"She an' Phil's been off somewheres ridin' together most all day; they just got back a while ago.

They was talkin' with the company when I left.

Phil saw you when you was back there on the ridge, an' I come on out to tell you." Phil and Kitty were walking toward their horses, which were standing near the corral fence, as Patches and Little Billy came through the gate.
The boy dropped from his saddle, and ran on into the house to tell his Aunt Stella that Patches had come, leaving Sheep to be looked after by whoever volunteered for the service.

It was one of Little Billy's humiliations that he was not yet tall enough to saddle or bridle his own horse, and the men tactfully saw to it that his mount was always ready in the morning, and properly released at night, without any embarrassing comments on the subject.
Patches checked his horse, and without dismounting greeted his friends.
"You're not going ?" he said to Kitty, with a note of protest in his voice.

"I haven't seen you for a week.