"Then you're not going to give up altogether; are you?" asked Frank.
"No, indeed, but I'll have to adopt other tactics now. They have forced my hand, so to speak, and I'll have to do something I have been contemplating for a long while, but which I hesitated to do because it might bring matters to a crisis. Now I shall have to go ahead whether I want to or not."
Mr. Thornton did not say what it was he intended to do, and as he seemed so thoughtful and dispirited after the unsuccessful chase, the boys forebore to ask him.
"We can hardly get back to Double X ranch to-night," observed Andy, as the men began to draw in from the big circle in which they had stretched out to try and pick up the trail.
"No, we won't try it," decided the ranchman. "We'll camp in the open. I rather thought something like this would happen, so I told Archie and Matt to bring along some grub. You boys have your blankets, haven't you?"
"Yes, we don't go far without 'em," answered Billy, and this was so, for strapped at the backs of the saddles were the means of making an improvised bed on the plains. Some of the cowboys had things to eat, while some carried materials for making coffee.
"We'll just camp here," decided Mr. Thornton, as they came to a place where a little stream afforded water for man and beast, and where the grass offered good grazing for the horses.
Saddles were thrown off, and after the steeds had been given a hasty rub-down with dried grass, the fire was made, and supper, such as it was, was soon under way.
The meal, not elaborate by a good deal, was much enjoyed by all, especially by the Racer boys, to whom this sort of life was quite novel.
Then, after supper, they sat about the fire, listening to the stories told by the cattlemen, or discussing the events of the day.