Then he looked over the neck of his pack at the horseman, who was quite
near, and was convinced that he was not an officer. He was still
jogging at a canter and riding atrociously. One leg was napping as if
it had lost its stirrup-hold; the rider's arms were pumping, and his
hat was sailing behind at the end of a string.
"Whoa!" said Keith.
His heart stopped its action. He was staring at a big red beard and a
huge, shaggy head. The horseman reined in, floundered from his saddle,
and swayed forward as if seasick.
"Well, I'll be--"
"DUGGAN!"
"JOHNNY--JOHNNY KEITH!"
XXIV
For a matter of ten seconds neither of the two men moved. Keith was
stunned. Andy Duggan's eyes were fairly popping out from under his
bushy brows. And then unmistakably Keith caught the scent of bacon in
the air.
"Andy--Andy Duggan," he choked. "You know me--you know Johnny
Keith--you know me--you--"
Duggan answered with an inarticulate bellow and jumped at Keith as if
to bear him to the ground. He hugged him, and Keith hugged, and then
for a minute they stood pumping hands until their faces were red, and
Duggan was growling over and over:
"An' you passed me there at McCoffin's Bend--an' I didn't know you, I
didn't know you, I didn't know you! I thought you was that cussed
Conniston! I did.
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