I am with a
party of friends, who are also my partners in the cattle business and
other enterprises. You see, my first duty is to them. I don't know what
their plans are."
At this the major looked considerably crestfallen. Then Ted, as briefly
as he could, told the Englishman all about the broncho boys and their
plans and principles.
As he talked, Major Caruthers occasionally interjected such exclamations
as "Extraordinary!" "Very remarkable!" "Fawncy!"
He was intensely interested in Ted's accounts of some of the adventures
which the members of the Moon Valley outfit had gone through, and when
Ted stopped, with an apology for having consumed so much time in talking
about himself and his friends, the major assured him that he could
listen with pleasure and profit all night if Ted could only go on
telling him such stories.
"My boy, I have the very thing," said the major, after a moment's
thought.
Ted looked at the Englishman inquiringly.
"Do you think your friends, not knowing me, would accept an invitation
to spend Christmas at Bubbly Well, and as long thereafter as they can
and will?"
"That's a very kind thought," said Ted. "You see, we generally contrive
to be at our Moon Valley Ranch at Christmas time, but this year we had
business in this part of the country, and could not finish it in time to
get back home, and were planning to get as much joy out of the day in
the hotel here as we could.
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