"Very busy now?" went on Nat.
"Passably so. Been rustlin' after horse thieves for th' last few nights," replied Jim coolly.
Before the boys could get over this rather startling remark, Jack's horse suddenly shied. The lad was nearly thrown off, and, as he recovered his balance, and looked to see what had scared the animal, he saw, in the shadow of a big stone at the side of the road, an old man crawling along.
"Hold on thar, stranger!" called Rattlesnake Jim, drawing his revolver and covering the man.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE OLD MAN
"Don't shoot!" the old man begged, trying to stand up, but toppling in a heap. "Don't shoot! I haven't done anything!"
"We'll see about that," went on Jim, as he dismounted. "What are you sneaking around like that for, hiding under a rock? If it had been a little darker we wouldn't have seen you. Who are you?"
"I don't know's it any of your affair," replied the stranger sullenly, as he sat down on the ground.
"Shot, eh," remarked Jim, as he noticed that the man's left foot was covered with blood. "Now you'd better tell me all about it, before I make trouble for you."