“That’s the way to look at it,” he said, trying to comfort Murphy, “and now let’s make sure that we understand each other. I am going back there to see if I can find out what they are planning to do. You are going to wait right here till I come back or you are sure that I am not coming back. Remember you are not to come over there no matter what kind of a row you hear or what you may think has happened to me.”
“That is asking a good deal of a fellow,” Murphy objected, “and I don’t know whether I can do it or not.”
“You must do it,” Scott insisted. “We cannot take the risk of having them pot both of us. That is just what they want. If for any reason you feel sure that anything has happened to me, beat it for headquarters as fast as you can go and notify Mr. Graham. Then he will know where to come and where to look. He can probably trace them with hounds or some other way if he knows just where to begin and can get on the trail right away.”
“All right,” Murphy agreed, “but it will be the hardest job I ever had to do.”
“Then it is all settled,” Scott said quickly, without giving Murphy time to think anything more about it or to raise any more objections. “It may be a long time before I can get back, but unless you hear an awful rumpus, wait for me. So long.”
The two men shook hands earnestly and Scott turned back toward the camp fire which they could still see—a dull red spark in the distance.
“Hold on,” Murphy whispered, “you haven’t any gun. Better take my automatic; it is handier than one of those rifles, and they might not be in shape anyway.”
Scott shook his head. “I’ve never learned to use a gun and would be almost as apt to shoot myself as the other fellow.”
Murphy looked at him in amazement. “Well, I’ll admit that you seem to be able to take pretty good care of yourself without one, but I suppose you know that any one of those fellows back there would not think any more of shooting you in the back than they would of shooting a yellow dog, and it is tempting Providence to go down there without a gun of some kind. Take one of the rifles then, you can shoot that.”
“It would only be in my way. I’ve just got to keep out of sight. If they should see me one gun would not do me much good against so many.”