The Case of the Midnight Rustler Read Free Page A

parked in front of the machine shed, and my next assignment was to do a little automotive research on the sly.
    I slipped into the machine shed on feet that were trained to make no sound whatever, and took up a position in the shadows. For the next several minutes I monitored the conversation, and soon a pattern began to develop.
    Piece #1 of the Puzzle: Uncle Johnny was summering 60 head of cows with calves in a pasture called “The Canyon Pasture,” which joined our outfit on the north end.
    Piece #2 of the Puzzle: This so-called “Canyon Pasture” was so called because it had a big canyon running through the middle of it. A lot of dogs would have missed this detail, but I picked it up right away. See, if they’d called it the “Creek Pasture,” that would have indicated that . . . well, maybe you get the picture.
    Piece #3 of the Puzzle: Uncle Johnny had been coming up short on his calf count and . . . here comes the shocker, so get ready . . .
    Piece #4 in the Puzzle: He had begun to suspect that someone or something was STEALING HIS CATTLE.
    After he had made this incredible revelation, seven eyes stared at him in disbelief. Seven eyes?
    That sounds odd, doesn’t it, and there aren’t too many ways you can get an odd number of eyes looking on in disbelief. Hang on a second while I run a spreadsheet on this and use some Heavy Duty Math and refigger the count. Let’s see:
    Loper.................two
    Slim..................two
    Me.....................two
    Two + Two + Two = 3t + 3w + 3o/t + w + o = 3 + 3 + 3 = 6
    Okay, six eyes stared at him in disbelief. Boy, I’ll tell you, in the Security Business we’d be lost without spreadsheet analysis and Heavy Duty Math. We use ’em every day, and I hope the kids will take notice of this.
    Learn that math, kids. It’s very important, especially if you want to go into crinimal work. Well, not exactly crinimal work. That suggests that we’re crinimals, which we’re not. Far from it. We’re working AGAINST the crinimals, and if you want to work against the crinimals, you’d better get your math.
    Where was I?
    Talking about careers, I guess. Careers are very important, and when you’re sliding down the banister of life, be careful not to get a splinter in your career.
    A little humor there, but I still can’t remember what I was talking about. Sometimes we use humor to conceal the fact that . . .
    It really annoys me to launch into an important discussion and then forget the dadgummed subject, makes a guy sound about half-goofy.
    Oh boy.
    This has never happened to me before, honest.
    I’ll get it here in just a second.
    This is embarrassing.
    Okay, I’ve got it now. Here we go. Seven eyes stared at Uncle Johnny in disbelief. Loper was the first to speak.

    â€œThat’s a pretty serious charge. There’s lots of ground between a short count and cattle theft. I’d like to think we don’t have any rustlers around here.”
    Uncle Johnny nodded. “I know it’s serious, but I’ve ridden all the outside fences and they’re all in good shape. And I rode upon some tire tracks yesterday.”
    â€œUh-oh.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought too. Uh-oh. They were made by a pickup and a stock trailer, and they weren’t mine. Boys, somebody’s been slipping into my pasture at night and stealing my calves. I don’t want to believe it, but there she is.”
    Loper pulled up a paint bucket and sat down. “What do you intend to do about it?”
    Uncle Johnny said that he’d already called the Cattle Raisers inspector and told him to be on the lookout for calves in the UJ brand. Then he hitched up his khaki pants.
    â€œLoper, it’s been a while since I put one of these mowers back together, but I think I could do it.”
    Loper studied him. “You jumped subjects there, Johnny. Was there supposed to be a step or two between cow thieves and