Then he went out.
Frank wondered if his proposal to the fellow would bear fruit. He knew well enough that these men stood[Pg 40] in great awe of Cimarron Bill; but would the greed of this one overcome his fears of the chief and lead him to attempt to set Frank at liberty?
That was a serious question.
Having eaten heartily, Merry once more made himself comfortable and slept.
When next he was awakened, Cimarron Bill himself was sitting near, smoking a Spanish cigarette.
"Good morning," said Frank.
"It's a long distance past morning," said the leader of the ruffians. "You've slept away the whole morning. You seem to be takin' it a heap easy and comfortable like."
"Just bottling up a little sleep in case of need," said Merry, sitting up and placing his back against the wall. "There's no telling when I may have to keep awake a whole lot, you know."
"Instead of keeping awake," said Bill, in a sinister manner, "you're a heap more likely to fall asleep some of these yere times an' never wake up."
"In that case, it will be of no consequence, so I am not losing anything by sleeping while I may."