THE HERITAGE OF THE SIOUX
told himself, afford to wait around any longer for Luck. Maybe when he came Luck would have nothing but disappointment for them. Maybe — Luck was so consarned stubborn when he got an idea in his head — maybe he wouldn't come to any agreement with the Great Western. Maybe they wouldn't offer him enough money, or leave him enough freedom in his work; maybe he would "fly back on the rope" at the last minute, and come back with nothing accomplished. Applehead, with the experience gleaned from the stress of seeing Luck produce one feature picture without any financial backing whatever and without half enough capital, was not looking forward with any enthusiasm to another such ordeal. He did not believe, when all was said and done, that the Flying U boys would be so terribly eager to repeat the performance. He did believe — or he made himself think he believed — that the only sensible thing to do right then was to take the boys and go out and start a roundup of his own. It wouldn't take long — his cattle weren't so badly scattered this year.
"Where's Andy at?" he asked Pink, who hap-
4
