"It will as soon as we find Fred," said Jack, with a faint smile; "but what about yourself?"
"It's all the same; if we had meat here I'd cook and eat it; but I'm willing to go a day or two, if I haven't the time to take any meals."
"That's strange!" broke in Jack; "yonder comes a white man; he must be one of your acquaintances, though I never saw him before."
Hazletine turned round in surprise. A tall white man, dressed as a cowboy, with long dangling yellow hair and a thin mustache and goatee, and with rifle slung over his shoulder, had appeared on the further side of the plateau, and was approaching the couple at a deliberate pace.
"Wal, I'm hanged!" exclaimed Hazletine; "if there isn't Bill Tozer! He's the last man I expected to meet in these parts."
These words did not bring Jack Dudley much enlightenment, but he felt no special curiosity concerning the individual, and silently waited till he came up. The youth judged from the manner of the guide, however, that he was not overly pleased with the new arrival, whose countenance was not attractive. Nevertheless, the two shook hands with seeming cordiality, and the new-comer looked inquiringly at Jack.
"This is a friend of mine, Bill, that I took out on a hunt t'other day with another younker; Jack Dudley, Bill Tozer."
"Glad to know you," said the man heartily; "I see you're a tenderfoot."
"Yes," replied Jack; "less than two weeks ago I had never set foot in Wyoming."
"Wal, now that's funny; you'll like the country after you get used to it."