"Who said I was, then?"
"You are a prisoner."
"You had better answer up, if you know what's good fern you," broke in Andy Jimson. "Sack doesn't stand for any nonsense."
"Tell me, how many were in your party?" repeated the owner of the ranch.
"Something less than half a hundred."
"What!" The owner of Red Rock ranch leaped to his feet, and then sat down again on a bench opposite the two Rovers. "You are fooling."
"All right; then don't question me."
"They must have organized a regular searching party," burst out the long-nosed man. "If they did, Sack, we are in for it."
"It's all talk, Andy. They couldn't get up such a party around here. Folks know better than to bother me. Besides, they know I am a good spender, and they like to help, not hinder, me," and the ranch owner winked.
"Are you boys going to tell me the plain truth, or not?" demanded
Sack Todd after a pause.