Surely
they would not take the chances of crawling up much closer now. If
discovered they would run the risk of being fired upon; and besides,
there was no necessity for such rashness.
Then Bob discovered that when the wind veered a little, as it seemed to
be doing right along, he could actually catch what was being said.
Peg was talking at the time, and grumbling after his usual manner about
something or other.
"Ten to one the fellow's gone and deserted us, Nick!" he remarked,
suspicion in every word.
Apparently the lounging cowboy did not share in his opinion, for he
laughed in a careless way as he drawled out:
"Oh! I reckon not, Peg. Me and Joe has hit up the pace fur some years
in company, and I knows him too well to b'lieve he'd break loose from a
soft snap like this here one. Jest lie low, an' he'll be back. Let's
hope Joe's found out somethin' wuth knowin'."
"But he's been gone nearly an hour now," complained Peg.
"What of that? It ain't the easiest thing gettin' around on this rocky
ole mounting in the pitch dark, let me tell ye, Peg," Nick remarked;
and by the way he seemed to puff between each few words, Bob understood
that it must be Nick who was using the cigarette, and not Spanish Joe.
"Say, that's so," admitted Peg, as if a new idea had come to him.
"Perhaps he's slipped, and fallen down into one of those holes you
showed me when we were coming up!"
This also amused the cowboy, for he chuckled again.
Pages:
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117