“That was horsemanship, all right,” breathed Tom in admiration.

“You bet it was,” said Dick.  “If I’d been insuring that fellow’s life I’d have wanted a premium of ninety-nine per cent.”

“He earns his money,” remarked Bert.  “A man hasn’t any chance to ‘soldier’ on a job like that.”

Another cowboy took the place of the first one, and the scene was repeated, in each case with variations that kept the interest of the boys at fever heat.  The time slipped by so rapidly that they were genuinely astonished when the blowing of a horn announced that it was time for dinner.

Sandy approached them as they were turning away reluctantly.

“I’d shore like to have you young fellers take dinner with us at the bunkhouse, if you care to,” he said.  “I’d like to have the boys get acquainted with yer.  Maybe we won’t have all the trimmin’s that you’d get at the boss’s table, but I guess we can manage to fill yer up.”

“That’s a pretty big contract, Sandy,” laughed Bert; “but we’ll be only too glad to come.  Just let me speak to Mrs. Melton, so that she won’t wait for us and we’ll be with you in a jiffy.”

Mrs. Melton smilingly acquiesced, and Melton himself, who knew how much of the boys’ enjoyment of their visit would depend upon friendly relations with the men about the ranch, gave his hearty approval.

A dozen or more of the cowboys were at the house when they arrived, all ravenous for “grub.”  Outside of the door was a broad bench on which was a basin, which the men in turn replenished from a hogshead standing near, and in which they plunged their hands and faces, emerging dripping to dry themselves on a roller towel behind the door.  The boys did the same, and as they came in were introduced by Sandy to the rest of the men.  There was a breezy absence of formality that was most refreshing after the more or less artificial life of the East, and the boys warmed at once toward these hardy specimens of manhood, who looked them straight in the eyes and crushed their hands in their hearty grip.  This wild, free spirit of the plains was akin to their own, and although their mode of life had been so different, a subtle free masonry told them that in substance they were members of the same brotherhood.

The cowboys also were “sizing up” the newcomers.  Physically they had no criticism to make.  These stalwart, athletic young fellows were splendid specimens, who looked as though they were fully capable of giving a good account of themselves in a tussle.  Most of them had heard in a more or less fragmentary way about the adventure in Mexico, and Melton’s unstinted praise of them had gone a long way in their favor.  Still, that had been a scrap with “greasers,” and the contemptuous attitude that most of them held toward the men south of the Rio Grande, led them to attach less value to the exploit.  Then, too, when all was said and done, these visitors were “tender-feet,” and as such would bear watching.  So that, while perfectly free and friendly and admitting that they were a “likely bunch,” they were inclined to reserve judgment, and observe them further, before admitting them fully into their fraternity.