The Moqui slipped from the back of Buckskin to the ground. He was evidently considerably tired from his long journey; but an Indian would scorn to admit such a thing, even though near the point of utter exhaustion. So the Moqui looked as full of grit and determination as though he had only started out when they came upon him on the plain.
“It may be,” he commenced to say, in his solemn way, “that White Wolf already there, to play part of Mexican cowboy.”
“Whew! we didn’t think of that, did we, Frank?” ejaculated Bob.
“To tell the truth, we started off at such a wild pace that there wasn’t time to think much of anything,” admitted his chum.
“But do you believe it could be done?” persisted Bob. “There must be cowboys working on the Circle Ranch range who knew this Mendoza in the past; and wouldn’t they be apt to recognize the rustler if so be he dared come and engage to work alongside them?”
“I don’t know,” Frank replied, thoughtfully. “A Mexican can change his looks easy enough, you understand. We saw Mendoza in the Lost Valley, and as I remember him, he had a mustache, and little sideburns in front of his ears, the way so many Mexican senors do. Suppose he took a notion to have a clean face, why, his best friend might pass him by, Bob.”
“I reckon you’re right, Frank,” replied the other, shaking his head, as though he did not exactly like the situation. “And now that we’re speaking of it, I just remember that among the extra punchers your father took on to hurry this round-up through, there are a number of Mexicans, who are among the best riders on the ranges.”
“All right, Bob, then there’s a chance that one of them may be Mendoza himself, if what our friend here tells us turns out to be true, and not a false alarm.”
“But would Mendoza dare risk his life in that way, by coming back to the country where every man’s hand is raised against him?” Bob asked, wonderingly.
“They say he is a man of fierce temper, and strong hates,” Frank continued. “I’ve heard lots of stories about his daring. Some people choose to call him a coward; but, bad man as he is, I don’t believe that name fits him. And in all his career as a cattle rustler I don’t think he ever had such a hard knock as when we snatched all his cattle away from him, and our boys held him up a whole day in that bunk-house.”