"
"All right, then," agreed his companion, who was ready to put the
utmost faith in any plan proposed by his saddle chum. "We'll keep our
eyes peeled for a chance to get the horses out of this place. Here's a
slope they might climb, as you say; but it looks as if they'd have to
swim that pool first."
"No use trying it," remarked Frank, casting a rapid glance upward to
where, at a distance of possibly a hundred feet, he could see little
bushes growing on the edge of the top of the rise, which slope formed
an angle of something like forty-five degrees; "sure to be better
places further on, where the holding is firmer."
"And yet," remarked Bob, suddenly, "horses have made this climb only a
short time ago, Frank!"
"What makes you say that?" asked the other, interested at once.
"Why, there are tracks going up slantingly, you see; and even if I am
next door to a greenhorn I can tell that the marks look fresh," Bob
declared, pointing.
"Say, I take a back seat, Bob," Frank remarked, laughingly. "That's
the time you saw my lead, and went me one better. Sure there have been
horses climbing that slope--one, two, three of 'em. And Lopez, he had
only two; so it can hardly be him. I wonder now if that measly
tenderfoot, Peg----"
"Look up yonder!" interrupted Bob, suddenly pointing again. "I saw the
bushes moving along the edge of the top there. Somebody's got an eye
on us right now, Frank. D'ye reckon it could be one of those rustlers;
and would they try to hold us up so as to get our mounts?"
Bob instinctively snatched his rifle, and began to make a
demonstration, as though half tempted to shoot.
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