"What about the boy?"
"He seems to be sound asleep. Leave him where he is."
With as little noise as possible they walked over to where Darling was tethered and freed the mule. Then they led the animal to the wagon and hitched him up. They worked swiftly, afraid every instant that Maybe Dixon or Mark or Bob might appear.
"Now then, off we go!" cried Sag Ruff, and started Darling. The mule made the move somewhat against his will, but he did not know the true situation and finally settled down to a steady pull, across the ford and then along a side trail, about which the gambler and his tool had heard only the day previous. This led through another patch of timber, and soon men and outfit were lost to view from the fording place.
All unconscious of what was happening, Si slept the sleep of the just for nearly two hours. He awoke only when he felt Maybe Dixon's hand on his shoulder.
"Si! wake up here!" cried Dixon, shaking him. "Where's the turnout, lad?"
"The turnout?" repeated the farm boy, rubbing his eyes in bewilderment. "Why, it's——It's gone!"
"Exactly. Don't you know where to?"
"Why, I—I didn't know it was gone!" Si leaped to his feet and now he was wide-awake. "Maybe Dixon, is this some joke?" he demanded.
"Maybe it is, lad, but if so, it's none of my doings."