"Yes, suh." Drew had lost his right to protest, lost it the instant he had betrayed their ambush. Now he turned[pg 208] quickly and hurried to where Shiloh stood. The last thing he wanted to see was Hunt Rennie ride away.
Anse kicked earth over the fire when they were gone. "No use showin' smoke," he remarked, and Drew readily agreed. The horses, with the exception of Shiloh, were hobbled and allowed the restricted freedom of the pocket-sized meadow running back from the water hole. Anse and Drew divided the night into two-hour watches.
"Don't see as how they'd be fool enough to try chewin' back on their trail again, though," Anse commented.
"They need water. Accordin' to what this guide of theirs says, they'll need it doubly bad before they finish that road of his. They might just be crazy enough to try here—men have gotten away with tricks such as that before."
"Drew." Anse was only a shadow among shadows, a voice out of the dark now. "You made up your mind about what you're goin' to do when this is all over?"
"Pull out—California maybe. I don't know."
"Sure you don't want to stay?"
"No!" Drew put explosive emphasis into his reply.
"A man can be too stubborn an' stiff-necked for his own good—"
"A man has to do what he has to," Drew snapped. "I'm turnin' in. Give me th' nudge when it's time."