He rode on, but he had not gone far when he met Beamish, of the Sachem.

"I was coming over to see you," the man told him. "You bought that
young Hereford bull of Broughton's, didn't you?"

George was surprised at the question, but he answered that he had done
so.

"Then would you sell him?"

"I hadn't thought of it."

"Guess that means I'll have to tempt you," Beamish said. "I want the
beast."

He named a price that struck George as being in excess of the animal's
value; and then explained:

"I've seen him once or twice before he fell into Broughton's hands; the
imported Red Rover strain is marked in him, and a friend of mine, who's
going in for Herefords, told me not to stick at a few dollars if I
could pick up such a bull."

This was plausible, but not altogether satisfactory, and George,
reflecting that a buyer does not really praise what he means to
purchase, imagined that there was something behind it.

"I'm not likely to get a better bid," he admitted. "But I must ask if
the transaction would be complete? Would you expect anything further