CHAPTER II
MR. BRADNER IS SUSPICIOUS
Crowding around Roy in ready sympathy, the cowboys questioned Porter asto the state of affairs at the ranch. The messenger knew very littleabout it. He had been to a distant pasture land, when he had beensummoned to the ranch house by another cowboy, who was sent after him.When he got back he found Mr. Bradner quite ill.
"He said he wanted me to go for Roy," went on Porter, "'cause he knew Icould ride fast. But he particular didn't want Roy to git worried. Hesaid it was as much a business matter as anything."
"Maybe he's goin' to die an' wants to make his will," suggested one ofthe cowboys.
"Here! What's the matter with you! Don't you know no better thanthat?" demanded Billy in a hoarse whisper. "Want to give Roy a scare?I'll peg you out if you do that again!"
"I--I didn't think!"
"No, I guess you didn't. Lucky he didn't hear you. Now you thinktwice before you speak once, after this."
"Here's your grub," announced the cook, holding out a big package toRoy. It contained enough food for three men, but Roy was a favoritewith "Smoke," as indeed he was with all the men on the ranch, and thiswas the only way the genius of the camp-fire could show his affection.
"Say, what do you think he goin' to do? Be three days on the hometrail?" asked Billy. "He don't want no snack like that. He can'tcarry it."
"I thought maybe he'd be hungry in the night."
"I expect I will be, but not enough to get away with all that,"remarked Roy with a smile, as he saw the big package. "I just want alittle bread, and some cold bacon."
The cook, with a sigh at the thought of the boy not being able to eatall the food, made a smaller package. Meanwhile Roy was in the saddle,ready to travel, wondering what could be the matter with his father,and why his parent had sent for him in such a hurry.
"Got your gun?" asked Porter.
"Yes," answered Roy, tapping the pistol in its holster at his belt.
"Maybe you'd better take my pony," suggested Billy. "He can travelfaster than yours."
"No; Jack Rabbit's good enough for me," replied the boy, patting hisown pony on the neck. "Yours may be a bit faster, but Jack Rabbit willstick longer. Well, I'm off!"
"Good luck!" called Billy.
"Don't worry!" advised Porter.
"We'll see you in a couple of days," shouted the other cowboys. "Takecare of yourself."
"I will," said Roy, as he called to his pony, who started off on asteady "lope" that rapidly carried him over the ground.
Now that he was away from the confusion of the camp, and had nothing todistract his mind, Roy gave himself up to thoughts of his father.
"He must be quite sick," he reasoned, "or he never would have sent forme in such a rush. I wonder if Porter was afraid to tell me the truth?"
For an instant the fear that his father might be dead, and that thecowboy had not dared to tell him of it, unnerved Roy. Then his naturalbraveness came back to him.
"Oh, pshaw! What's the use of thinking such gloomy thoughts," he saidto himself. "Maybe dad only had a little fit of indigestion, like hehad before. I remember then I thought he sure was going to die. ButPorter said it was as much business as anything else. Now what sort ofbusiness could dad have that he would need me in such a hurry?"
Roy did not see any prospect of his questions being answered, at leastuntil he got to the ranch, and could talk to his father, so hecontinued on, urging his pony to a faster gait.
It soon began to get dark, but Roy did not mind this, as he had oftenridden all night when on a round-up. Of course, on such occasions hehad been in company with his father's cowboys. Still, the prospect ofhis lonely journey through the darkness did not alarm him.
He knew the trail very well, from having been over it often, and,though there were occasionally ugly Indians, or unemployed cowboys, tobe met with on the plains, Roy did not imagine he would have anytrouble with them. He was armed, but he hoped he would have nooccasion to draw his revolver.
There were no wild animals, except steers, to be met and these, heknew, would be in herds under the care of competent men. Besides asteer rarely attacks a man on a horse.
So Roy rode through the long night. About one o'clock he stopped,built a little grease-wood fire, and warmed his bacon. Then he munchedthat and the bread with a good appetite, drinking some coffee the cookhad given him in a flask.
"I ought to get to the ranch by sun-up," thought the boy, and he wasnot mistaken, for, when the golden ball peeped up over the prairies Roysaw the outbuildings of his father's big cattle farm. A little laterhe had ridden up to the ranch house, and dismounted.
"My father! How is he?" he exclaimed, as he saw the cook on theverandah.
"Better," was the reply, and the boy felt a sense of relief. "Muchbetter. Come right in and have some hot coffee. I've got it all readyfor you."
"Not until I've seen my father," and Roy hurried into the ranch house.
"Is that you, Roy?" called a voice from a bedroom.
"Yes, father! How are you?"
"Considerable better. I hope you were not alarmed."
"Well, I was--some."
Roy saw that his father was in bed. The man looked quite pale, and ona stand, near him, were several bottles of medicine.
"What is it, father?" asked Roy. "What happened?"
"Well, nothing much, though I was afraid it was at the time. I got oneof my bad spells of indigestion, and it affected my heart."
"Did you think you were going to die?"
"Well, I did, but the doctor only laughed at me. He said I wasneedlessly alarmed, and I think, now, that I was. But when I was insuch pain, fearing something would happen, I thought of a businessmatter that needed attending to. I decided I had better get my affairsin shape--in case anything should happen, so I sent for you, to have atalk."
"What sort of a talk, father?"
"A business talk. I'm going to have you undertake something in anentirely new line. You're a pretty good cattleman now, and I want tosee how you'll make out on a business deal."
"What kind?"
"I'll soon explain. But tell me; how is Billy, and the boys?"
"Very well."
"Are they getting the cattle in good shape? Where did Porter find you?"
"The cattle will be here to-morrow, I think. Porter came up just as wewere camping out near the small dried creek in the big swale," repliedRoy, describing the place so that his father would know it. "But nowtell me about this business. I am glad you are better."
"Yes, I feel much improved. My indigestion is all gone, and I think Ican eat breakfast. I'll tell you then."
Roy could hardly wait for the meal to be finished. After his fatherhad had his repast in bed, Mr. Bradner told his son to close the door,and sit down close beside him.
"I'm going to take you into my confidence," said the ranch owner."It's time you knew something of my business affairs, and I am going toentrust you with a commission. A good deal depends on the success ofit."
"I hope I can do it, father."
"I am pretty sure you can, or I would not let you go. Now I'll tellyou what it is. You do not know it, but I have an interest in someproperty, left by your mother's brother, your Uncle Henry Mayfield.This property was left to your mother, and when she died the propertycame to me, and to you. That is, I have a third interest in it, andyou have two-thirds."
"That hardly seems fair. You should have more than I."
"Never mind, Roy. In fact I intend that, in time, you shall have thewhole of the property."
"Where is it located?"
"In New York City."
"New York? That is a long way off."
"Yes, a good many miles. In fact I have never seen the property. Itis in charge of an agent--a real estate man. Every month he sends methe money received for rent, and, for several years I have put yourshare away, at interest in a bank."
"Then I have some money saved up, a
nd did not know it."
"That is right, and it is quite a sum. But, of late, the rents havebeen falling off, until they are only about half what they were whenyour mother owned the property."
"Why is this?"
"The agent says it is because the property has gone down in value, butI can not see how that is, as it is in a good part of New York, andthat city is certainly not getting smaller."
"How do you account for the rents being less, then?"
"That is just the point. I can't account for it, and, to tell you thetruth, I am suspicious of this real estate man."
"Who is he?"
"His name is Caleb Annister."
"What do you propose doing, dad? Can't you get a lawyer to see him,and find out if he is cheating you?"
"I suppose I could, but I have thought of a different plan. It came tome when I was lying sick here, and I decided to put it into operation,so as to straighten out my affairs as well as your own."
"What's your plan, dad?"
"I am going to send you to New York, to look up this property and thematter of rents, and see whether or not Caleb Annister is telling thetruth, when he says that the value has gone down. Roy, I want you toact as my agent, and start for New York at once!"