With a drawl that was tantalizingly deliberate the owner of the
Three Stars Ranch replied:

"I reckon we might as well. Bill's got a level head on his
shoulders, and some day he'll be boss of the Half-Moon. If
anything like this happens then he'll know how to act. Yes, I
think we'd better take him."

Aware that it would be useless to try to persuade Mr. Wilder to
change his mind in respect to taking them, Tom, Larry and Horace
made the most of the fact that they were to inspect the herd daily.
But it was poor recompense, and in a few minutes they went on to
see how near Ned was ready to start, stopping to sample Hop Joy's
cooking on the way.

"You goee?" asked the Chinaman as the trio entered his kitchen.

"Going to eat," grinned Horace, helping himself to a doughnut and
just managing to dodge a potato that Hop Joy tossed at him.

"Shoo! shoo! Lun out! Me bigee hully. No plague! no plague!"

"Poor fellow! It must be some job to get enough food ready for
twelve men. Come on, let's leave him alone," said Larry. "I'd
like to go down to the bunk-house."

"That's so. Maybe Sandy or some of his boys know the trail to the
Lost Lode," agreed Horace. And to the Chinaman's surprise they
left him in peace.