Did you--er--buy as many cattle as you expected to get ?" It seemed to Billy that there was an anxious note in his voice.

"Your letters were too few and too brief to keep me perfectly informed of your movements." "Why, everything was lovely at my end uh the trail, Dilly--only I fell down on them four thousand two-year-olds.

Parts uh the country was quarantined for scab, and I went way around them places.

And I was too late to see the cattlemen in a bunch when they was at the Association--only you ain't likely to savvy that part uh the business--and had to chase 'em all over the country.

Uh course it was my luck to have 'em stick their prices up on the end of a pole, where I didn't feel like climbing after 'em.