n' it to your folks
who'd had nothin' but fresh meat to eat for the last month. Mother and
Margie will be wild when I bring in that much."

"I'll put up twenty-five pounds in all, for I reckon there are other
things that would come handy," Mr. Mansfield said as he began to weigh
out the articles, and Dick asked quickly,--

"You're to let me pay for 'em?"

"Sure," the proprietor replied as he winked at the loungers. "You
shall give all the stuff is worth."

"I didn't want to hang 'round here very long; but Mr. Mason said I was
to wait for him."

"If Bob Mason give sich orders it'll be worth your while to stop a
spell; for he's as cross-grained as a broncho when matters don't go to
his likin', an' might make trouble for you."

Dick was considerably disturbed by this remark, which had much the
sound of a threat, and looked out of the door uneasily.

The citizens had been exceedingly kind to him; but he had had no
little experience with inhabitants of frontier towns, and knew that
friendship might be changed to enmity very suddenly.

The shopkeeper had not finished filling the small order when Bob Mason
rode up on a wiry-looking broncho, and after tying the beast to a
hitching-post, entered the store.

"I had an idea that was what you were up to," one of the loungers
said; and Mason replied with a laugh,--

"When we have sich a visitor as this 'ere kid, I reckon we're called
on to make things pleasant for him." Then turning to Dick he added,
"If it so be your daddy pulls through all right for the next week or
ten days, he should be in condition to ride this far?"

"After the horses have rested a little I counted on starting for
Willow Point."

"It strikes me that would be too rough a journey for the old man at
this time of the year. We're needin' kids like you in this town, an' I
allow you'll find a shelter here till spring. Then, if the settlement
don't suit you, it'll be only a case of goin' on when the travellin'
is easier."

"Do you mean that we'd better live here?" Dick asked in surprise.

"That's the way some of us have figgered it."

"Can I find work enough to pay our way? You see, daddy won't be in
shape to do anything for quite a spell."

"I'll give you a job on my ranch, an' pay fair wages."

"Then we'll be glad to stop."

"All right, my son. You shall take your own time about comin', and
I'll hold the job open till you get here. Now I'm allowin' to lend you
that broncho, so you can get bac