ens. That'll give you four days to
prowl around. Come on, boys--we've got a big circle ahead of us this
morning, and it's going to be hot enough to singe the tails off our
cayuses by noon."

That, of course, settled the disturbance and set the official seal of
approval upon Andy's going; for Chip was too wise to permit the affair
to grow serious, and perhaps lose a man as good as Andy; family
quarrels had not been entirely unknown among the boys of the Flying U,
and with tact they never had been more than a passing unpleasantness.
So that, although Jack Bates swore vengeance and nursed sundry bruised
spots on his face, and though Andy saddled, packed old Buck with his
blankets and meager camp outfit and rode off sullenly with no word to
anyone and only a scowling glance or two for farewell, Chip mounted
and rode cheerfully away at the head of his Happy Family, worrying not
at all over the outcome.

"I've got half a notion that Andy was telling the truth, after all,"
he remarked to Weary when they were well away from camp. "It's worth
taking a chance on, anyhow--and when he comes back things will be
smooth again."

When Saturday came and brought no Andy to camp, the Happy Family began
to speculate upon his absence. When Sunday's circle took them within
twelve or fifteen miles of the camp in the Bad-lands, Pink suddenly
proposed that they ride down there and see what was going on. "He
won't be looking for us," he explained, to hide a secret uneasiness.
"And if he's there we can find out what the josh is. If he ain't,
we'll have it on him good and strong."

"I betche Andy just wanted a lay-off, and took that way uh getting
it," declared Happy Jack pessimistically. "I betche he's in town right
now, tearing things wide open and tickled to think he don't have to
ride in this hot sun. Yuh can't never tell what Andy's got cached up
his sleeve."

"Chip thinks he was talking on the level," Weary mused. "Maybe he was;
as Happy says, yuh can't tell."

As always before, this brought the Happy Family to argument which
lasted till they neared the deep, lonely coulee where, according to
Andy, "friend Dan" had wintered with the shifty-eyed old man.

"Now, how the mischief do we get down?" questioned Jack Bates
complainingly. "This is bound to be the right place--there's the cabin
over there against the cottonwoods."

"Aw, come on back," urged Happy Jack, viewing the steep bluff with
disfavor. "Chances is, Andy's in town right