wild man ranging around here in these hills," Pink
declared. "We've been mooching around all forenoon, hunting him. Got
sight of him, early this morning, but he got away in the brush."

Happy Jack looked guilty, and even more suspicious. Was it possible
that they had recognized him?

"The way we come to hear about him," Weary explained, "we happened
across some campers, over in a little coulee to the west uh here. They
was all worked up over him. See