corral.

"Whew!" cried Dave, when he had a chance to get his breath. "That was some
job, Pete!"

"Yes, all alone, I reckon it was."

"How'd you happen to know about it?"

"I didn't. I just come over here on an errand. Your dad--"

He stopped in some confusion.

"That's all right, Pete," Dave said. "I'm going to call Mr. Carson dad
until I find my real one--if I ever do. No matter what happens, even if I
do find my real folks, I can't forget that he has been as good as a father
to me."

"That's what he has, Dave," said the foreman, solemnly. "An' I hope you
don't ever forget that. There's not many folks--not even a fellow's real
ones--who can beat th' Old Man. He's th' real stuff an' twenty-four carats
fine every time."

Together they urged the now quieted cattle toward the corral.

"As I was sayin'," resumed Focus Pete, "I come over here on a little
errand for th' Old Man, an' I thought I'd take a run out here an' see
about the prize bunch. It's good I did."

"I should say so!" Dave exclaimed, fervently.