"
"Maverick!" questioned the professor. "And what, may I ask, is a
maverick?"
"Hit's a critter what don't belong to nobody," answered Patches, moving
toward his horse.
At the same moment Kitty, who had risen, and was looking in the
direction from which the professor had come, exclaimed, "Why, there's
Yavapai Joe, Patches. What is he doing here?"
She pointed, and the professor, looking, caught a glimpse of Joe's back
as the fellow was slinking over the ridge.
"I reckon mebby he wants to see me 'bout somethin' or other," Patches
returned, as he mounted his horse. "Anyway, I'm a-goin' over that-a-way
an' see. So long!"
Patches rode up to Joe just as the Tailholt Mountain man regained his
horse on the other side of the ridge.
"Hello, Joe!" said the Cross-Triangle rider, easily.
The wretched outcast was so shaken and confused that he could scarcely
find the stirrup with his foot, and his face was pale and twitching with
excitement. He looked at Patches, wildly, but spoke in a sullen tone.
"What's he doin' here? What does he want? How did he get to this
country, anyhow?"
Patches was amazed, but spoke calmly.
Pages:
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278