The X Bar X boys on the ranch

CHAPTER XIII
NORINE ENTERTAINS

Leaving the horses to drink their fill at the watering trough, Roy and Teddy hurried over towards the car, which had come to a stop near the entrance to the ranch house.

“Howdy, boys!� Bug Eye called, as he alighted and opened the rear door. “The ladies was afraid I wouldn’t get here before dark. But they needn’t have worried. I can make any place before dark! I got you here O.K., didn’t I?� he asked proudly, as he helped Nell and Ethel out of the auto.

“You certainly did!� Nell answered, with a laugh. “Hello, Roy and Teddy!�

“Hello, Nell!� Roy greeted.

“How are you, Ethel?� asked Teddy. “Have a good trip over?�

“Sounds as though we just landed from an ocean voyage!â€� Ethel laughed. “Yes, we had a fine trip, Teddy. Bug Eye is such a careful driver that—â€�

“Careful, ma’am?â€� Bug Eye interrupted, pushing his sombrero back and wiping the perspiration from his forehead with the back of his hand. “Careful? I guess you ain’t heard about the time—â€�

“Here it comes,� Teddy remarked in an undertone.

“About the time I was sent over to Eagles by the boss to bring back a crate of eggs,â€� Bug Eye went on imperturbably. “You see—nope, Roy, they didn’t bring no bags except them two pocket-books in the rear; you can tote them in if you want. As I was sayin’, the boss sent me down to Eagles to bring back a crate of eggs what was comin’ in on the train. Now you know what a freight wrastler does to eggs. ‘Handle with care’ means ‘Treat ’em rough’ to baggage heavers.

“Well, as soon as I saw them eggs I knew what had happened. The yaller was drippin’ down the sides of the crate an’ there wasn’t a whole egg in the lot. Thinks I, I’ll cart the box home, anyway, an’ show the boss. So I shoves her in the back of this here bus an’ sets out for the 8 X 8. Well, sir, believe it or not, when I hit the ranch, every last one of them eggs was back in their shells, just as they were the day the hens laid ’em! Careful! Why—â€�

“Whoa, Bug Eye, you’re going around a curve!� Teddy sang out. “Take it easy! You’ll strain yourself! I guess the girls know by this time what a careful driver you are.�

“We do,� Nell said laughingly. “We didn’t even know we were riding!�

With a nod of approval at this remark, Bug Eye once more took his place behind the wheel, and with a shout of, “telephone if you need anything and I’ll bring it over in the tin puddle-jumper,� the puncher started with a rush back to the 8 X 8.

“He’s quite a boy,� Roy remarked as, carrying the girls’ week-end bags, or “pocket-books,� as Bug Eye called them, he led the way into the house. Teddy went to put the horses in the corral for the night.

“He surely is,� Nell replied to Roy. “Tell me, Roy, did you ever get your horses back?� she went on, her face suddenly serious.

“Never did—yet,â€� Roy answered. “We—Teddy and I—saw them being ridden, and we chased after them, but they got away.â€�

“And that fresh man in the checkered shirt!� Ethel exclaimed. “Have you ever seen him again, Roy?�

“Once,� was the grim answer. Hurriedly the boy opened the door and stood aside to let the girls pass in. “Oh, Mother!� he called. “Visitors!�

The sound of light footsteps descending the stairs was heard immediately, and in a moment Mrs. Manley appeared. She greeted the girls warmly and said that Belle Ada would be ready in a moment.

“Roy, turn on the lights, please, won’t you?â€� his mother asked. He pushed a wall-button, and a soft glow immediately illuminated the room. Then, as Mrs. Manley saw the girls glance up in apparent surprise, she said, smiling a little: “Yes, we have electric lights—and everything. Mr. Ball has them, also, as you must have noticed. You see most of the ranchers around here have their own gasoline motors which generate the current. But take off your things, won’t you? You are tired and dusty, so come upstairs. Belle is eager to see you.â€�

Roy was hurrying to his own room to “slick up,� as he called it, when Teddy burst into the house.

“I just wanted to—â€� he began. Then, seeing his brother was alone, he stopped in confusion.

“Go on, tell me,� Roy jeered. “I make a fine audience. What was it now?�

“Nothing!â€� answered Teddy, his face a trifle red. “I—I forget what I was going to say. Where you bound for in such a rush?â€�

“Oh, I was just going to put on a clean shirt,� Roy responded carelessly. “Have to dog-up a bit for supper.�

“Uh-huh,� Teddy grunted, with a grin. “For supper! Sure! Have to get dogged-up for supper. Guess I will, too.� Then his face took on a more serious expression. “Say, Roy, you don’t think we’ll have to stop looking for those thieves while the girls are here, do you?�

“I’ll tell a maverick we won’t!� Roy exploded. “Not if dad has anything to say about it, and I guess he has! He wants General back, and he wants him bad. If any clue turns up, we’ll go right after the rustlers!�

The evening meal, with the two girls as guests, was a jolly one. Mr. Manley was at his best, and his chuckling remarks kept the company in a gale of laughter, though often he directed a sly remark toward Roy or Teddy, which caused them to change the subject hurriedly. Belle, following her father’s leads, contributed not a little to the general hilarity.

When the meal ended they all strolled into the living room of the ranch, a large, well-lighted apartment with a huge oak table in the center, on which were piled books and magazines. A stone hearth was built into the wall, and a log fire was crackling away merrily, lighted, Mr. Manley hastened to explain, with a sly grin at his wife, “not for warmth but for effect.� Above the fireplace, was the mounted head of a bison, set on a wooden panel.

“Oh, I think this is simply gorgeous!� Ethel murmured as she looked about her. “Belle, you don’t know how lucky you are to be able to live in such a wonderful place!�

“Maybe she wishes she could live in New York,â€� Teddy remarked, with a glance at his sister. “Then she could go to parties and dances every night—if she had any one to take her.â€�

“I wouldn’t want to go to dances every night, Teddy Manley, and you know it!� Belle answered. “Even if I did have some one to take me,� and she pouted in mock anger.

“There wouldn’t be much difficulty about that,� Nell declared, with a look at Belle’s raven hair and lustrous, dark eyes.

“So you think my girl would be the Belle-Ada of the town, hey?� Mr. Manley laughed, as he ruffled his daughter’s hair with an affectionate hand. “Well, maybe next year you can go to school in New York if you want to, daughter.�

“And leave you and mother?� Belle asked with wide eyes. “No! Not me, Daddy!�

“Of course she forgets all about Ted and me,� Roy said, grinning. “We just live here. Nell, what would you do with a sister like that?�

“Now don’t tease,� Mrs. Manley said, and smiled. “Bardwell, couldn’t we have some sort of entertainment for the girls? Some of the cowboys play musical instruments. Don’t you think they’d oblige us?�

“Nick Looker!� exclaimed Teddy and Roy in the same breath.

“What’s Nick do? Play on the linoleum?� Mr. Manley asked, with a grin.

“The mouth-organ, Dad,� Teddy replied seriously. “What do you say? Shall we get him to perform? He’ll do it, I know.�

“How about getting Norine to dance that Irish jig of hers?� Roy suggested. “With Nick playing for her, she ought to be great!�

“Yea, if Nick doesn’t get too bashful when he sees Norine,� Teddy said. “But let’s try it. Shall we, Mother?�

Hardly waiting for the assent he knew his mother would give, Teddy made for the front door.

“Belle,� he called over his shoulder, “you go and talk to Norine! Tell her Nick loves to see her dance. Then she’ll come. Roy, grab some of these chairs and cart ’em out on the porch. We can all sit there. We’ll have a moonlight show!�

“Wait! We’ll come with you!� Ethel declared, getting up. “Come on, Nell, we can help too. Where are you going, Teddy?�

“Going to root out Nick and the rest of ’em. Come along, both of you, if you want to. See what the ranch yard looks like in moonlight.�

While Roy and Mr. Manley were bringing the chairs to the porch, Teddy led the way toward the bunk-house. In the light of the full moon the forms of the punchers dotting picturesquely the landscape near the door of the shack could be seen. As the two girls approached, plaintive wailings came to their ears.

“A handsome young cowboy was dy-ing, (dy-ing)

And as on the prairie he lay— (he lay—)

To the punchers who came round him sigh-ing, (sigh-ing,)

These last dy-ing words he did say: (he-e-e di-i-id say-y -y -y.)

“‘Take his forefoot from out of my back-bone, (back-bone)

His back te-eeth from out of my brain, (my brain)

His hindfoot from out of my liver (liver)

And assemble the bronco agai-ai-ai-ai-ain!’�

“Hey, you birds, close up that butcher-shop!� Teddy called out. “Don’t you keep union hours? Nick! Where’s Nick?�

“Right here, Teddy, right here,� one of the figures replied, separating himself from the group. “What’ll it be?�

“Feel in the mood for a little mouth-organ solo tonight, Nick?�

“Yep! Sure do! I just learnt a new piece. It’s an Irish dance, and—â€�

“Atta boy, Nick! Just what we want! Norine is going to jig for us.�

“Oh, she is?â€� Ethel could see the young puncher hesitating. “Well, Teddy, if you’ll wait just a second while I—â€�

“He wants to get dooked out!� came a voice which Teddy recognized as Pop’s. “What’d I tell you?�

“Aw, dry up!� Nick growled playfully. “All right, Teddy, I’ll be over in two minutes. Want the rest of these here pinto wrestlers?�

“Sure! Everybody!� Teddy answered. “Over to the front porch as soon as you’re ready.�

When Teddy and the two girls reached the house, they found that a row of chairs had been placed on one end of the porch. Norine was waiting, and, after being introduced to the girls, she shyly told them:

“I knew a boy once that came from New York. He had curly hair and finger nails that glistened just like Pop Burns’ head. Oh, he was lovely! Did you know him, at all?�

Nell and Ethel confessed that they did not, by that description.

“But then we haven’t seen Pop’s head yet, so we can’t just say.�

Norine laughed merrily, and began a torrent of questions about New York that was only stopped by the arrival of Nick and his fellows.

“All set, boys?� Mr. Manley called out.

“All set, boss!â€� Nick repeated. “Is—er—Miss Norine—er—ready?â€�

“I am that, Nick!� was the answer. “An’ when you blow into that pipe-organ, think of something else besides horses an’ cows! Think of that moon up there, an’ maybe you can make music!�

“He’s not thinking of cows just at present,� Roy remarked in a low voice to Nell. “See him watch Norine!�

Then Nick put his instrument to his lips and began to blow; slowly at first, then faster. Norine took up the dance.

Nick must have been thinking of the moon, for it was real music that came from that cheap mouth-organ. As the strains of “Rory O’More� floated out into the night air, the ranch house disappeared and, to the girl’s mother, even the silvered prairie, and Norine was dancing upon the grassy heath of Ireland. Mrs. Moore stood in the doorway, a proud look in her eye, her head swaying from side to side, her foot gently tapping the doorsill. This was her girl that was dancing!