"Uhuh. Kind o' thought I'd get a job. Fellas at Antelope told me they
wanted a cook at this hotel. I reckon they do--and some boarders and
somethin' to cook."

"That's one of their jokes. Pretty stiff joke, sending you in here
afoot."

"Oh, I ain't sore, mister. They stole me nanny, all right, but I feel
jest as good here as anywhere."

Corliss led Chinook to the water-hole. Sundown followed.

"Ever think how many kinds of water they was?" queried Sundown. "Some
is jest water; then they's some got a taste; then some's jest wet, but
this here is fine! Felt like jumpin' in and drinkin' from the bottom
up when I lit here. Where do you live?"

"On the Concho, thirty miles south."

"Any towns in between?"

Corliss smiled. "No, there isn't a fence or a house from here to the
ranch."

"Gee Gosh! Any cows in this country?"

"Yes. The Concho runs ten thousand head on the range."

"Had your supper?"