Читать книгу Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders at Circle O Ranch онлайн

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“I don’t know about this,” muttered Hippy, removing his hat and mopping his forehead.

“Are you two gentlemen heavy eaters?” questioned Emma. “The reason I ask is, that we already have two powerful eaters in this outfit, and I doubt if we could stand to feed more like them.”

“We kin rustle our own grub,” promised Jim.

“I suggest that we go into executive session and talk this over,” urged Miss Briggs.

The suggestion was approved and the Overlanders withdrew for discussion, Jim and Sam holding their positions, apparently the most disinterested persons on the station platform. Inquiry developed that the salary named in the letter of Jim-Sam covered the services of both, so, after talking the matter over, the Overland Riders decided to take on this strange pair to guide them. The fact that the guides owned their own ponies and pack-mules was an added inducement. Otherwise it would be necessary to hire or buy pack-animals.

Hippy Wingate told the guides that they had been accepted, then he introduced each member of the party to them. Nora Wingate laughingly warned the pair that they were embarking on a perilous undertaking when they set out with the Overland Riders, whereat Jim-Sam’s whiskers stiffened, but the owners made no reply.