"I reckon they have, Nick," laughed the rancher; "they went pippity-poppin' away, each of 'em on a couple o' wheels run by gasoline."
"Where'd they go?"
"Happenchance, I reckon. Leastways, they headed inter the desert, p'intin' thataway."
A satisfied grunt echoed from above.
"Lucky I hitched yore bronk out in the scrub," went on McGurvin complacently. "I'll bet a-plenty them kids was nosin' around afore they come in here. But they didn't find nothin', nary, they didn't."
"Buenas noches, Mac," called down the man upstairs, "I'm turnin' in."
The words were followed by a faint echo of hoarse laughter. McGurvin caught up the sound with some heartiness as he locked the door, blew out the light, and went groping through the dark for his own bed.
CHAPTER VI.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
The entrance of Barzy Blunt into that mystifying tangle had been as sudden as it was unexpected. And yet, knowing Blunt as he did, Merry wondered that he had not thought of the fellow before.