"Keep an eye on them, boys," warned Mackay. "We'll soon know whether we were richt in our ideas."
He walked back to the tent with Bob, and when they arrived there two of the suspected gang approached apparently in deep sorrow.
"Why didn't you give your message to Hawkins?" said one. "Though he's driving Macguire, he'd have done anything you wanted in the township. We doesn't bear no grudge, we don't."
"The fact is, we don't trust you worth a cent," answered Mackay, shortly.
At this stage Emu Bill hurried up in a state of some perturbation. Wholly ignoring the presence of the innocent twain, he burst out—
"There's wan o' them cusses just dodged into the bush carrying a saddle an' bridle!"
At this the protesting pair seemed to realize that their cunning ruse was up.
"An' ye can bet," cried the one who had not yet spoken, "that Harkins'll catch up on the boss afore sundown, an' they'll be in Kalgoorlie by mornin'. He's goin' to ride Macguire's Furious, he is," he snarled triumphantly.
He hopped out of the way just in time to avoid being gripped in the clutches of the man he so wholesomely dreaded; but his neighbour was not quite so alert, and, as he turned to run, a well-directed kick lent impetus to his flight.