"Oh, she wouldn't come down as you did, eh?"

"No, we begged hard for her to do so, but she wouldn't. Brother will have to go up some time and bring her down. Then, too, we will have two brides down at the ranch, for young Mr. Cameron has a sweetheart up in New York, and she is waiting for him to build and furnish a big house, for her."

"Well," said one of the ladies, "work on that house is going on fast; but, look here, Miss Olcott, are you going to stay down there on that ranch, or are you going to stop here at the hotel?"

"Oh, she'll do both," put in Fred. "She is very fond of the actual life of a ranch. She often came down to our ranch in Colorado with four or five other girls, and she delighted in nothing so much as dashing over the prairie on horseback, chasing coyotes and jack-rabbits, or else feeding the pigs, chickens, and the milch-cows, all of which we had in abundance around us there. We have some fine milch-cows on the ranch now, and I expect to see her out every morning with her sleeves rolled up and a big ap.r.o.n on, milking them and looking after the pigs and chickens. She pets every animal on the place."

Whereupon Evelyn invited several of the ladies to come down and visit her on the ranch and help her feed the pigs and chickens and milk the cows.

"But I'll have to ask you to wait until I see what sort of quarters brother and Mr. Fearnot have for me."

"We have nothing but a plain ranch house, but there are plenty of them, for we haven't put in the improvements we intend to. Men, you know, can rough it; but sister will have a neat room fixed up for her. We will get the best furniture that can be found in this place, carpets and everything necessary for a lady's comfort."

"No, brother," said Evelyn, "I want to rough it, and you promised that I could do so."

"Oh, yes; but I know you girls, and you get tired of roughing it very quickly."

"Well, let me rough it until I do get tired, and when I feel that I have had enough I'll let you know."

"All right; that's a bargain."

CHAPTER IV.

HOW FRED AND TERRY FIXED UP EVELYN'S HOME ON THE RANCH

The next morning, after their arrival at Crabtree, Fred, Terry and Evelyn were kept busy shaking hands with their friends. As the news spread through the city fully a score of young ladies called at the hotel to see Evelyn, for she had the happy faculty of making and retaining friends wherever she went.

Fred and Terry, though, at noon, took leave of her and told her to enjoy herself until they came back, as they were going down to the ranch and begin at once to fix up things so that she could he comfortable.

Jack happened to be at the water tank when the engine of the freight train stopped there to take a drink, and he gave a regular Indian war-whoop when he saw the boys alight. He hugged both of them as they climbed down from the engine, and fairly danced a jig in his delight at seeing them.

Terry looked around for the big house that Jack had been building for his mother and sweetheart. When he saw it, he exclaimed:

"Great Scott, Jack! What is that you are building out there? A hotel?"

"Well, I call it my bachelor quarters, for the present," he replied; "but when mother comes it will be our home."

"Well, what in thunder do you want with such a big house? It's big enough for all the cowboys on both ranches to live in."

"Well, there is no hotel down here, you know, and there is not likely to be one for several years to come; so, when any friends come down to visit us, we'll have a place to take care of them."

"Jack," said Terry, "Evelyn came down with us."

"Great Scott! Ain't I glad! But why didn't you bring your girl with you?"

"She wouldn't come, Jack; but sister came down with us, as she wanted to help us build up a home out here. So, until your mother and Katy comedown, we'll let her be boss."

"Yes, and what a boss she will be. I've been telling these fellows around here that she is the most beautiful young lady in the whole country. But when is she coming down?"

"Just as soon as we can fix up one of the four-room houses for her, for we will live there until we can build a larger house."

"What do you want to build a house for when my house is large enough for forty people?"

"Oh we want to get into our own home. We want to build a residence down at the mineral spring."

"Oh, that's a mile off."

"Yes, so it is. The depot here, though, is a general resort for every rough character who comes along; but we'll have some of our lady friends down here both from Crabtree and from the North. We'll fence in the spring to keep the cattle from crowding around it, make beautiful flower gardens, raise all sorts of vegetables and fruits, and try to make our home here as lovely as our home up at New Era was."

Jack and Terry led the way up to the house in which Jack had been living, each carrying a valise.

Before they reached there, at least half a dozen cowboys rushed up and wanted to carry the valises for them, and made every demonstration of pleasure at the return of the "Bosses."

When the boys reached the house they found that one of bed-rooms furnished and still another which had not been furnished up.

"Jack, my boy," said Fred, "I see you have been keeping quite comfortable since we left."

"Yes, and at the same time quite busy."

"Well, have you had any trouble with the cowboys?"

"No, only in one instance, when one of the men got drunk and I promptly discharged him. He was one of your men, too. He refused to be discharged, and wouldn't leave, but went on working with the others. I then told him that I wouldn't pay him a cent at the end of the month for his work, as he was doing it of his own accord, and needn't expect any pay for it. After a week he signed the pledge, came around to see me, and said that he wished to apologize, and that he would never touch another drop of whisky. I told him that on those conditions he could keep his place, but that I would keep his written pledge to show to you, so that if he ever broke it you would know what to do."

"That's right, my boy, that's right. It don't pay to be too harsh.

Always give a man a chance. You were fortunate in not having any more trouble than that."

"Well, I did have several other little difficulties which did not amount to much of anything; but at least a score of big, rough fellows are waiting for you two to return home in order to get a chance to enter your employ."

"Well, we'll need a few more men, Jack, for we are going to buy another thousand head of cattle and rush them down to the ranch as soon as possible. How has the store been getting along?"

"It's been doing fine. I've done a good business, and the trade is growing fast."

"Any cattle thieves been getting in their work?"

"Well, I haven't heard of any, and I have had the cattle rounded up three or four times and counted them; but I haven't much faith in the accuracy of the count. I am beginning to suspect that both ranches have lost a few, for I fear that the cowboys haven't kept as strict a watch as they should have done. One day three big, rough follows came into the store and wanted to raise a rough house, and I requested one of my cowboys to go in there with me and help me to preserve the peace. Do you remember that fellow whose name was Nick Henderson?"

"Yes, I know him," said Terry. "Did he stand by you all right?"

"You can bet he did. I wouldn't swap him for any of the cowboys I've seen since I landed here. He doesn't understand the science of boxing, but he does know how to use his muscles and no mistake, for he fanned out two of those fellows with bare fists. One of them wanted to use his gun, but I drew mine, and said that I would shoot first; so Nick just cleaned out both of them, and I believe he is like you and Mr.

Fearnot--not afraid of anything. He is now said to be the best man on either ranch, and he feels proud of the name."

Jack pointed out the house which he a.s.signed to the carpenters, saying that they had built bunks, brought down their own blankets and cooking utensils, and that they were all satisfied with their work and their way of living.

"I furnish them meat and bread," he said, "and they do their own cooking, and I've been cooking my own meals, too."

"What sort of a cook are you, Jack."