Jerry turned back, leading Bud by the arm.

They were fifty feet away and the bushes were still again before Jerry spoke guardedly.
"I guess I made a mistake.

There wasn't nothing," he said, and dropped Bud's arm.
Bud stopped.

"There was a man riding off in the brush," he said bluntly, "and all the folks that came to the dance rode in through the front gate.

I reckon I'll just take a look where I left my saddle, anyway." "That might have been some loose stock," Jerry argued, but Bud went back, wondering a little at Jerry's manner.
The saddle was all right, and so was everything else, so far as Bud could determine in the dark, but he was not satisfied.