The boy indeed did enough for a man. And Bryant would sometimes arise
from his drawing board where he worked after supper until midnight, to
go and affectionately gaze at Dave sleeping the sleep of exhaustion.

One afternoon, when the pair were at work near the southern boundary
of the ranch, Ruth Gardner came through the sagebrush to the spot, a
mile from Sarita Creek.

"I could see you, just black specks, from our cabins; and since you
don't visit us, I made up my mind to visit you," she announced. "I've
noticed you down here for two days past. Days and days have gone by
without you coming to pay another call."

"Well, we've been sticking pretty steadily at our job," Bryant
replied. "Won't you use this bag of stakes for a seat? It will keep
you off the ground."

Ruth accepted the proffered resting place and loosened the thongs of
her hat, inspected her face in a tiny mirror produced from somewhere,
rubbed her nose with a handkerchief, and then gave her attention to
her companions.

"Our garden has grown splendidly since you fixed the ditch," she said.
"Thanks to you. How is yours?"

"It has expired."

"Then you shall have things out of ours--if you'll come get them. See,
I'm using that to decoy you. There are beans, peas, lettuce, radishes,