From the corner of his eye, as he went, Bud saw that Bart Nelson and one or two others were watching him.

They continued to eye him covertly while he worked the herd with two other men.

He was glad that he had not travelled far that day, and that he had ridden Smoky and left Stopper fresh and eager for his favorite pastime, which was making cattle do what they particularly did not want to do.

In that he was adept, and it pleased Bud mightily to see how much attention Stopper was attracting.
Not once did it occur to him that it might be himself who occupied the thoughts of his boss.

Buddy--afterwards Bud--had lived his whole life among friends, his only enemies the Indians who preyed upon the cowmen.
White men he had never learned to distrust, and to be distrusted had never been his portion.