Had he only known it, he might have driven the herd right up to the
ranch house during the night. As it was, he saw now that he and Stella,
with the carriage, had ridden for almost two hours in the night,
traveling in a circle, and by the merest chance had stumbled upon the
ranch house.
"Hello, fellows!" he shouted as he rode up. "Where are the dogies?"
"Oh, to blazes and gone!" exclaimed big Ben, who was trying to thaw out
his boots at the fire.
"Where?" asked Ted anxiously.
"Away off yonder." Ben pointed disconsolately toward the south.
"Are they all right?"
"All right, nothing. They're up to their bellies in snow in a coulee,
and won't stir. They're the sickest-looking lot of beef critters you
ever saw. We've been working with them ever since daylight, then Bud
sent us along to thaw out and get some chuck into us, and hurry back so
that the other fellows could get limbered up some. Find the house?"
"Yes, accidentally stumbled on to it. Bully place, and the womenfolks
are comfortably settled."
"Looks like it," grunted Ben, pointing to the north.
Ted looked in that direction and saw a spotted pony leaping toward them,
and above it a dash of scarlet. It was Stella, riding like the wind on
Magpie.
"Have any trouble with the critters in the night?" asked Ted.
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