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"A-huh!" grunted Al "You hear hiirls listen Milt, I never thought you ood, 'cept for the wilds But I reckon I'll have to s thet I do Comin' to me as you did--an' after bein' druv off--keepin' your council an' savin' est deal any man ever did for me An' I'm ashamed of my hard feelin's, an' here'ssmile, and he met the proffered hand "Noill you be makin' camp here?"
"Wal, no I'll rest a little, an' you can pack the girls' outfit--then we'll go Sure you're goin' with us?"
"I'll call the girls to breakfast," replied Dale, and heAuchincloss's query
Helen divined that Dale did not ave her a blank feeling of surprise Had she expected hio?
"Come here, Jeff," called Al, to one of his arb and sun-bleached face hobbled forth frorin and bright little eyes Aardly he doffed his slouch sombrero
"Jeff, shake hands with my nieces," said Al "This 's Helen, an' your boss from now on An' this 's Bo, fer short Her name was Nancy, but when she lay a baby in her cradle I called her Bo-Peep, an' the name's stuck Girls, this here's my foreman, Jeff Mulvey, who's been with me twenty years"
The introduction caused embarrassment to all three principals, particularly to Jeff
"Jeff, throw the packs an' saddles fer a rest," was Al's order to his foreman
"Nell, reckon you'll have fun bossin' thet outfit," chuckled Al "None of 'es they are; no women would have them!"
"Uncle, I hope I'll never have to be their boss," replied Helen
"Wal, you're goin' to be, right off," declared Al "They ain't a bad lot, after all An' I got a likely newher pretty face, he asked, in apparently severe tone, "Did you send a cowboy named Carmichael to ask me for a job?"
Bo looked quite startled
"Carmichael! Why, Uncle, I never heard that name before," replied Bo, bewilderedly
"A-huh! Reckoned the young rascal was lyin'," said Auchincloss "But I liked the fellar's looks an' so let him stay"