"What? Not getting homesick already, I hope?" smiled his chum.
"Certainly not, only a fellow naturally likes to hear from his mom and dad when he"s away so far," declared Bluff stoutly.
"Yes, and also from some other fellow"s sister, in the bargain. Nellie never finds time to write to me when I"m away, leaving all that to the old folks; but I notice that you always manage to get a letter in her handwriting."
"Well, I made her solemnly promise to write every other day, you see,"
explained Bluff, while he suddenly became red in the face, hurrying off to get his mail.
There were letters for all the boys. Jerry was called in from his entrancing sport to receive his share, and Frank noticed that he, too, had a sweet-looking missive in a schoolgirl hand. Of course, it must be from Mame Crosby, for Jerry and she were great friends.
"Here"s something enclosed in my letter, and directed to Mr. Frank Langdon. Does anybody know a fellow by that name?" asked Will, holding up a delicate envelope that seemed to exhale a fragrance all its own.
"And sealed, too! What a breach of etiquette!" jeered Jerry.
"Now, _will_ you be good?" observed Bluff, glad of a chance to return the favor.
"That"s all right. Possibly Violet wants to make some inquiries concerning her twin brother, how he behaves, and if he has developed any rash spirit calculated to get him into trouble. I remember telling her that if she felt anxious just to drop me a line, and I"d answer."
Frank unblushingly took the envelope from the extended fingers of Will.
"Open it!" commanded Bluff.
"You"ll have to excuse me, fellows. That wouldn"t be hardly fair to my correspondent, you know. She expects me to keep her secrets." And Frank coolly sauntered off as he spoke.
Nor did he ever take them into his confidence with regard to what the contents of that scented missive might be. Even Will was not told.
However, like most brothers, it can be said that he did not seem overly anxious to learn. He had, perhaps, secrets of his own.
Once again they were seated around the campfire. Supper had been, as usual, a great success, and while the older members of the party smoked, our boys amused themselves in various ways.
Will was, of course, busy with his photographic outfit. His field dark-room was a success, and he developed his films, and did all other things necessary, with little or no trouble. Indeed, he had an apparatus whereby he could carry on this operation successfully even in the daytime; but he usually worked at night, because there was nothing else going on then.
The others had fallen into a conversation connected with their home life. Reddy hovered near, listening, and Frank wondered why that wistful look had come into the eyes of the young cowboy. Possibly he had a home somewhere--perhaps memories of a mother or father had crowded into his mind while the boys were talking of the sacred ties that bound them to Centerville.
Frank had always believed there must be something of a history attached to Reddy"s past. He had even hoped that some time the other might take such a liking to him as to speak of his own folks. His manner gave Frank the impression that the dashing cowboy might have had a new longing spring up in his breast since their coming to the ranch, a desire to once again visit the scenes of his boyhood.
So, as they talked, referring to many of the events of the past, names were often mentioned, and as a thought came to him, Frank happened to say:
"I wonder how Hank Brady is getting on with father"s new car?"
He saw the cowboy start and turn white.
"Who"s Hank Brady?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"A fellow we met under strange circ.u.mstances. Hank was on the road to the bad, but he got his eyes open just in time. Now he"s our chauffeur, and we think he"s going to make good," replied Frank, watching the other with sudden interest.
"Huh! Did you ever hear anything about his family?" asked Reddy, trying to act in a natural manner, but hardly succeeding very well.
"Yes. He"s got a father and mother who were mighty anxious about him."
"And there"s that good-for-nothing brother Ted he told you to keep your eye out for up here!" broke in Bluff.
"Yes; how about that, Frank? Have you ever asked about him?" exclaimed Jerry.
"No; but perhaps I"d better begin now. How about it, Reddy?" questioned Frank.
"You needn"t go any further, for I can tell you all about that scalawag.
If you had asked Mr. Mabie, he"d have told you my name was Ted Brady,"
was the astonishing reply.
CHAPTER XX
"WE MUST CUT AND RUN FOR IT!"
It was surprising to see the effect of the cowboy"s announcement.
Frank was in some measure prepared for it. He had entertained a sudden suspicion as he noticed the emotion of the other. But his chums seemed almost thunderstruck.
"Tell me about that, will you!" said Jerry, feebly waving his hands.
"Did you ever hear of such luck?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Will.
"Beats a story all hollow. Here"s the prodigal son found at last, eating his dinner with the--" began Bluff, when Jerry pounced on him.
"Don"t you dare finish that, on your life! Of course, you can call yourself swine, if you please, but I object. But is it really true, Reddy? Are you Hank"s long lost brother?" he asked, turning to the other.
"I certainly am, although I ought to be ashamed of the way I"ve treated my folks. All for a measly little matter, too. My eyes have been openin"
lately, and I was mighty near headin" Eastways before you came," said the cowboy, hanging his head.
"Then perhaps you"ll go back with us, and surprise the folks?" suggested Frank eagerly.
"Well, now, I"d like to do that same, if so be you fellows mean it. You see, my folks ain"t always lived in Centerville. I thought that lots of things you talked about seemed kinder familiar to me, for I was brought up in that part of the State. Yes, I"ll go home, and try and make up for what I done to hurt the old folks. Somehow, just the idea of it makes me feel better."
He eagerly questioned the boys about his people. Of course, they did not have much news to tell him. Hank was only a year or so older than his brother, and the absent one was very much interested in hearing how they had met him, and what awakened Hank to a consciousness of the terrible mistake he was making in a.s.sociating with unscrupulous men.
After that Reddy a.s.sumed a new place with the boys. He seemed to be closer to them than ever, and Frank no longer wondered why the other"s sunburned face had seemed partly familiar to him when he first met him.
"You and Hank are very much alike," he said, later on, to Reddy.
"They used to say that at home. I was just big enough to be accused of many of Hank"s tricks, and once I got a lickin" he deserved."
"And another thing," laughed Frank, "I know now what he was about to tell me at the time I was dragged away by my folks. I was asking him how I could ever recognize you, in case we met, and he put up his hand to his head, but I never heard the rest of it."
"Why, of course, he was going to tell you that I had a mop of beautiful red hair, and that Teddy went with Reddy. I guess you"d have known me if you"d heard that," was the good-natured remark of the found one.